“Actually it’s for you dear.”
August looked up at Beau as he slid over the float. She carefully took it, looking at his nervous smile. Poor guy was probably worried he got the wrong flavors. She smiled back at him. “Oh sweetie… thank you.”
As she took a sip, Alexandra was rapidly typing away on her app. “Mom needs her desert first. It’s been a hard day for her.”
“Oh yeah. It was a hard day for you mommy.” Raven ducked under the table and went to squeeze in next to August who barely had time to scoot over. The reward for scooting over was a tight hug.
“Well… with all of you how can my days be that bad hmm? Now eat up. If you feel up to it you can play after.”
Alexandra gave a thumbs up before chomping away on the baby carrots. Conversation went to lighter things. About how the girls planned to have the best times on Saturday, a mere two days away. Questions on if they could eat here more often. Of what story time August was doing tomorrow, which wasn’t a story time but teen time which meant yes she’d miss them at dinner again but would be back before bedtime and no this wasn’t her Saturday to work. During all of this, the girls made faces of all sorts as they tried the pizzas from around the world. With Raven, who thought pineapple on pizza was horrible and a crime, picking the banana pizza from Sweden while Alexandra liked the British curry pizza.
Just as the girls were about to look ready to go, the dragon mascot Clawsome and his helper Knight Minnie walked in, inviting kids to come up and say hi. The girls were over in the flash asking many questions. Both Beau and August let out a chuckle.
“They get that from you, you know. Charging over to say hi.” Beau grinned, reaching over and taking August’s hand. Suddenly she was 18 again, sitting on her couch crying about that awful guy she was dating.
“Well, they also have you to thank for that. I see the stories you write for them, the help with internet searches about dragons and knights and the like.”
“Well, you get them books. It’s a team effort.” She watched as he put his fingers between hers, lacing their hands together.
August’s face was getting hot. Even after all these years, he still made her heart race. Made her feel warm and safe. “Thanks for the float. It was perfect.”
“Well, anything for my lovely Aug.” He started to lean forward for a kiss. For the moment August didn’t care about the whiskers. She closed her eyes, the soft carnival music making it feel like one of their dates when suddenly the table shook with a bang.
“Mommy! Knight Minnie said we can take a picture with Clawsome! Can we please?!”
Alexandra quickly tapped on the app. “We can also play the quiz game in the other room. It’s about dragons in stories.”
August opened her eyes, trying not to sigh. As she turned to Minnie, the knight seemed to have an apologetic look on their face. “How could we say no to such smart and inquisitive princesses? But parent permission is needed first.”
Beau nodded and looked to the girls. “That’s fine but let us get some pictures too ok?”
The two started jumping up and down as they hugged Clawsome. It only took a few moments before pictures were taken and the girls ran off to the quiz game. August couldn’t help but sigh. “You know, I always thought sitcoms were lying about how much kids interrupted a kiss by accident.”
“Yeah, guess those things do have some truth. Wouldn’t trade those two for the world.”
August grinned, wanting to tease him a little. “Oh? What would you trade me for? A country maybe?”
“I wouldn't trade you for the world either of course.” Beau squeezed her hands again.
August gave a little smirk. “Oh? They worth more than me?”
Beau started to answer and paused. “Wait, this is a trick question.”
“You better answer or I’m gonna give you a kick. And the answer had better be ‘they are worth more’.” She lightly pressed her foot on him.
“OR!” He stood up, grinning. “I can avoid the question by checking if they have banana pudding and that dessert pizza you like.”
Between the laughter August managed to get out. “I know where you live!”
“That’s good, cause ADHD brain might not remember later.”
**
It wasn’t long before it was time to go home. Thankfully the girls had no homework as they both managed to make it through all ten rounds, plus 3 bonus rounds because they tied. Leading to the twins both being given giant dragon plushies. Alexandra took the rainbow one while Raven took the sapphire blue one.
The rest of the evening went smoothly enough. Some light chores, making sure everyone had clothes for the next morning. Which only Beau was at risk. “If you can take the girls tomorrow I can finish the laundry.” He had offered.
This had the sad effect of he had to work late getting his commissioned writing done first so he’d have time for that in the morning. Thus a night of August going to bed alone happened. It was in the quiet of these moments August worried were the signs of the cracks forming. Sure he did that lovely gesture today, but by the weekend he’d hear what his own wife had said and done through one of the other ladies. Surely. He’d be understandably upset. Maybe less inclined to do things like that when she didn’t even do anything special for him aside from some cookies. All she could do was just try her best and put forth some more effort into making it clear that he was loved and he deserved romantic gestures as well.
The feeling at least backed down in the morning, when August woke up to feel Beau behind her all cuddled up. She could enjoy the moment with him there before the alarms, the kids, the everything. As it was, there was a whirlwind of activity as the morning started. August was just grateful they could move around without much pain as they got dressed and ready for work. Listening as Beau started asking the girls for their clothing and reminding them to grab their lunches. Getting to school was mostly the girls excited for the next day’s event as the twins scrambled out of their old, but at least paid off, car.
Then, it was the long quiet drive to the library on the other side of town. Past the longhorns that seemed to greet the children each morning, past the farms and shops. All the way to the little library and its plain gray exterior. August heard at some point they were maybe going to paint it some brighter colors. Sadly Brook had vetoed that instantly and pulled in some favors from her friends, the director and assistant director of the library system. Well at least Brook wasn't there today. Today it was four hours of just August getting the library ready for the 1-9 opening, letting in the pages to shelve, shelf reading their own areas, and ensuring the next few weeks of storytime crafts and such were prepared.
Honestly, this was one of the nicer times. When they could just recenter themselves. They didn’t have to be anything expected. No pretending to act and think a certain way lest a certain director do another write up over something petty. Just existing in the library. Making sure it was in order and prepared for anyone who was looking for things. Making displays based on the things the kids were talking about.
After a mere two hours, the library was in order and the checkout clerks were coming in to start checking books in and finding the holds for their branch or other branches. One of the pages, a college age student named Jo, came in and started to get things sorted for the children’s section. The only reason Jo was even working now and didn’t leave for the summer was because she ended up in all online classes this semester. Starting to strike up a conversation with August like always. Keeping them in the loop of some of the new apps and games to check out.
Which is when the conversation took an interesting turn.
“Mrs. Watt you are really cool you know that?”
August chuckled. “Well glad I am still hip and cool to the college crowd.”
Jo shook her head. “Nah I mean it. You didn’t care when I said I had a girlfriend, or I told you that she was trans or anything.”
“You both need to live your truths. And as long as you are being safe and it’s not a toxic relationship, that is what matters. Besides, I'm Bi. Remember?”
“Heh yeah, that is true. Which reminds me. My girl wanted to give you some of her pins she designs. I mean they’re the ones with flaws but I told her what you tell me.”
“Flaws make the masterpiece and the world is boring without them. I will greatly appreciate them.”
Jo reached into her cargo pants and pulled out some pins of flowers and beta fish. At first glance they just looked like colorful, pretty flowers or fish. A closer look showed the Beta’s being handed over were specifically a dark pink, purple and blue. As August looked at them, they smiled, putting the pins on over their heart. “Stealth pins. Love it.”
“Gotta be careful in small town Texas. I got my own.” Jo pointed to hers, showing a rainbow fish, a bouquet of roses in the shades of the lesbian pride flag. But there was a bird with pink, white, purple, black and then blue on it.
“I don’t know that one. What is it?” August looked a bit closer.
Jo looked around carefully and cleared her throat. “Well I mean… I don’t mind telling YOU but, I’m gender fluid.”
“Oh crud… Am I using the wrong pronouns then?” August frowned, hoping they hadn’t offended.
“No no, I’m gonna get something to show my pronouns later. But I’m non binary today. So they/them when it’s just us. Not sure the old ladies over there will take it.”
They gave a small nod to Jo. August started thinking out loud as they went to get the games out for the afternoon’s teen time. “I always wondered how someone knows if they’re non-binary.”
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