Page 58 of A Cozy Christmas Blizzard
“Blue water?” K.O. dropped her arms and stared at the counter between the kitchen and the living room, where the fishbowl sat. Sure enough, the water was a deep blue.
Wynn walked across the room.
Before K.O. could ask what he was doing, Wynn pushed up his sweater sleeve and thrust his hand into the water. “Just as I thought,” he muttered, retrieving a gold pen.
After she’d found the twins with Wynn’s electric shaver, she realized, they’d opened his overnight case.
“This is a gold fountain pen,” he told her, holding up the dripping pen. “As it happens, this is avaluablegold fountain pen.”
“With blue ink,” K.O. added. She didn’t think it could be toovaluable, since it was leaking.
She picked up the bowl with both hands and carried it into the kitchen, setting it in the sink. Scooping out the two goldfish, she put them in a temporary home—a coffee cup full of fresh, clean water—and refilled the bowl.
Wynn was pacing the kitchen floor behind her.
“Does your book say anything about situations like this?” she couldn’t resist asking.
He glared at her and apparently that was all the answer he intended to give.
“Aunt Katherine?” one of the twins shouted. “Come quick.” K.O. heard unmistakable panic in the little girl’s voice.
Soon the two girls were both crying out.
Hurrying into the bedroom with Wynn right behind her, K.O. found Zoe and Zara weeping loudly.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Freddy’s gone,” Zoe wailed.
“Freddy?” she repeated. “Who’s Freddy?”
“Our hamster,” Zoe explained, pointing at what K.O. now recognized as a cage against the far wall. “He must’ve figured out how to open his cage.”
A chill went through her. “Does Freddy have a brown tail and happen to be a little chubby?” she asked the girls.
Hope filled their eyes as they nodded eagerly.
K.O. scowled at Wynn. African brown-tailed mouse, indeed.
Seventeen
Thankfully, Wynn rescued poor Freddy, who was discovered shivering in a corner of the porch. The girls were relieved to have their hamster back, and neither mentioned the close call Freddy had encountered with certain death. After calming the twins, it took K.O. and Wynn an hour to clean up the living room. By then, they were both cranky and tired.
Saturday morning, Zoe and Zara decided on wieners for breakfast. Knowing Wynn would approve, K.O. cooked the hot dogs he’d purchased the night before. However, the unaccustomed meat didn’t settle well in Zoe’s tummy and she threw up on her breakfast plate. Zara insisted that all she wanted was orange juice poured over dry cereal. So that was what she got.
For the rest of the morning, Wynn remained pensive and remote. He helped her with the children but didn’t want to talk. In fact, he seemed more than eager to get back to Blossom Street. When Zelda and Zach showed up that afternoon, hecouldn’t quite hide his relief. The twins hugged K.O. goodbye and Wynn, too.
While Wynn loaded the car, K.O. talked to Zelda about holiday plans. Zelda asked her to join the family for Christmas Eve dinner and church, but not Christmas Day, which they’d be spending with Zach’s parents. K.O. didn’t mind. She’d invite LaVonne to dinner at her place. Maybe she’d include Wynn and his father, too, despite the disastrous conclusion of the last social event she’d hosted for this same group. Still, when she had the chance, she’d discuss it with Wynn.
On the drive home, Wynn seemed especially quiet.
“The girls are a handful, aren’t they?” she asked, hoping to start a conversation.
He nodded.
She smiled to herself, remembering Wynn’s expression when Zoe announced that their hamster had escaped. Despite his reproachful silence, she laughed. “I promise not to mention that rare African brown-tailed mouse again, but I have to tell LaVonne.”
“I never said it was rare.”
