Kathy Martin
Junior Member
"Do you know any magic tricks?"
Posts: 174
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Post by Kathy Martin on Oct 2, 2011 11:41:28 GMT -5
Kathy looked up at her mom when she called to her and gave her an almost fearful look, wondering if she’d done something bad. When her mom convinced her she hadn’t and explained what she was worried about Kathy looked back down at her hands. She knew she had to talk about it, keeping it in wouldn’t do anybody any good.
“I’m just sad,” she explained quietly looking back up at her mom. “I miss Aunt Julia. Me and JR went and left flowers for her at the graveyard the other day, but I still think about her and miss her.” She paused and bit her lip a little before looking back down at her hands, her shoulders slumping.
“JR’s sick still,” she sniffled and allowed her hair to hide her face. “He’s been sick for a long time and... and I’m worried about him because I just want him to get better.” She glanced up at her mom and then down at her hands. “He will get better right? I don’t want to lose my big brother.”
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Post by Dix C. Martin on Oct 2, 2011 20:18:19 GMT -5
Even though she knew just watching her Kathy wasn't her happy little self, hearing her say she was sad clinched it, and broke Dixie's heart in two. Glad they were sitting in a wraparound booth, she moved closer to her and gently smoothed Kathy's hair with her fingers, listening closely as she spoke about Julia. "Oh sweetie, I know. But it's okay that you miss Julia and, it's even more okay that you think about her. All those memories you have about her, that's what keeps her in your heart. That's what'll keep you two connected.", she said knowingly.
But hearing her mention J.R, Dixie's eyes welled up with tears and she quickly wiped them away before Kathy had a chance to look up and see them. "I know, baby..I just want him to get better too." She sighed softly, slipping her arm around her little girl. For both their benefits, as Dixie just needed reassurance one of her kids was here, healthy, and with her. With J.R back on the booze and battling cancer, she was scared to death to lose him and each day it felt like it could become more of a reality. Seeing Kathy was just as worried as her, Dixie struggled with how to respond. She couldn't lie to her daughter, she couldn't lie to begin with, but she knew she had to ease her fears somehow.
"Sunshine, I wish and I pray every single night that J.R will beat the cancer and be around for a long long time. But..I'm worried too. I'm worried because I don't know exactly what's going to happen. And that scares me, that scares me a whole lot.", she admitted. "But you know... sometimes..when I get scared like that, I try and think about the stuff that I do know. And, I know a lot about your big brother, Kathy. I know he's tough, and a fighter, and one of the bravest guys in the whole world. And he's got a lot of people who love him more than anything. Like, me and your dad, and his dad, and A.J. And all that love, that does a lot, baby. It'll give J.R something to fight for. And, hopefully it'll be enough to protect him, to keep him safe. Keep us from ever losing him."
Despite her words though, all Dixie could think of was how J.R acted the other day at the house. He was so angry with her for what she'd put him through in the past, and still had put him through with the Babe and David drama. She'd hurt her son so deeply the last decade or so of his life, and as many apologies she made, they'd never be enough to fully fix things or heal all that pain. That she hoped none of her other children would ever ever know.
Still holding Kathy close she brushed her lips on the top of her head. "I love you so, so much though Kathy. More than the stars and the moon. You, and your daddy and your brothers and sister. You're my heart.", she sniffled. "Promise me you'll always know that."
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Kathy Martin
Junior Member
"Do you know any magic tricks?"
Posts: 174
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Post by Kathy Martin on Oct 3, 2011 0:01:16 GMT -5
“I know,” Kathy responded with a small sniffle. “I just wish... I wish she was here now with us. But she’s making rainbows in Heaven with my other parents and watching over us instead.” The thought was a happy one, but a sad one too and all she could think about was not being able to see them again.
“JR has to get better,” she told her mom and wrapped her arms around her tightly. “He just has too.” She buried her head into her moms chest, listening to the sound of her heart and words as she spoke. When her mom admitted to being scared, Kathy pulled back a little bit to look into her eyes. Her mom was scared? But as she continued, she slowly began to nod, knowing her mom was right, love did make things better and help.
“I think it will,” she admitted nodding and then hugged her mom tighter. “JR’s going to get better because he has everyone who loves him there to help. I wish sometimes too, on a star. I wish that JR will be alright and that he will get better and we can have lots of tea parties and sleepovers again real soon.” Hugging her mom even tighter at her words, Kathy closed her eyes and sniffled again, nodding once more.
“I love you too mommy,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes. “I promise, I promise I’ll always know. I will.” She held her until the waitress came over and placed both the pizzas on the table, and slowly Kathy pulled away, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, looking down at the food before up at her mom and she gave her a small smile despite everything.
“The pizza smells good,” she said, moving her plate closer to her and taking a small bite. “And tastes good too.”
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Post by Dix C. Martin on Oct 3, 2011 16:12:09 GMT -5
Hearing Kathy's wish Dixie held her just as tight. "Okay, good.", she sniffled. Kissing the top of Kathy's head once more, she held her til she was ready to let go when the food arrived. Wiping her eyes she shifted back over to her spot in the booth.
"You're right it does. Gosh, didn't realize how hungry I was.". Taking a small bite, she nodded in agreement with Kathy.
"Mmmm, you're right. Oh, this is great." Smiling Dixie took a bigger bite of the hot pizza slice. But the cheese decided to go stringy, and to to keep it from falling off the pizza all together, she bit off a large part of it. She regretted it though when the hot cheese stuck to and started burning the roof of her mouth.
"Agh!" Dixie squeaked. Quickly she bit through the string of cheese to free the pizza slice, and after setting it down on her plate, managed to swallow the cheese still in her mouth. But had to sip some water to move the process along. Finally, after all was said and done, Dixie grabbed a napkin and wiped her mouth pretending nothing had happened. But the smirk on her daughter's face said otherwise.
Clearly Kathy had inherited that same teasing leer as Tad. And if the teasing wasn't directed at Dixie she'd probably find it funny. "Oh! What are you looking at?", she blushed, pouting all defensive. But lowered her head bashfully to hide her smile.
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Kathy Martin
Junior Member
"Do you know any magic tricks?"
Posts: 174
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Post by Kathy Martin on Oct 5, 2011 15:10:32 GMT -5
“It is great!” Kathy exclaimed as she nibbled on her pizza and watched her mom eating hers. For a second her mom seemed to be doing alright with her slice but then it all went wrong and she was squeaking and trying to save the cheese before it fell.
“Uh oh,” she whispered under her breath as her mom tried to play it off as if nothing had just happened. Kathy knew what had just taken place and giving her mom a sly teasing look before bursting into giggles when her mom asked what she was looking at.
“Nothing!” she chimed trying to suppress her laughter but it didn’t help. Looking back at her own slice she kept eating it until she reached a hot spot and blew on it to help cool it down. When she was sure after a minute that it was cool she took a bite, placed it back down and took a sip of water from her glass.
“Mommy?” she said quietly. “When we go home, we have to hide all the decorations so daddy, Tara and Nolan don’t see, okay? I want them to be surprised and I really, really, really want to scare daddy with that hand.” She grinned at the thought and then finished off the rest of her pizza. “When can we start decorating for Halloween? Can we do it soon?”
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Post by Dix C. Martin on Oct 8, 2011 21:58:22 GMT -5
"Oh you!", Dixie smirked, while Kathy blew on her pizza and she took another bite of her own. This time with no incidents. "Yeah, baby?", she asked. But heard Kathy's request and laughed a little bit. Seeing her daughter grin and all excited made her feel the same way.
"Hey, that sounds fine to me. I think we can stuff a few of the bags in the back of the linen closet, no one would find them there. And with that hand, just an idea but what about we put it at your dad's box of cereal, you know the kind he likes to put candy bar into in the morning? He goes to open the box at breakfast and sees those fingers pointing up at him?" Dixie suggested with a devious smile. It always irked her that Tad ate all that sugar first thing in the morning, and he knew it too. Maybe this could be a little payback.
"Well it's already October and they've had Halloween candy in the stores since the end of summer! So I think we can get started anytime you like. Maybe not do the whole haunted house right away but we can definitely start it up.", she smiled. Already getting excited about this.
"And hey sunshine, I'm just curious. Are you gonna have a party at school for Halloween this year? You know like with your class and stuff?" Even knowing that one kid told Kathy trick-or-treat was for babies, Dixie knew when J.R was growing up she'd have to send him to school in costume. And he'd come home buzzed on sugar as a result. She just wanted to know if she'd see the tradition repeated with her little girl or not.
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Kathy Martin
Junior Member
"Do you know any magic tricks?"
Posts: 174
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Post by Kathy Martin on Oct 9, 2011 0:51:14 GMT -5
“That’s a great idea!” Kathy laughed, giggling over the thought of her dad finding the hand pointing at him in his cereal box. “But we have to be extra sneaky so he doesn’t know what we’re up too!” She brought her index finger to her lips and made a ‘shhh’ noise so to show it was a secret and they were being sneaky. “He cant find out.”
“So we need to buy candy, and costumes and wait for Halloween to be closer before we do the haunted house, right?” she asked, checking things off on her fingers. “Maybe we can do all the Halloween stuff a week before? That way if we forget anything we can add to it, right? And invitations! Could we get Hallowen invitations to invite people to it?” When her mom asked her about school, she had to think about it for a minute before giving a small shrug.
“I don’t know if we are, why?” she questioned before thinking harder on it. “I... I think one of the teachers mentioned it, but they never told the class. Should I ask?” She looked up to her mom before reaching over and taking a sip of her water and placing the glass back down and starting in on finishing up her pizza.
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Post by Dix C. Martin on Oct 12, 2011 23:49:43 GMT -5
"Oh absolutely!", smiled Dixie. Totally on board with Kathy's demands. "I promise he won't hear a thing from me. My lips are sealed." Hearing her daughter run off the stuff to do for the party, just got Dixie looking forward to it all the more and excited to start their old tradition back up. She'd loved Halloween since she was a little girl, and it had been too long since they'd gone all out for it. "That's a good idea. But between the two of us I don't think we'll forget a thing.", she said with confidence.
After asking about the class party she picked up on Kathy's (and apparently the school's) nonchalant attitude about it and was a little surprised. Maybe they weren't as big a deal now as they were for the boys back when. "Oh...well you can if you like but...I'm sure if the teacher mentioned it you'll do something. No, the only reason I asked was the boys used to always get so worked up about class parties. I'd have to send them to school in their costumes and armed with candy. They'd come home later bouncing off the walls 'cause of all the sugar they ate.", she said, smiling at the memory. "I was just curious if I'd be seeing the same from you or not, that's all.", she teased. Then saw Kathy was just about done with her pizza, same as her. Right on cue though the waitress came by, and after they finished and ordered the slices for home they got the check, paid it, then got the boxes with the slices.
"Alright, looks like we're all set kiddo. C'mon." Walking outside Dixie checked her watch before glancing at her little girl. "So, we still have some time before we gotta get the twins at your Aunt Di's. I wouldn't mind making a quick stop at the boutique to pay my bill though. It's right on the way...", sighed Dixie. The dress had been worth it but paying it off wasn't fun at all. And she knew if she went in the store she'd be beyond tempted to get another one.
"But it can wait if you just wanna get the twins and get home, alright? It's no trouble.", she clarified. Knowing Kathy had been at school all day and gotten full on pizza, it wouldn't be surprising if she was tired.
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Kathy Martin
Junior Member
"Do you know any magic tricks?"
Posts: 174
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Post by Kathy Martin on Oct 13, 2011 19:30:24 GMT -5
“I hope we do, it wouldn’t be fun if we didn’t do anything at all,” Kathy noted with a tiny sigh, putting her heads in her hands and looking up at her mom. “That sounds like fun! I really want them to have a party at school this year.” She pulled her head up, letting her hands fall down to the table before looking up as the waitress came with the check. She watched as her mom paid, feeling a little bad that she wasn’t helping this time, and got up when it was time to leave, heading for the door.
“No, we can go,” she told her mom as she suggested them going to pay a bill next. “Will it take long though?” She was beginning to feel tired, having done a lot today already, but she didn’t mind doing a few things if it meant she was her mom.
“Where is the boutique?” she asked, glancing up and down the street. She reached up and took her moms hand, still glancing about until she spotted the sign and pointed. “Is that it?”
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Post by Dix C. Martin on Oct 13, 2011 21:15:06 GMT -5
"Nope, won't take long at all." Dixie said, but lowered her voice a bit and smiled. "So long as you keep your mom from buying any more clothes!" Walking down the street Kathy spotted it and pointed it out, but looked to her for confirmation. "Yes. Good eyes! You take after your dad.", she praised. Hoping though her daughter wouldn't get into a job like his where she'd be licensed to carry a gun. She already had enough gray hairs with Tad and Di in the business.
Walking into the store, Dixie went up to the counter but told Kathy if she wanted she could look around a bit. It was small enough a place she'd be able to see her. Waiting for the woman to come from the back, a dress on a nearby rack caught Dixie's eye and she walked over towards it. "Oh, this is lovely!" "Isn't it? And that shade of blue would look terrific on you." The salesgirl smiled, getting Dixie smiling as well. Until she remembered why she'd come here. "Yeah well..gotta get some things paid off first.", she sighed sadly. But even standing there paying her bill she couldn't take her eyes off the dress. Or the shoes and nearby purse that matched it, making her glad she had a designated shopper with her.
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Kathy Martin
Junior Member
"Do you know any magic tricks?"
Posts: 174
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Post by Kathy Martin on Oct 15, 2011 15:54:33 GMT -5
“I’ll try,” Kathy giggled over the idea of stopping her mom from buying more clothes. It was hard enough whenever she went shopping as she always piled up armloads of shirts and pants to buy, so stopping her mom was going to be twice as hard. When she’d spotted the boutique and heard her mom compliment her by saying she was like her dad, she grinned and blushed. “I am? I hope so!”
As they went inside the store, Kathy went her own way, peering at the dresses and they had inside and finding one she immediately wanted. She was still looking at the dress when she heard her mom from across the room looking at one of her own and Kathy made her way over. Looking at the dress she had to agree it would look good on her mom, but a glance at the price and she face screwed up, it was expensive, just like the one she’d been looking at.
Heading away from the dresses she moved to the jewellery, pressing her face against the glass counter and ‘ooo’ing at what she saw. Everything in this place looked pretty, but what she had her eyes on was something similar to what she’d seen elsewhere. Moving over to her mom she gently tugged on her shirt and waited a little bit for her mom to pay off the bill before she did it again.
“Mommy, they have a necklace like yours,” she told her and pointed at the jewellery counter. “But this has a star and a moon.” She lead her over and pressed her face back against the glass before looking up at her mom. “A wishing star, like you and daddy’s! I know what I’m going to buy now.” She glanced back at the necklace again and frowned. “Do you think it’s a lot of money?”
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Post by Dix C. Martin on Oct 16, 2011 20:15:08 GMT -5
"Ooh, just gimme a sec sweetie.", Dixie said, finishing up at the counter when she felt Kathy tug on her blouse. Turning around when she was through, she noticed Kathy was fixated on jewelry in a nearby case. Not a shock considering she was her daughter. "Oh isn't that beautiful, and you're right! The stars are almost identical.", she smiled. Tugging a bit on the one around her neck. Right as Kathy pressed her nose up to the glass, smudging it. "Sunshine..", she chuckled, pulling her back and giving the clerk an apologetic look. Right before Kathy announced what she wanted to buy. "Oh, Kathy I..", looking closely at the necklace Dixie realized to her relief, the diamonds in her necklace were crystals in the one Kathy wanted. Making it just as sparkly but more appropriate for a 6 year old. "You know I'm not sure, uh..excuse me miss?" "Yes?", the clerk asked, walking up. "Would it be alright if we took a look at this necklace?" "Sure it's no trouble.", smiling the clerk unlocked the case and handed over the necklace. Revealing the small price tag that got Dixie biting her lip. It wasn't outrageous but even the not so fancy jewelry was on the pricier side here. And she didn't think Kathy had enough in her change purse to leave the store with it today. "Okay baby, I don't think you have enough money to pay for this on your own today. But I'll tell you what..I can pay for it with my credit card, and if you do a few chores and things around the house, along with the stuff you usually do for your allowance, you can put the extra money you make towards the necklace. Then that way you'll still be buying it for yourself. How does that sound?"
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Kathy Martin
Junior Member
"Do you know any magic tricks?"
Posts: 174
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Post by Kathy Martin on Oct 18, 2011 22:23:33 GMT -5
Kathy looked up when her mom said her nickname and she was pulled back away from the glass she’d just pressed her nose against. With a slight giggle and an apologetic glance at her mom she put her sleeve against the glass and tried to clean the smudge she’d made with her nuts. When it seemed to sort of go away she put her hand down and looked back at the necklace once more.
“You mean I cant get it?” she asked, tearing her eyes away from the jewellery and to her mom when she spoke to the clerk. She instantly became hopeful again when her mom asked if they could look at it and she bounced around eagerly until it was brought of the case and she was peering over the counter on her tippy-toes.
“Wow, it’s prettier up close,” she commented as she examined the necklace as best she could. As her mom spoke about the price and how she’d earn the necklace, Kathy slowly began to nod before retrieving the cash she’d had earlier at the costume store.
“Okay, I can do that,” she agreed and put the money on the counter beside the necklace. “But you can have this now, and when I get home I’ll clean the whole house, okay?” Call it a second wind but Kathy was ready to do anything to have a necklace like her moms and she was very eager to start right away. “Do you know when I’ll have enough? Will it take a long, long, long time?” She looked up at her mom worriedly, before glancing at the necklace once more.
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Post by Dix C. Martin on Oct 21, 2011 19:31:22 GMT -5
Seeing Kathy fret over the thought of not getting the necklace, Dixie melted and knew one way or another her daughter would have it. "Isn't it though..", she agreed about the necklace, before Kathy made her part of the deal. "The whole house? I dunno, that might be a bit much, babe.", she frowned. The house gave her trouble to clean top to bottom in one shot, and she was a grown woman. She knew her little girl would have too much of a challenge ahead of her if that was the agreement, and thought up another one. "How about I help? You'll do enough work to earn the necklace but, I'll be there to give you a hand. I know if I gave you the whole house to clean you'd earn enough for two necklaces.", she said. "It won't take long at all, sunshine. I promise. This will be your's to keep before you know it." Paying for the necklace on her card, she slipped the money Kathy gave her into her wallet, before the salesgirl handed her a bag housing the small box. Thanking her, she led Kathy out of the boutique and they headed towards the car. "You know though, the moon on the necklace you picked out, it's just like one that's on a bracelet I've got at home. That actually belonged to my mom, your grandma.", Dixie smiled softly. "I can't wear it anymore because it's a little small, but..I think it'd fit you. Would you like to take a look at it?", she asked, pretty sure though she already knew the answer.
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Kathy Martin
Junior Member
"Do you know any magic tricks?"
Posts: 174
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Post by Kathy Martin on Oct 24, 2011 13:01:02 GMT -5
“But I have to clean a lot to make the money to get it, don’t I?” Kathy asked, seeing her moms face fall with uncertainty about cleaning the whole house. “I can do it... cant I?” She was worried she wasn’t going to do enough to get the necklace. At the offer of her mom helping out, she tilted her head a little and gave it a thought before nodding with a grin.
“Two necklaces?” she gasped before looking down in the glass case again and then back to her mom. “Okay, you can help me, but so long as I do the most important cleaning that will get me the money for the necklace.” She looked at it in her moms hand and smiled, so glad to have spotted it when she did. She knew the one her mom had was important, and now she was going to have one that was just as important too.
Watching silently as her mom paid for everything and took her offered money, she watched everything carefully. When it was time to go she took her moms hand and headed out of the boutique and towards their parked car. Once she was settled into the car and buckled up she heard her mom speaking from beside her and she looked up.
“It does?” she asked, her eyes widening and as her mom continued they widened even more. “Yes! I’d love to see it! Maybe it will fit me and I can wear it sometime with my new necklace... if... if that’s okay.” She didn’t want to wear it without permission and she gave her mom an anxious look, excited to see this when they got home.
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