The Ransoms

“We sure are,” Coco said.

She waved at her brothers and her parents as Cinnamon led her over to the table where the birthday cake was on display.

“Look, Auntie…I have a Barbie doll cake.”

“I can see that,” Coco responded. “It’s beautiful.”

“We’re gonna have hot dogs and hamburgers.”

“Yum.”

“Auntie, did you make me a special chocolate for my birthday?” Cinnamon asked eagerly.

Every year Coco created a special bag of chocolates for her niece. She pulled out a silver bag now. “How about some white chocolate and orange crème delight?”

“Oooh, that sounds delicious.” Cinnamon held out her hand. “Can I please try some of them now?”

“You have to ask your parents,” she replied. “But you know what I think?”

“What?”

“These will taste better after you’ve had a hot dog or a hamburger. This will trigger the yum-yum buds.”

“Really?” Cinnamon asked, her big brown eyes wide. “A hot dog can do that?”

Coco bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. “S-sure can, honey.”

“I’m gonna go get one now. I might eat a hamburger, too. I’ll get lots of yum-yum buds then.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” she told her niece.

“Liar liar pants on fire,” Michael said from behind her.

She turned around. “See, that’s why you’re not married.”

He chuckled. “Why? Because I won’t tell lies? You’re probably right. Honesty certainly hasn’t gotten me any closer to the altar.”

Coco feared she had hurt his feelings somehow, so she said, “Michael, I was kidding.”

“I know that, sis. I think there may be some truth to it, though. You know what my date told me last night? She actually said that I was too nice.”

Coco felt a rush of anger. “What?”

Michael shrugged nonchalantly. “Any woman who needs a little thug in her life definitely isn’t the one for me.”

“She actually told you that?” Coco asked. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

He nodded in agreement. “I couldn’t get away from her quick enough.”

Coco looped her arm through her brother’s. “Well, it’s just you and me.”

“Not anymore,” Michael responded with a grin. “You’re hanging out with Ransom these days. How did your date go?”

“I ruined his silk shirt,” she announced. “But other than that, everything went well, I thought.”

“How did you mess up the man’s shirt?”

“I was trying to eat with chopsticks and, well, the food sort of flew away and landed on his chest. I really was aiming for my mouth.”

Michael cracked up laughing. “Stay away from chopsticks, Coco.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” she said. “I’m amazed the man wants to go out with me again.”

“Me, too,” Michael said.

Coco jabbed him in the arm.

She heard Cinnamon calling her name and said, “I guess we’d better get back there and do the auntie-uncle thing.”

“Let’s do it,” Michael said.

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