Page 57 of Broken Grump

“The new emperor penguin,” Hayden explains, pointing it out to me. “Her name is Pearl.”

“Aw! That’s so cute. Well, then I agree, Loones. Pearl it is.”

“Yay!”

After what felt like over an hour spent in that part, we finally managed to coax her out through the promise of getting her face painted.

“There’s for sure a booth around here, right?” I mutter out of the corner of my mouth. I’d hate to have lied to her. When I wasa kid, I felt like my mom was always making up lies and fake promises just to get me to do whatever she wanted me to do. And I did not want to do the same thing to my child.

“Yes, I promise.”

Fortunately, it turned out that he was telling the truth, and we soon came upon the tarped area that kind of resembled a beauty salon. Sure, the chairs were shorter, but they were still propped in front of mirrors with lights that went all the way around them.

“Hello,” Hayden says after a staff member approaches us. “One face painting please.”

But Luna tugs on his arm. “Please, will you do it with me?”

She already knows darn well I can’t because my sensitive skin will flare up within seconds.

He understandably hesitates, but she gives him her best doe eyes.

“Ugh,” he groans before agreeing.

“Great. I’ll be Pearl, and you can be the rainbow bird.”

The face painter assigned to him doesn’t seem familiar with what she’s talking about, so I hold up the toy for reference.

“Ah, got it. Thank you.”

Hayden fakes a smile and says, “Yeah, thanks a bunch, Adds.”

“No problemo!” I’m happy to help aid in this embarrassing moment in any way that I can.

When they’re both finished, Luna is over the moon with the results. But I secretly think they both look like crazy people with random colors splattered on their faces.

“Okay, let’s get a picture of this.” I corral them near a cool rock formation outside.

He gives me a curt look, but nevertheless, complies.

After he picks her up in his arms, and they both say “Cheese,” I make sure to take plenty just in case.

However, it soon seems as though karma is on Hayden’s side when it starts to pour.

Taking his jacket off, he shields both of our heads as we run out with the rest of the crowd through the park and out to our car.

It continues to rain heavily as we navigate and stomp through muddy puddles, but after getting closer to my vehicle, it calms down a bit.

After helping Luna get into her car seat, he closes the door, and then it’s just the two of us standing there.

I grin and point between his eyebrows.

“What?” His fingertips raise to that point, and he looks at himself in the reflection of the mirror. “Did the paint get all smudged?”

“A little. But that’s not what I was referring to. It’s just nice to see your frownless forehead for a change. I guess the day did you some good.”

His mouth drops. “I am not always frowning.”

I giggle. “You’re literally doing it right now.”

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