“Hey Duke, can you get me a sharp pair of scissors?”
Duke gave him a strange look.
“Umm, yeah… I’ll see if I can find some.”
“What do you need sharp scissors for?” asked Babsie.
Xavier looked over and smiled a little.
“I’m getting rid of my mohawk and never putting glue in my hair ever again, or at least not until someone invents some that doesn’t hurt when you go to wash it out.”
“I see. Well, make sure you cut it in chunks.”
“Why?”
“Well that way next time someone asks 4A for a donation for a charity auction or something, you can donate some of your hair,” Babsie replied as if to say “duh”.
Xavier laughed and shook his head.
“I think that’s a little weird, even for me,” he paused. “But I’ll cut it in chunks, or maybe just one big one. The glue will keep it together and it’ll make a nice souvenir if I decide not to do that.”
Babsie grinned and Duke showed up with the scissors.
“Thanks,” Xavier said, taking it and then closing the bathroom door completely.
**********
Christmas came soon thereafter. Always a noisy and messy event in this household! In the midst of the unwrapping and playing of presents, Isaac stood up and called everyone’s attention.
“There is one more present. Your mother, one of our friends and I have started… well, another business. One that I think will be of interest to some of you. It’s a horse ranch.”
Excited chatter followed and Isaac had to wait until they were quiet again.
“Now, for those of you who want to take riding lessons, you can put your name down on the list on the notice board, okay? Okay. Merry Christmas!”
“Mum?” Libby said at one point.
“Yes girls?”
“Well, we’re decided something,” Joy told her.
“What’s that?”
“I’m going to give up gymnastics,” Joy answered.
“And I’m going to give up ice skating,” added Libby.
“You are?” Babsie asked, surprised. “But you love doing them both.”
“Yeah, but we just want to focus on one,” Libby explained. “Joy does better in ice skating than I do, and I do better at gym that she does.”
“It makes sense. And we wouldn’t give them up completely. There would just be only one of us competing. Libby can come around to the rink any time, and I can still do gym exercises here.”
“Well, it sounds like you two have this all figured out,” Babsie approved. “Very well, but only if you’re sure.”
“We’re sure,” they said in unison.
“Okay then. It’s settled. I’ll take you out of your respective classes first chance I get.”