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Pebbles was bored. Ma was in the office doing paper stuff and Pa was out with the boys and he wasn’t allowed to go there. He wandered away from the steps and found a shiny rock. It didn’t look like the other red rocks. This one was grey and cold and smooth. He tossed it in the air and caught it again.
He did this a few times before a bumble ant came by and got in his way. He got knocked down and the rock hit the ground and rolled away, down the hill. Chasing after it he giggled. It made it all the way to the trail at the bottom by the builder’s house before it stopped. He picked it up and wondered over behind the builder’s yard, climbing a big rock to look at all the machines. He wasn’t allowed in there either, but he liked to watch them work.
Nemo barked and came running over to the fence. He squirmed his way under and jumped up onto the rock with Pebbles, squishing his cold little nose right into the cheeks of the boy, tail wagging his entire body.
Pebbles squealed in laughter, petting the dog, pushing him away from his face.
“Pebbles! Are you ok?” came the sudden question from behind him. He giggled turning around to see Mi-an, his builder.
“MI!” he shouted, turning around and lunching himself off the rock and into the builder’s arms.
“PEBBLES!” she screamed as she rushed to catch the boy. “What on earth were you thinking? What if I hadn’t caught you?”
“You catch Pebbles.” he said with all the faith the small child had in him.
Mi-an sighed but couldn’t stop the smile. Pebbles always lifted her spirit. “Well, be careful, would you? What are you even doing out this way? Aren’t you supposed to stay in front of the Salvage Yard?”
She took his hand and led him away from the desert and back towards the scrapyard. Nemo trotting along beside them after having slid down, surprisingly gracefully for the dopy dog, from the rock.
Pebbles held up his rock that he was still clutching. “Chasing rock.”
“Oooo, and that’s such a pretty rock!” she praised. It looked like a steel or aluminum piece, not an actual stone, but the boy didn’t care so she didn’t try to explain.
Once they were in front of the small store Mi-an let go of Pebble’s little hand and turned to leave, opening her mouth to say goodbye.
“Mi-an stay with Pebbles.” He said, reaching back out and grabbing onto her fingers.
“I have to go back to work Pebbles.”
“Work here. Pebbles help.”
“Pebbles, I can’t, I have to go find some hardwood, there isn’t any here.”
“No!” he stomped his foot. “Mi stay. No leave Pebbles.”
She knelt down by the boy; he was normally very well behaved. “I’m not leaving you Pebbles. I have to work; I have to help the people here in Sandrock.”
“But Pebbles want Mi to stay. Always stay with Pebbles.” He latched onto her leg and wouldn’t let go. Mi-an sighed. It was dinner time…
“Alright Pebbles, I have an idea.” Pebbles looked up at Mi-an like she hung the moon. “Lets go see if your Ma and Pa would like a few hours alone and you and me can go hunt worms.”
“YEAH!” Pebbles shouted before launching himself towards the shop stairs.
Mi-an rolled her eyes. She shouldn’t reward him throwing a tantrum but she needed to find worms anyway so she could go sandfishing first thing in the morning. Owen needed some carp and Cooper had asked for some sandacuda. She also wouldn’t mind some to dry for herself, they made for great trail snacks and lasted forever in her pack.
Krystal came out of the shop then, with Pebbles trailing behind her, trying to talk.
“Pebbles, what ya tryin’ ta say now? Ya want to go find worms for dinner?”
Pebbles seemed to be getting mad at his Ma for being misunderstood.
“Hiya Krystal!”
“Mi-an! Hey girl, howya doin?”
“I’m good. I think Pebbles is asking if he can come with me to hunt for worms, while you and Rocky enjoy dinner together. I found him earlier and he didn’t want me to leave so thought I might as well give you a date night.”
“Well ain’t you sweet. You don’t mind? He’s not keepin’ ya from actual work?”
Mi-an smiled. “It’s ok, I need to do this anyway so I can fish tomorrow.”
“Then you won’ be catchin’ me sayin’ no to a date with my Rocky. ROCKY!”
Said husband popped his head out from the fenced yard where they sorted the scrap. “What? We got a lot pulled up taday. I was thinkin’ of workin’ over…” he trailed off at the look his wife gave him at that.
“Mi-an here is watchin’ Pebbles. You and me get a date.” Krystal explained.
Rockys eyes lit up and a smile grew and took over his face. “BOYS! We’re quittin’ early. Pack it up!” he shouted as he disappeared back into the yard.
Mi-an smiled. She hoped to one day find someone who loved her the way that Rocky and Krystal loved each other. Maybe she should ask Nia for that date they kept putting off.
“Bring him by the house round 7. Appreciate you doin’ this Mi-an.”
“We’ll have fun, won’t we Pebbles.”
“Yay! Worms! Pebbles and Mi go find worms!”
“Lets go start over here by the sandfishing hole.”
Pebbles latched onto Mi-an’s hand and pulled her towards where she had pointed, Nemo bouncing along beside them.
Krystal smiled as Rocky came up and put his arm around her and watched as their boy pulled the builder away. Grasping hands they walked towards the Moon to grab some food to-go before taking advantage of an empty house.
It was almost 7 and Mi-an was tired. No one had told her just how much energy a small boy held. He had dragged her all over the place and back again looking for worms. Granted, he also had a natural ability to find said critters, she had more worms than she ever had before. Poor Nemo had tried to keep up with the boy but gave up halfway through, leaving her to wrangle the child alone. Peach, she could go to bed right now and sleep fully until morning. Pebbles meanwhile seemed no worse for wear. He was walking along beside her just chattering away as they slowly made their way to the house.
He tottled himself up the stairs and into the home, shouting for his ma and pa as he left the door wide open for Mi-an who rolled her eyes and followed. He was already in the arms of Rocky, relaying every detail of his evening with Mi-an by the time she shut the door.
“Thank you again sweetheart.” Krystal said as she stood from the chair she had been relaxing in. “It was so nice ta have a quiet dinner for once. Hope he wadn’t no trouble.”
“No, none at all. He was a gem. And really, really, good at finding worms…”
Krystal laughed. “Yeah, dat’s my boy.”
Mi-an smiled at Pebbles. Spending this evening with him cemented that she wanted kids one day, just not right now. Peach, she was exhausted; how Rocky and Krystal did it she didn’t know.
“Pebbles, I gotta go now, thanks for all the help finding those worms!”
Pebbles scrambled down from his pa and ran over to the young builder, giving her a big hug. “Fank you Mi. Love you!”
Her heart melted and she bent down to return the hug. “I love you too Pebbles.”
“Will you marry me when I older?” he asked into her neck.
“Pebbles!” Rocky exclaimed as all three adults fought to hide their laughter.
“I’d love to Pebbles, but let’s wait to worry about that.” Mi-an managed to get out.
“Ok.” Was the boy’s simple response. “here, you have my rock while wait for Pebbles to grow up.” He passed her the shiny rock he had found earlier and turned and ran to the stairs. “Bath time, bye Mi!”
As he disappeared up the stairs the adults lost their control and all started to giggle.
“Well, since it seems we’ll be family in 20 years, anytime you need me to babysit, feel free to come find me.” Mi-an said between chuckles.
“Come here new daughter and give yer Ma a hug goodbye.”
The women laughed harder as they hugged before Mi-an managed to leave.
Once home, she out the rock from Pebbles up on the shelf, right next to her family picture and the teacup she had from her grandmother, before deciding one early night wouldn’t set her back and climbing into bed.
No one in Sandrock knew why Krystal and Rocky suddenly started to treat Mi-an as their child or why Mi-an now hailed them as Ma and Pa, not even Nia. All they got when they asked was a lot of giggles and a response of 'inside joke'.