There was a small blond-haired child with the biggest blue eyes Eva had ever seen standing at her counter with a kitten in his arms. He had money on one fist, staring up at the assorted goodies behind the counter like they held the answers to the universe. "I want a really big thweet-roll," he said, "with frothting."
"Of course, sweetheart," Eva said, pulling out a roll from the display. "Are your parents around?"
"They're shopping. Wanna thee my kitten?" He held up the little bundle of black fur. The kitten purred so hard it was vibrating.
"Aww, it's very cute."
"He'th like my thon," the boy said with all the solemnity a small child could manage.
Eva melted a little; children and baby animals were peak adorable. "I'm sure he's going to grow into a big strong kitty, too. Here's your roll."
"Thankth!" the boy lisped, grinning with gapped teeth. He stretched and set the handful of money on the counter. "Ith that enough?"
It was just short of what the roll cost by a half penny, but Eva wasn't going to tell him that, not with those big blue eyes looking at her so earnestly. "All good! Have a nice day, honey!"
"Thankth, ma'am," he said with perfect little manners, leaving with his kitten in one arm and his sweet roll in the other.
Eva smiled after him, the encounter buoying her mood on an otherwise dull Sunday afternoon. At least until a few minutes later when a frazzled woman with reddish hair escaping from her hat every which way burst into the shop.
"Have you seen a child? Blond with a kitten?" the woman asked, sounding a bit desperate.
"Yes, just a bit ago. He bought a sweet roll." Clearly this must be his mother and he had wandered off instead of having permission. "He turned right when he left."
"Thank you!" the woman said before rushing back out. Eva could swear she heard her say something about feeding fancy shoes to someone. Eva had the distinct feeling that she didn't want to know. Hopefully that poor woman found her son. He'd been such a sweet boy after all.
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There was a small blond-haired child with the biggest blue eyes Eva had ever seen standing at her counter with a kitten in his arms. He had money on one fist, staring up at the assorted goodies behind the counter like they held the answers to the universe. "I want a really big thweet-roll," he said, "with frothting."
"Of course, sweetheart," Eva said, pulling out a roll from the display. "Are your parents around?"
"They're shopping. Wanna thee my kitten?" He held up the little bundle of black fur. The kitten purred so hard it was vibrating.
"Aww, it's very cute."
"He'th like my thon," the boy said with all the solemnity a small child could manage.
Eva melted a little; children and baby animals were peak adorable. "I'm sure he's going to grow into a big strong kitty, too. Here's your roll."
"Thankth!" the boy lisped, grinning with gapped teeth. He stretched and set the handful of money on the counter. "Ith that enough?"
It was just short of what the roll cost by a half penny, but Eva wasn't going to tell him that, not with those big blue eyes looking at her so earnestly. "All good! Have a nice day, honey!"
"Thankth, ma'am," he said with perfect little manners, leaving with his kitten in one arm and his sweet roll in the other.
Eva smiled after him, the encounter buoying her mood on an otherwise dull Sunday afternoon. At least until a few minutes later when a frazzled woman with reddish hair escaping from her hat every which way burst into the shop.
"Have you seen a child? Blond with a kitten?" the woman asked, sounding a bit desperate.
"Yes, just a bit ago. He bought a sweet roll." Clearly this must be his mother and he had wandered off instead of having permission. "He turned right when he left."
"Thank you!" the woman said before rushing back out. Eva could swear she heard her say something about feeding fancy shoes to someone. Eva had the distinct feeling that she didn't want to know. Hopefully that poor woman found her son. He'd been such a sweet boy after all.