Page 10 of Tizzy's Little Thanksgiving

Instead of answering, Georgie drew them to a halt a few feet down the corridor. “To be clear, are you saying my stodgy know-it-all brother is your Daddy?”

“Uh… no?” Teresa answered, feeling her face warm. “How could he be? I mean, even if I… uh, you told me he was off limits eons ago and… and… um, why would you even think that?”

Georgie looked at her a long moment and then took a step to the side to look back the way they’d come. Teresa turned to follow her gaze and saw Master Derek, Lucas, and Eddie standing on the threshold but not following them. Georgie gave the men a wave. After staring at them a few moments, her best friend nodded as if she’d somehow gotten the information she needed. Turning back to look at Teresa she asked, “But you really think he’s gonna spank you?”

Forget her face, Teresa’s entire body felt as if she could self-combust at any moment. “Yes! Because your Daddy spanked you for breaking into Eddie’s and I got off scot-free!”

“I guess that makes sense, sort of,” Georgie said.

Teresa’s world took another spin into a different dimension when doors began to open and what appeared to be Big people, some dressed in clothing more often seen on people chronically younger and others wearing matching uniforms, started pouring from rooms on both sides of the corridor. Laughter and squeals reminded her that this dimension had a name and it was Rawhide Ranch.

When one of the girls called out “Here comes the bride,” Teresa remembered why she’d come to Montana. “What’s the matter with me! Maybe I did hit my head. This is your special time. I came here to be your maid of honor, not cause all this trouble. You go with your friends. I need to—”

“Oh no you don’t,” Georgie said as Teresa attempted to pull her hand free when a trio of girls joined them.

“Is this your maid of honor?” the tallest of the three asked with a bright smile.

“Yes, this is my bestest friend, Teresa. Teresa, these are my friends, Hayleigh, Sadie, and Wren.”

“Hi, Georgie has told me a lot about you.” Teresa was a bit overwhelmed but pleased to meet the women Georgie was always talking about.

“I bet she has,” the one introduced as Sadie said with a roll of her eyes and a giggle.

“She’s told us quite a lot about you too,” Wren added, giving Teresa a hug.

“It’s a pleasure to meet a fellow co-conspirator. Good job finding that key in the flowerpot,” Hayleigh chirped, wrapping her arms around Teresa in a big hug.

“I thought you didn’t mention me?” Teresa said, giving Georgie a side-eye.

“Not to anyone who wouldn’t understand.” Georgie gave a little shrug.

Before Teresa could question that reasoning, Hayleigh asked, “Did your brother make it here yet?”

“Yup, he’s back there by my Daddy.” Georgie turned to waggle her fingers at the men still standing in the center of the doorway, legs shoulder-width apart, and arms crossed over their chests.

“Um, dare I ask why they are just standing there?” Wren asked softly.

“And why is my Daddy with them?” Sadie added, giving her Daddy a wave which was returned by Derek while the other two men just nodded.

“More importantly, what are they waiting for?” Hayleigh asked.

“To unleash the storm,” Teresa whispered which immediately had the attention of a quartet of Littles focusing on her.

“What storm?” Wren asked. “I didn’t hear there was a storm coming.”

“I don’t think she meant a literal storm,” Sadie explained. “More figurative like in ‘The Clash of the Titans’ with that whole who let the kraken out thing.”

“Gee, thanks for clearing that up,” Hayleigh said, rolling her eyes while bumping her hip against Sadie’s. “Crap on a cracker, will someone tell us what is going on?”

“Let’s just say Teresa needs our help,” Georgie said. “Who’s in?”

Three sets of hands instantly shot up into the air and Teresa could only stare as the girls she just met not only jumped in without having a single clue as to what was going on, they moved silently to fall into position as if they were the rear guard protecting her flanks in some military maneuver. Of course the wordflankhad her thinking of Eddie and that had goosebumps popping out on her arms, the muscles of her butt clenching, and her knees beginning to knock.

Georgie gave her no time to consider bolting. The moment Teresa was completely surrounded, Georgie waved her hand in the air and the group began to walk further down the hall.

“Where are we going?” Teresa asked as the tide of Littles filling the hall parted like the Red Sea to let their group pass.

“To get you the answers you’re gonna need when dealing with your Daddy,” Georgie said.

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