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Fiddleford had been the only one aware of the slam of the door. The unexpected arrival of Stanford’s twin brother did not distract the engineer from the girl that had been hiding behind the younger twin’s legs. The shouting match that had started up in less than a minute to the man’s arrival and the slam of the door as the girl escaped the house was also noticed by him.
He sent a glare to both of them, even if they did not notice, it just felt right that they feel some of his rage of their pettiness scaring off a young child. Stanford could have at least let his brother explain before he started telling him that he should leave and Stanley could have at least called ahead so they could clean up the place. Lord knows that they had been letting their little home get messy.
With the glare to the arguing twins done, he quickly slipped passed them and out onto the deck. Fidds worried he was going to have to search the woods for the girl. He knew how kids could be when they got scared. Running was their only option, which was a good option, but running off into the woods that surrounded the house would not have been the wisest idea.
To his luck, he did not have to even step off the porch. The girl was sitting on the bottom step with her sweater pulled up over her head and down over her knees.
Quietly, so not to scare her, he moved across the porch and sat down on the step beside her.
“Hey there, little missy.”
The sweater ball sniffled and curled up tighter.
“Sweater town isn’t taking new residents”
Fiddleford gave a little smile at that and stuck his ground where he was sitting next to her.
“Well,” he said slowly, “Ya’ think Sweater Town residents would mind havin’ some country homes on the outskirts?”
The girl sniffled again and slowly she peaked out of the neck hole. Her eyes were puffy from the crying and a little red. The girl seemed to look over him cautiously; it was not the feeling of fear he was getting from the look though. It was if the girl was trying to figure out who he was as if she knew him vaguely.
Slowly, she let her head come fully out of her sweater and pushed the loose curls back. It was remarkable how much she looked like to two men in the house but it would be impossible for her to be the age she appeared and be one of their kids.
“I guess,” she said slowly, “Though you can maybe move into town. Once you introduce yourself to everyone, of course.”
Fiddleford let a smile light up his face as she started to open up to him.
“Well, I guess that seems fair.”
He turned to face her on the step and held out a hand.
“Fiddleford Hadron McGucket, little lady.”
Her eyes went wide at the name for a moment before she schooled her face to a neutral expression. Her hand slowly found its way out of the sweater sleeve.
“Mabel.”
Fidds shook the hand and let go to rest his hands on his lap.
“It is a pleasure to meetcha.”
“Wish I could say the same thing,” Mabel sighed and looked back at the closed door to the house, “It doesn’t seem like us coming here was a very good idea. Not like any of my ideas are good ideas.”
Fiddleford’s smile dimmed and he looked at the door. He had to shove down the anger that was boiling and remain calm. As much as he wanted to storm in there and force the two Pines men to stop fighting for the sake of the child he knew it would not be any good. If Stanley turned out to be anything like his brother it would be in everyone’s best interest to let them burn out their anger.
“Nonsense,” he said, “I think you and Stanley coming out here will be good in the long run. Stanford tries to hide it a lot but I know he missed his brother more than anything.”
The words pulled her gaze away from the door to look at him.
“Really?”
Fiddleford chuckled at her hopeful expression.
“Really, really.”
Mabel seemed to light up like a Christmas tree at the statement and fully came out of the sweater ball.
“Good, ‘cause I want them happy almost more than I want the help.”
Fiddleford did his best not to let his smile falter. Whatever this little girl thought they could help with was beyond him but she seemed to have pure intentions.
He did not get to think over that long when something crashed inside the house causing them both to jump. Mabel’s sunshine smile disappeared fast and she hugged her knees to her chest.
“Why they gotta fight so much?” She mumbled, “Twins are supposed to stick together.”
Hesitantly, Fiddleford laid a hand on her back. She didn’t flinch at the touch; just looked over him curiously. He ignored how that look gave him the willies and just gave her a small smile.
“Let’s not worry over them. After they get off some steam I am sure they will be willing to listen to both of us.”
She did not look convinced.
“How about,” Fidds said slowly as he thought of what to do next. He could not bring her back inside with them acting the way they were.
“Um…you and I head out to get ice cream? The diner here ain’t too bad and sometimes the waitress gives me free pie if I lay on the southern charm well enough.”
He added a little wink and got a giggle in return. Mabel wiped the rest of the tears off her face on her sweater sleeve and gave a little nod.
“I’d like that.”
She glanced back at the house warily.
“You think they would mind us going?”
Fidds made a little sound and stood up, “Oh they won’t even notice. I once went back to California for a week to celebrate my son’s birthday and Stanford didn’t even know I was gone until the day I got back.”
Mabel let out a laugh at that and slowly stood up.
“Sounds like my Great Uncle,” she mumbled with a fond smile.
“He gets absorbed in work too and not notice people leaving?”
An embarrassed flush lit the girl’s face and she laughed nervously. The reaction to the question made Fiddleford frown but he kept questions down. Obviously, this girl had been through a lot to be with Stanford’s lost brother and nervous way she danced around the subject of family.
“Well,” he said after she didn’t give an answer, “I am gonna go grab my keys and make sure the basement door it locked so those hooligans don’t go down there and ruin things. Then we can get on our way.”
“Sounds good Mr. McGucket.”
Fiddleford moved towards the door and smiled back at her.
“You can call me, Fidds, darlin’. No need for this Mr. McGucket stuff.”
Mabel gave him a smile in return as he slipped into the house.
The shouting match had moved from the hallway to somewhere else in the home but Fiddleford could still hear them. The southerner just rolled his eyes in annoyance and carefully toed on his shoes and went in search of his keys. He found them lying on the table in the kitchen where he had been sitting earlier.
With a quick hand, he grabbed them and moved into the next room so he could lock the door to the basement. Last thing he needed was them two going down there and one of them messing with their project.
A small tug on the wooden door to make sure it was locked was all he needed for confirmation that he could leave the two Pines to fight their little hearts out.
“Stanford! I am taking Mabel out of ice cream!”
Fidds called uselessly into the house. His words probably falling on deaf ears as the two men argued somewhere else in the house. At least, if they did notice them missing, he could say he told them he was taking her out to the diner.
He hummed to himself as he stepped back out onto the front porch and looked at her with a smile.
“Ready to go?”
Mabel nodded and reached a hand out for his. How readily she trusted a stranger was something he should talk to her about but that was a topic for later. Right now, the goal was pie and ice cream.
“Think we can get some pancakes too?”
She asked as he led her off the porch and towards his car.
“I reckon that is doable, sunshine.”