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“Tommy stinky,” said Darby.
“Am not,” protested her brother.
“Well,” said Gibson. “I think she has you there, buckaroo.”
“Can I shake Pooh’s hand?” asked Francine.
Darby held him out.
Francine reached out and shook the bear’s hand and said, “Well, look at that. Did you know Pooh had this?”
Darby quickly sat up. “What?”
Francine held up a locket shaped like a heart.
“What dat?” asked Darby.
“It’s a locket. Do you know what you can do with it?”
Darby shook her head so vigorously that her pigtails flew around.
Francine opened the locket to reveal the compartment. “You can put a picture in here.” She glanced at Gibson. “Maybe of your mommy? And when you get older you can put the locket on a necklace, here like mine.” She showed Darby the one she had on. “And anytime you want to see your mommy, you just open the locket and there she is.”
Darby slowly took the locket and looked at her mom with excited eyes.
“We can pick out a picture to put in there,” said Gibson. “Maybe the one of both of us at your birthday party?”
Darby nodded, then she lay down, closed her eyes, and went right back to sleep.
As they walked out of the house later, Francine said, “Your kids are beautiful. You must be really proud.”
“I am most days, except when they’re fighting, won’t eat, or puke on me.”
“Motherhood in all its glory.”
Gibson said, “And you didn’t have to do that, Francine. The gifts, I mean.”
“A Nerf ball and a locket. Not all that much, really.”
“You looked like you’ve played catcher before.”
Francine looked both wistful and sad. “My brother. Harry never let him do any sports. He never let him do anything. So I found some balls and gloves when we were kids, and he would pitch to me in the backyard.”
“That’s really nice.”
“Sometimes it’s the little things.” She paused and added, “The little things, actually, were all we had.”
“The locket was a sweet idea.”
Francine fingered hers.
“Whose picture is in it?” asked Gibson.
When Francine looked at her, Gibson had wished she hadn’t asked the question.
“I never had a picture in it.” She paused and then added, “But maybe one day I will.”
CHAPTER86
