Au Contraire, Au Pair

So, I'm sure CA doesn't have state fairs in the summer, but folks: AU. 'Kay? Go with me....
~~~~~~~

Chapter 9

Cook mad made a huge breakfast that James was halfway through when Buffy arrived at the kitchen. Without a word, Cook handed her a large mug of fresh coffee, already creamed and sugared the way she liked it. Buffy lowered her lashes and mumbled a “thanks” as she walked to the corner table to listen to everything James wanted to do that day.

“And they have a slide that you climb up for a million steps and it’s way high up there, then you sit on a bag and slide all the way down. And they have an octopus that you sit on his tentacle and it spins you around, and I want to go on the Dragon Roller Coaster and they have corny dogs and turkey legs and waffles with whipped cream and strawberries on it and...”

Buffy smiled and buried her face in her mug of coffee. She took him by the hand and interrupted his stream of wants and did-ya-know’s. “Honey, we will be the first people through the gate and stay until you are ready to go. I promise. We are there to see and eat everything.”

*Cough*

“Okay, maybe we won’t eat everything, “ she glanced quickly at Cook, who stood scowling even as she packed a goody bag of bran muffins and apple slices, “but we’ll hit the fun stuff, definitely.”

James hurried off to brush his teeth and grab his backpack (in case he won a bunch of prizes, he explained). Buffy took one of the muffins that Cook offered to her. “Thanks, I’ll need something moderately healthy today.” She no sooner took a bite than Cook began shoveling eggs and sliced fruit in front of her. “You’ll need a fair more than a bit o’flour in yer wame to keep up with the likes of that child, I’ll tell you now.”

Smiling to herself, she happily dug in.

“Good morning, ladies.”

William accepted his cup of coffee and sat down to read his morning paper across from Buffy.

*Oh god, I think I have egg on my face. Nope, pulp. Shoot. Real smooth, Buffster.*

Buffy felt slight pressure on her foot and realized it was an unslippered foot gently rubbing back and forth. She looked over to see a pair of blue eyes sparkling back at her, then were gone back behind the paper.

“I know you like your eggs over easy, but as you can see scrambled is the order of the day, so you’ll have to make do. And don’t you go pushing your fruit around to make it look like you ate it. You’ll eat it if I have to pinch your nose and rub your crop, so get to it.” She turned her back and William made a small salute, winked at Buffy then dug in.

“I don’t know why you think I can’t see you. The whole house is nothing but windows and this one thinks he’s putting one over on me. Feet cold, sir? You seem to have lost your shoe.”

Fortunately by this time Buffy was finished eating. She stood up to clean her mess and told the room that she’d be back after brushing her teeth to be off with James. The ribbing that Cook gave William made her laugh. Even the hints she made about Buffy and William were lighthearted, but were meant to serve as warning that they were not being as secretive as they thought. Buffy hoped that today would give her some clues about how they were to proceed with this relationship.

She grabbed her purse and car keys and headed back downstairs to find James sitting in his dad’s lap telling him all that he was going to do at the fair.

“Ready to go, kiddo?”

“Yep!” He jumped down and raced towards the garage to climb in Buffy’s car. As she turned to follow, she felt a hand on her arm. “Buffy, please feel free to use the house card for what ever expenses arise today. I want you two to have fun without worrying about the ridiculously overpriced fair items. Would you like to take one of our cars? Or would you be more comfortable in your own?”

“Thanks, but I wanted this to be my treat for James. No, really,” as he began to protest. “And I am so used to how my car drives that it could be really dangerous to put me in anything that goes faster than 45 MPH. He’s going to school soon, and this is just something I have been planning on. You don’t mind, do you?”

He felt a surge of pride at her independence. “Certainly, although I would be more comfortable if you took the card for emergencies. You never know what could happen, and you don’t have to use it - just have it in case. What if the clowns go berserk and start driving over everyone in their car? You may need hostage money.”

She laughed, and relented. We’ll be home after dinner, and I’ll call when we are on our way so you know not to worry. Bye.”

A sigh from the vicinity of the sink, “you had better hold tight on to that one. Has a head on her shoulders filled with goodness, and I’ll warrant you can’t do much better, young though she may be.”

She put down her towel and looked straight at her boss, pointing right to his face. “But if she let’s that boy touch one of those funnel cakes, I’m done with the lot of you.”

**********

True to her word, they arrived just as they opened the gates to the fair and were the first in line for the Dragon Coaster. Buffy slipped the operator an extra few tickets to let him ride without waiting for it to fill up.

James wanted to see the farm animals, so they spent an hour in the 4H tent looking at more chickens and ducks than she knew existed. From the smell of it, the pigs and other livestock were to the right, so off to the right they went. One cowboy was brushing down his horse and saw a cute little brown headed boy staring up at him. “Are you a real cowboy?”

“Sure am. This is my horse, Doc. He likes apples. Wanna give him that one?” James reached into a pail to grab an apple and held it up to the horse’s mouth. The horse whickered and lipped it out of his palm. James giggled, then reached up to pet his nose. As he became engrossed in the velvet nose sniffling in his hair, the cowboy leaned back and stared appreciatively at Buffy. Not too many women that passed through the Ag tent looked like this one. Nice long mane of hair, pretty green eyes, small boned but looked like she could ride for days....

“I notice you don’t have a ring on. Some idiot let you and this little man get away?”

“He’s not an idiot, and he’s my dad. And she’s not going anywhere.” Buffy felt the red creeping up her face and said, “time to go!” James took her hand and led her to the goat pen.

After wandering through several of the exhibits, Buffy saw a sign that indicated a Frisbee dog show that looked fun. They made their way through the crowd to their seats with popcorn, corny dogs, pretzels and sodas in hand. “We HAVE to eat something green before we get home, or Cook will eat us alive!”

It seemed that they had a few minutes before the show started so Buffy asked James if he was getting excited to start school next week. “I can’t wait! I get to have my own desk and take a lunch to school, Cook promised. She said the food they made wasn’t fit for little boys, but Buffy, what about the other kids that eat there? Buffy, are you going to be there when the bus brings me home?”

“Well, I wanted to talk to you about that. What would you think about me staying past the summer? I talked with your dad about it, and he thinks it’s a good idea.”

“Well, of course my dad does. He likes you. I do, too. I don’t want you to go. I don’t like you leaving us.”

She leaned over and gave him a hug. “Sweety, I don’t want to go either. I love you, bucko. You think I could stand not hearing about school every day? Who am I going to read to every day if not you? Legos are just no fun without the cool ships you make. You want me? You got me.” With a kiss on the top of his head, they settled in as the lights went down in the tent signaling the start of the show.

At some point in the show she felt a hand creep into hers and squeeze tight. She put her arm around him and they stayed that way until the end.


~~~~~~~~
More at the fair soon..... Maybe a clown.... Turkey legs....