♡ to ♡ (122)

Bert dressed in shorts again for his date with the two redheads. He pulled out his tickets, 185.

That will give them (204 + 185 = 389) They needed 500 so all he had to win is 111 tickets.

He headed over to Lily's house to pick them up. Rose was very excited.

"Uncle can I really have your tickets too?"

"Yes, And tonight we bring home the tiger. "

Lily put the car seat into Bert's car and they left. They had so much fun. Bert felt alive. After they ate their Pizza Rose dragged him from game to game.

They ended the night with 614 tickets.

They got the big Tiger and a small fairy.

When they got home Rose was fast a sleep.

"Give me a moment to lay her down." Lily said

Bert walked out on the patio and seen a small fire pit. He placed wood in it and lite it up. The heat it put out felt great.

Lily walked out with a shawl wrapped around her. "Thanks, it's been a while since I use it."

"Tonight was fun." Bert said.

"Yes, Rose has never been so happy. Thank you."

"Any time. You work tomorrow?" he asked.

"Not this week. Bert... be careful with Rose. She may get to attached to you." Lily said.

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked.

"I dated a guy a while back, Rose really like him and he seemed to like Rose. Then she asked to call him daddy and he ran. She was crushed and I never want to see her like that again. I think that is why she asked to call you uncle." Lily said sitting next to the fire.

"Lily, I can't promise not to hurt someone. I will never do it on purpose but I can't see into the future. I like you and want to have some fun getting to know each other. I like Rose and what ever she calls me is fine I won't leave because of that." Bert took her hand.

"Thank you. It's been hard I ... just need some time out sometimes and so far I have not gotten it."

"Then since you don't work tomorrow, I'll get one of my sisters to babysit and you and I will go clubbing. How's that sound." Bert said.

"Sounds great."

When Bert got home he found Betty in the kitchen popping popcorn.

"Can I ask a favor?" He said.

"Sure ask away," she said making a superhero pose.

"Can you babysit a 6 year old girl tomorrow night so I can go out with her mom?" he asked.

"Why not take the kid with you?"

"Our first two dates was with the kid, I want to do adult things with the mother."

"Sure I need the practice anyway. "

"What do you mean?" Bert asked.

Betty told him about the two boys and how she was going to try to adopt them both to keep them together.

"It's just you and me at home now. We have six bedrooms so I was hoping you would support me in this." Betty said.

"I will support you and help anyway I can. Just let me know what I can do."

◇◇◇♡♡♡◇◇◇

Zane looked into the adoption for Betty. He contacted his friend Harry Sanders to get a lawyer's take on it. He said he would handle it and get back to him in a few days.

Bella just read her book...

◇◇◇♡♡♡◇◇◇ THE QUEEN OF QUOK cont.

The counselor went in search of Mary Ann, who, when she heard she was not to become a queen, but would receive her money back, flew into a violent passion and boxed the chief counselor's ears so viciously that they stung for nearly an hour. But she followed him into the king's audience chamber, where she demanded her money in a loud voice, claiming as well the interest due upon it over night.

"The counselor has lost your money," said the boy king, "but he shall pay you every penny out of my own private purse. I fear, however, you will be obliged to take it in small change."

"That will not matter," she said, scowling upon the counselor as if she longed to reach his ears again; "I don't care how small the change is so long as I get every penny that belongs to me, and the interest. Where is it?"

"Here," answered the king, handing the counselor the leathern purse. "It is all in silver quarters, and they must be taken from the purse one at a time; but there will be plenty to pay your demands, and to spare."

So, there being no chairs, the counselor sat down upon the floor in one corner and began counting out silver twenty-five-cent pieces from the purse, one by one. And the old woman sat upon the floor opposite him and took each piece of money from his hand.

It was a large sum: three million, nine hundred thousand, six hundred and twenty-four dollars and sixteen cents. And it takes four times as many twenty-five-cent pieces as it would dollars to make up the amount.

The king left them sitting there and went to school, and often thereafter he came to the counselor and interrupted him long enough to get from the purse what money he needed to reign in a proper and dignified manner.

This somewhat delayed the counting, but as it was a long job, anyway, that did not matter much.

The king grew to manhood and married the pretty daughter of the armorer, and they now have two lovely children of their own.

Once in awhile they go into the big audience chamber of the palace and let the little ones watch the aged, hoary-headed counselor count out silver twenty-five-cent pieces to a withered old woman, who watched his every movement to see that he does not cheat her.

It is a big sum, three million, nine hundred thousand, six hundred and twenty-four dollars and sixteen cents in twenty-five-cent pieces. But this is how the counselor was punished for being so careless with the woman's money. And this is how Mary Ann Brodjinski de la Porkus was also punished for wishing to marry a ten-year-old king in order that she might wear the coronet of the queen of Quok.