A Casualty

Another long day. Church cycles. Dad left for Iowa. Francis had the boys over in the afternoon for bikes under further gray skies and green trees.
Mom whipped up a lunch of ribs, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, biscuits, and fruit salad. Puck aided in this endeavor by taking a whole orange pepper and chomping right through it.
“Look,” Linnea giggled. “It’s like a little mouse nibbled on it.”
She pointed to the pepper where Puck’s teeth marks were displayed on the top.
Then at lunch…
“Well, Mom,” Carrie began, “I suppose you noticed that Francis mowed over our pampas grass yesterday?”
“Francis!”
“I didn’t mean to!” Francis protested, already trying not to giggle.
“And your… rose… thing too,” said Carrie. “I knew there was something wrong when Francis walked in and said something about there being a casualty.”
Francis was, after further discussion, forgiven.
The hours quickly passed until six o’clock, when it was time to leave for church once again where Linnea sang her songs and recited her two lines as a crow in her last Kids Choir musical. This was followed by a cookie social.