A tiny pair of hands grabs Therese by the ankles underneath the dinner table, causing her to drop her spoon and make it hit her bowl with a fatal clatter. Rindy giggles hysterically once her blue eyes met Therese’s green ones. She lets go to crawl backwards which she ends up bumping into Carol’s nylon leg. She squeals the second her mother lays a hand on the back of her green corduroy jumper.
“Is that you hiding under there?”
“Come right out and finish your ice cream, young lady!”
“I don’t like walnuts,” Rindy fusses below the two ladies. She gets back up on her feet with Carol swooping an arm around her like a swan and baby; drawing her closer comfortingly.
“You like ‘em sprinkled with brown sugar during Christmas time,” she murmurs.
“…I don’t…”
Therese watches Rindy shake her head in response with Carol nodding along right back.
“Maple walnut’s your favorite!”
Rindy makes a face which Therese scoops a spoonful of the ice cream and stares at a piece of walnut buried halfway deep.
“We can outgrow things, Carol,” she hears herself say.
Carol remains silent as she feels Rindy squirm against her, knowing Therese was right.