Abby

[robehouse]

"I don't think any trial can be civil as long as there are two opposite sides."

"And that is the only thing about you that needs to be changed sometimes."

"And who is the scout leader?"

[baby_snow_white]

"Maybe we need to do away with courts and let people settle their problems between themselves."

Carmen nods. "Right. I am perfect in every other way."

Carmen shrugs. "I don't know. Mommy said I am too young to go. She said next year. I can be a daisy, but I don't want to be a daisy. There outfits are silly looking. It is a blue smock and skirt. Natalie's Brownie outfit is cuter. It is a brown vest, a white shirt with a brown tie, brown shorts and brown socks.

[robehouse]

"That's probably not a good idea. The hospitals will be a lot busier if that happens. It would become very violent."

"That's right, and don't let anyone say any different."

"Well I think you would look really cute as a Daisy. Everyone has to start at the bottom and work their way up. I bet even Natalie was a Daisy at one time."

[baby_snow_white]

"Maybe, but hospitals are probably less expensive than paying an over priced lawyer to fight for you."

Carmen nods and looks at Wanda. "Yeah don't say I am different."

Wanda smiles. "Well you are different. We aren't the same. So that makes you different than me. You have blonde hair. I don't. You have blue eyes. I don't. You have a sister named Natalie. I don't."

Carmen shrugs. "I guess so, but I would rather start at Brownie. Brownies taste better than a flower would. Brownies are fudgy tasting. Daisies are only good for making chains and halos."

[robehouse]

"Well who is to say that if we went that way without lawyers that the hospitals wouldn't wind up raising their fee, so you end up paying more than a lawyer. Hospital bills can be pretty expensive."

"This world would be boring if everyone was the same. Can you imagine a world with all Carmen's, or all Wanda's, or even all Abby's? That would be a strange world."

Daddy smiles.

"That reminds me of an old song. it was called 'Don't eat the Daisy's' but I don't think they had little girls in mind when they wrote that song. But I agree with you, Brownies are quite tasty. So are Carmen's."

Daddy picks up Carmen and blows bubbles on her belly.

[baby_snow_white]

"Maybe, but at least doctors serve a useful service. They aren't pompous or have inflated egos. Doctors on TV are cute. There are no cute lawyers on TV."

Wanda giggles. "I think Abby would like it if everyone was like her. Then there would be no schools and there would be skateboarding everywhere.

Carmen giggles as Daddy blows bubbles on her belly. "Quit that. It tickles."

[robehouse]

"I have seen some pompous doctors, but there are a lot more pompous lawyers. I still think we are doing things right now. What would lawyers do if they suddenly stopped having trials?"

"That's true. I don't think it would very good if everyone was like Abby."

"Does it? Does it tickle as much as this?" Daddy started tickling under Carmen's arms.

[baby_snow_white]

"Stay at home and watch Perry Mason on TV. So they can learn how to be a good lawyer and not being pompous."

"It might be fun. if there was no schools. Then the playground would have a lot of kids on it to play with."

Carmen wiggles. "Yes it does tickle as much there too."

[robehouse]

"Perry Mason was old school. There are more recent shows that have to do with lawyers. Like the Good Wife."

"But if there were no schools then kids wouldn't learn anything and then they couldn't get good jobs."

"Then I guess there's nothing wrong with your funny bone."

Daddy sets Carmen down and pats her on the bottom.

[baby_snow_white]

Wanda nods. "I saw one episode of it and if my ex husband treated me like he treated her. I would kick him to the curb and tell him to never darken my door again." Bits of Wanda's old personality start to shine though and then disappear again."

Carmen shakes her head. "Abby doesn't agree. She said there is no need in there being schools. If you want to learn something. Watch TV. You can learn more that way than setting in a boring classroom all day and listen to a teacher who makes watching paint dry seem more exciting."

Carmen giggles. "I don't a funny bone. All my bones are funny."

[robehouse]

"I watched a couple of episodes the first season, but stopped after that. but you are right. He didn't treat her very well."

"Yes they are. This bone is funny, and this bone is funny and this bone is funny." Daddy said, tapping Carmen's leg, arm and head.

[baby_snow_white]

Carmen giggled when daddy touched her head. "No according to mommy. That is my crazy bone. She said it makes me do thing that is crazy like climbing trees, walking on the brick wall behind the house, playing with Gavin's skateboard. She said Abby is a bad influence on me. I am turning into a younger version of her. Mommy said if I start wearing all black. She is not going to let me come over to play anymore. I don't see what is wrong with black. Mommy wears black when she goes to work."

[robehouse]

"Well the bone itself is funny, but the grey matter inside is the crazy part."

"I think you would look cute as a mini Abby, wearing black like a shadow."

"We better get the girls in the ice cream shop so we can head to build a bear."

[baby_snow_white]

Carmen giggles. "Well you better not tell mommy that. She try to suck it out with the vacuum."

Carmen shakes her head. "Mommy doesn't think so. She calls Abby a very bad influence on Natalie and me. I don't know if being called the Mistress of Black Magic is a bad thing, but I have heard mommy talking to Gavin and Daddy and she has called Abby that a few times and said it wouldn't surprise her if Abby didn't bite the heads of bats off."

Wanda giggles. "The only bats she bites the head off of is the marshmallow ones."

[robehouse]

"I guess she could do that through your ears. I can see clear through them."

"That's true, but she does a very good job at biting the heads off of those. But Abby isn't really that bad. I should know. I am around her all the time."

Daddy gets Amy and Toni in their carriers and takes them up to the door of the ice cream shop. He looks at Carmen and Wanda.

"Could one of you young ladies open the door for me?"

[baby_snow_white]

Carmen giggles. "No you can't."

Mommy said she was that bad. I don't know what black magic is, but it doesn't sound good. Because if something is black. You can't see though it."

Wanda and Carmen nods. They opened the door together. "This door is too heavy for one of us to open. We have to open it together." They giggle as they walk out the door.

[robehouse]

"No, I guess I can't. There are too many potatoes in your ears."

"Well I guess you should listen to your mother then. Just don't let it stop you from playing with Wanda."

"Yes, I see it takes two of you."

Daddy sees them start to walk out the door.

"Alright you two, come back in here."

Daddy carries Amy and Toni over to the counter and waits for Gavin to come over.

[baby_snow_white]

Carmen smiles. "Potatoes? Mommy said I had wax in there."

Wanda giggles. "I guess you have waxy potatoes. I don't think I would want potatoes with wax on them. They probably wouldn't taste very good."

A teenage girl comes over to the counter. "Welcome to the Ice Cream Store. The coolest place on the planet. What can I get you?"

[robehouse]

"Yes, there is wax there, otherwise the potatoes would just fall out. Maybe your mommy cleans your ears often enough so the potatoes aren't in there."

Daddy smiles at the girl.

"Yes, I was looking for Gavin. Is he around?"

[baby_snow_white]

Carmen shrugs. "Maybe she does."

The girl shook her head. "No Gavin isn't here today. He took the day off to relax. Is there something I can help you with? I'm the manager on duty today."

Wanda and Carmen giggled. "She said dody."

[robehouse]

Daddy frowns at Wanda and Carmen for making the joke. He looks up at the girl.

"I doubt you can. You see, the girls here in the carriers are Gavin's nieces. I was going to ask him to watch them while I took Wanda and Carmen here to build-a-bear workshop. I guess I will have to figure out something else though."

[baby_snow_white]

The lady nods. "Oh I see. They are cute. Sorry I couldn't be much help to you. You could call his house. He might be there."

[robehouse]

"Thank you, I'll do that."

Daddy took out his cell phone and called Gavin's number.

[baby_snow_white]

Gavin heard his phone ringing and sat up from his beach chair. "Hello. This is Gavin." He watched some girls walking by in their swimsuits as he waited on whoever it was to start talking.

[robehouse]

"Hello, this is Abby's daddy. I hear you have the day off today. I am here at the ice cream store. I was going to ask if you could watch Amy and Toni while I took Wanda and Carmen to the build a bear workshop. Since you aren't here, Do you know of anyone who can catch the girls for me?"