Planning to visit April, Tinker's surrogate mother
Jillian decided that they'd go disguised as Girl Scouts selling cookies.
Louise wasn't sure they needed disguises. And she was fairly positive that they hadn't needed to actually join the Girl Scouts in order to obtain the uniforms. She suspected that Jillian secretly just wanted to join but wouldn't admit it.
Elle had been so stunned when they showed up at the after school meeting that she only stood there, mouth open, with a confused look on her face. Mrs. Pondwater was much better at covering her emotions. She ran on autopilot, welcoming them to the troop with only flashes of horror going through her eyes when she happened to look at Louise's blast-shortened hair. Jillian told everyone in class that Louise's new hairstyle was because of an accident with bubblegum so there were no embarrassing questions about explosions, leveled playhouses, or emergency room visits. Mrs. Pondwater apparently knew the truth, hinting that the woman obsessively tracked everyone that touched upon her daughter's life. She obviously didn't want to take responsibility for anyone who already managed to blow themselves up once. The spirit of Girl Scouts - as Jillian pointed out - was to accept any girl no matter her ethnic and social group.
So they had the uniforms, cookie order forms, and a creditable alibi for all of Saturday.
Neither one of them remembered that Saturday was their birthday.
#
"The Girl Scouts?" Their mother said for the third time after they told her. She was in her power business suit, her briefcase on the counter, and dinner from the supermarket's hot deli still in its insulated bag on the kitchen table. The evening news was on but muted.
"Is something wrong with the Girl Scouts?" Louise got out four plates and four forks.
"You said we should try to play with the other girls more." Jillian investigated the bag. "Oh good, rotisserie chicken!" She pulled out a small full chicken and then other containers that held steamed brown rice, salad makings and fresh fruit.
"There's nothing wrong with Girl Scouts." Their mother took off her heels with a sigh of relief. "I thought - oh what's her name…?"
"Elle Pondwater." Louise supplied the name and four glasses.
"Yes, that Elle's mother ran the girl scouts and you thought she was materialistic and extremely controlling. What's changed?"
Since it was true, Louise let Jillian field the question.
"By ignoring the Girl Scouts, we were allowing Elle to control that power base. By infiltrating that clique, we could disrupt her monopoly on it."
Their mother pursed her lips, studying Jillian with eyes narrowed. "I am never sure to be dismayed or proud when you talk that way."
Louise wasn't sure they needed disguises. And she was fairly positive that they hadn't needed to actually join the Girl Scouts in order to obtain the uniforms. She suspected that Jillian secretly just wanted to join but wouldn't admit it.
Elle had been so stunned when they showed up at the after school meeting that she only stood there, mouth open, with a confused look on her face. Mrs. Pondwater was much better at covering her emotions. She ran on autopilot, welcoming them to the troop with only flashes of horror going through her eyes when she happened to look at Louise's blast-shortened hair. Jillian told everyone in class that Louise's new hairstyle was because of an accident with bubblegum so there were no embarrassing questions about explosions, leveled playhouses, or emergency room visits. Mrs. Pondwater apparently knew the truth, hinting that the woman obsessively tracked everyone that touched upon her daughter's life. She obviously didn't want to take responsibility for anyone who already managed to blow themselves up once. The spirit of Girl Scouts - as Jillian pointed out - was to accept any girl no matter her ethnic and social group.
So they had the uniforms, cookie order forms, and a creditable alibi for all of Saturday.
Neither one of them remembered that Saturday was their birthday.
#
"The Girl Scouts?" Their mother said for the third time after they told her. She was in her power business suit, her briefcase on the counter, and dinner from the supermarket's hot deli still in its insulated bag on the kitchen table. The evening news was on but muted.
"Is something wrong with the Girl Scouts?" Louise got out four plates and four forks.
"You said we should try to play with the other girls more." Jillian investigated the bag. "Oh good, rotisserie chicken!" She pulled out a small full chicken and then other containers that held steamed brown rice, salad makings and fresh fruit.
"There's nothing wrong with Girl Scouts." Their mother took off her heels with a sigh of relief. "I thought - oh what's her name…?"
"Elle Pondwater." Louise supplied the name and four glasses.
"Yes, that Elle's mother ran the girl scouts and you thought she was materialistic and extremely controlling. What's changed?"
Since it was true, Louise let Jillian field the question.
"By ignoring the Girl Scouts, we were allowing Elle to control that power base. By infiltrating that clique, we could disrupt her monopoly on it."
Their mother pursed her lips, studying Jillian with eyes narrowed. "I am never sure to be dismayed or proud when you talk that way."