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The Animal Factory
By the time she reached the lobby, Ivy and the girls were just piling through the spinning door. Meredith could see Chelsea wanted to go around a few more times, but Kendra grabbed her by the hood of her coat and pulled her into the lobby. Ian’s niece popped out from behind the crowd.
“Hi, girls. Ready to go?” Meredith asked.
“Miss Blake, what kind of animal are you going to build?” Kendra asked.
“Honey, you don’t have to call me Miss Blake. Please call me Meri.”
Kendra nodded and pushed her glasses up. “So, what kind of animal are you going to make?”
“I’m not sure. I guess I’ll see what they have when we get there.” Meredith pulled a knit hat out of her coat pocket and put it on. “Shall we?”
Chelsea grabbed Lynn’s hand and ran to the rotating door. The two friends completed three full rotations before Ivy and Kendra could pry them from their quadrant.
Chelsea yelled shotgun, but Kendra and Lynn packed her into the back seat with them. Meredith sat up front with Ivy.
“So, I take it you slept well.”
“It’s so fun sleeping in for once.” Meredith watched the scenery go by as Ivy pulled out of the hotel parking lot.
“Well, I’ll make sure you get as much sleep as you can before the big day.” She smiled. “Have dreams about anyone in particular?”
“Dreams? No, I was out like a light. Did you?”
“Hmm, no. Nothing in particular. Just wondered if anyone had made an impression on you at dinner last night.”
Meredith could feel her cheeks warming. “Impression? No, not that I can think of.”
Ivy raised an eyebrow. “Okay. Just wondering.”
“Can you swing through the Zavijava and order me a muffin? I’m famished.”
“Aunt Ivy, can I have a muffin, too?” Chelsea yelled.
“You don’t need to yell, dear. The back seat isn’t that far away. Yes, I’ll get you a muffin. Kendra, Lynn, do you want something from the drive-thru?”
“I’ll have a muffin, please.” Lynn said.
“May I have a hot chocolate and a gingerbread biscotti?” Kendra asked.
“Ooh! I want hot chocolate too, and so does Lynn!” Chelsea bounced in her seat.
“Okay, hot chocolate for the back seat. What would you like with your muffin, Meri?”
“Who can say no to hot chocolate?”
“Hot chocolate all around. Four muffins and a gingerbread biscotto.”
“I thought it was biscotti.” Kendra said.
“That’s plural. If you’re only getting one, it’s a biscotto.”
“Thank you. I didn’t realize there was a difference.” Kendra shrugged.
Once provisioned, they continued on to the Animal Factory. Ivy and Meredith took turns sweeping crumbs off of the girls’ coats and lips before they went in.
“It’s not too crowded.” Meredith said pensively, peeking in the front window.
“Will you be alright?”
“If I could make it all the way to dessert last night, this should be fine.” She clutched her purse tight under her arm.
“Meri, can you help me make mine?” Kendra asked. “Aunt Ivy can help Chelsea and Lynn.”
“Sure, Kendra. I’d be happy to.” She took the child’s hand and followed her into the store.
The competition between the cheerful Christmas music and the clusters of conversation made for a dizzying din. Meredith focused on helping Kendra build her moose. Ivy kept an eye on her friend as she helped her two charges make their animals.
“Did you get to meet Mr. Toby?” Kendra asked as she searched through the costume bin for her moose.
“Which one is he?”
“He was sitting next to Lynn’s dad, Uncle Steve.” She handed the moose to Meredith as she plunged deep into the bin. “He’s even more crazy about superheroes than my dad is.”
“Your dad likes superheroes?”
“He was telling Uncle Ian’s friend about how one of them pulled him back on the road so he could get home for Christmas.”
“He did? Who was it? Captain Freedom?”
“No, he didn’t have a superhero name. Well, if he had one, he didn’t tell my dad. He was just some random guy in a truck.”
“How did he know he was a superhero?”
“The guy put tow straps on dad’s car and pulled him on the road by hand.”
“Wow, that must have been something.”
“Seems like it. He couldn’t stop talking about it for a long time. If you get him started…” She just shook her head as she rifled through the costumes.
“Are you looking for something in particular? I can help you find it.”
“I’m not sure what I’m looking for, but I know I haven’t seen it yet.”
“I know exactly what you mean.”
“Would you date a superhero if you could?”
“Hmm, I don’t know.” She watched Kendra sifting through costume items. “I guess it would be interesting to know one personally like that, but I wouldn’t like to get all that attention. The news people swarm around them like gnats.”
“Hadn’t thought of it that way.”
“Would you?”
“Maybe.” Kendra held up a little shirt and tossed it back in the bin. “I suppose it matters more who he is than what he is.”
“Yes, that’s true, whether he’s a superhero or not.”
“Aha. There it is.” Kendra held up an ugly Christmas sweater. Meredith handed her the moose so she could put it on him. Kendra looked him over before snatching up a pair of denim overalls for the moose to wear.
“Oh, my goodness. That’s perfect.”
Kendra held the moose out and studied him, turning him around and upside down a few times. “It will do. Are you going to make one?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure if I…” She gasped as Kendra pulled up a shiny red jersey with a white Sentinels logo on it.
“What kind of animal should be wearing this?” She held the jersey out for Meredith to take. “Maybe a roly-poly bear?”
“Did Ivy put you up to this?”
“You don’t have to.” Kendra shrugged and swung her silly moose at one side. “It’s up to you. I just thought you’d like the shirt.”
She took the glistening little shirt, pondering the question. Did she want something to fill that shirt? What did she want?