7.10: Jack-O-Lanterns

   "What are you going to carve?" I asked Wren, who was sitting in her cute little jeans, white lacy tank top, and bouncy little pigtails. Don't get me wrong, I love all my children equally, but their was something about getting to pick out girl's clothing that melted my heart; everything was so cute.
   "A pumpkin. Duh." She said, as she rolled her eyes at my question. I sighed, not wanting to have to tell my ten year old daughter to be nicer and not have an attitude. I had grown the pumpkins myself and Rosie and bought all the carving material; after they got home from school we'd surprised them with do it yourself jack-o-lanterns. They were perfect for Halloween this coming Monday.
   "Alright." I said, forcing a smile. "I'm excited to see how it'll turn out."
   "Like a pumpkin. Why don't you go carve one, stop the dumb questions, and leave me alone? Seriously."
   "Wren!" Rosie exclaimed. "Don't talk to your mother like that."
   "The weekend begins tomorrow; you don't want to be ground Saturday and Sunday, do you?"
   "Ugh, no."
   "What else?" Rosie prompted.
   "Like, I don't know. Sorry?"
   "It works." I sighed, picking up my pumpkin to carve. I didn't want to punish her and end up causing a commotion for Basil and Harbor; it was their Halloween fun too, and, for the good of the team, Wren was going to enjoy the festivities and continue pumpkin carving.
   "Why are you in the bushes, Harbor?" Rosie asked. "You can come join us; there's plenty of space."
   "I don't want anyone to see what I carve and copy me. Can I stay here?"
   "Sure." We both said in unison.

   "How about I bring my pumpkin to that side of the fence to carve? I promise I won't look at your design." I asked, as Rosie held the gate open for me. I stepped through, holding a nicely sized
pumpkin that was ready for me to carve.
    "Promise?"
    "I do. And you don't break promises." I laid down some newspaper and gently placed my nice orange homegrown sphere of pumpkin-ness on top.  I began removing the top and scooping out the seeds and insides.
     "Basil, your pumpkin's right here." Rosie pointed towards a pumpkin. "Wanna carve it with us?"

     "No thanks." Our blonde twelve year old smiled. "I went on a field trip to the art museum and the teachers bought us these nice little disposable cameras. Is it okay if I just take pictures, since I have some film left? I like your pumpkin, though, it's a kitty cat."
     "Would you like to take a picture of it?"
     "Please." She held up her blue and yellow drugstore camera and snapped a picture. "It looks nice! Thank you, mum."
      "You're welcome, honey."
      "Look at mine." Wren ordered. She'd finished carving and done what appeared to be a face, but some of the pumpkin ended up crumbling off, so there were extra holes.
      "Creative." I said, picking up my pumpkin. I'd done an ordinary, classic jack-o-lantern. Two triangle eyes, a triangle nose, and a smiling mouth.
      "It's very nice." Rosie said, as Wren glanced at Basil for a compliment.
      "Wanna take my picture?"
      "I can only take four more pictures before I run out of film, sorry." She shrugged, showing Wren the little number of the camera that told you how many more pictures you could take.
       "Here's my pumpkin!" Harbor exclaimed, carrying his over to the walkway. It was another creative design, similar to Wren's.

    "Interesting." I said, as Rosie nodded in agreement.I placed a small candle in each of the pumpkins, then turned towards Harbor, who was poking Rosie and I.
     "Mother, mum, thank you." He smiled. Harbor was, to quote his teachers, a little absentminded, but still the sweetest child you could ever meet. He may not be a straight A student, who was passionate about art, like Basil, or a fiercely independent person who stood up for what they believed in like Wren, but he loved swimming in the pool on weekends and was kind to everyone; that's what mattered.
     "HE COPIED ME!" I heard Wren shout. She was a temperamental child; nothing was medically wrong with her, she had no disorder, she just could become upset at small details.
    "Honey, it's okay." Rosie said. "Both your pumpkins are wonderfully creative and interesting. We'll display them for the trick-or-treaters to see, proudly."

    "No." She huffed, raising her foot. I turned to face her, all of shouting no, as she brought her foot down to the pumpkin. Harbor's hard worked crumbled, from the top down. With a satisfied smirk and a kick of the destroyed pumpkin, she turned towards us and shrugged, as if to say 'What? Did I do something wrong?'.
    "My pumpkin..." Harbor said, as his eyes began tearing up. "I worked so hard on it...why?"
    "It was stupid." Wren shrugged. "Anyone else feel really hot?"
    "Wren! Oh sweetie. Rosie, get the fire extinguisher." Rosie nodded, as she dashed towards the house. "You're on fire!"

     "Oh my gawd! I am! EEK!" Sh screamed, hopping up and down. I suppose you can't smash a pumpkin that has a real candle inside it without some consequences. Basil began screaming, as Harbor, scared at the sight of his twin sister caught in flames, began crying. I tried to keep from panicking; my baby girl was aflame! This was horrible!
     "Here." Rosie said, panting. She'd gotten inside, picked up the fire extinguisher we kept under the kitchen sink, and rushed back all in three seconds flat. I grabbed it out of her hands, as she hugged Harbor.

  The white foamy fire putting out stuff shot out of the canister, as I sprayed Wren with it. I had followed the directions to a T, yet the flames weren't ending. They'd not reached her torso or head yet; that was good. I just needed to stay calm and collected, as Rosie hugged Basil and harbor, urging them to turn away.

    I kept trying to stop the flames, until they did. Her skin and clothes were charred, yet the flames were gone. She was saved; she was no longer ablaze. My baby girl was okay. I sighed a big sigh of relief. My heart had almost stopped in those short moments.

   "Ugh! I'm all ash covered and smell like soot." She said, looking at her charred body. I looked at Rosie, who, like me, was surprised that the first comment out of her mouth wasn't relief, but a complaint. A tiger never changes her stripes, even if the flames were a sign.
    "Ar-r-re you ok-kay?" Harbor stuttered, wiping away his frightened tears.
    "Do I look okay? I smashed your dumb copycat pumpkin and it caught me on fire! Fire, Harbor. What do you think?"
    "No?"
    "Congratulations, you just won a billionaire dollars, captain obvious. You had a fifty-fifty shot of guessing correctly and you did. Wow, such brilliance." She rolled her eyes again as I felt the urge to say some particularly unpleasant things to her. Our daughter was not raised like this; we'd thought every single one of our children respect and kindness.
    "Harbor." Rosie gently said to our little boy who had been reduced to tears once more. "Why don't you get ready for bed?"
    "Okay mum." He said.
    "I love you Harbor." I said.
     "I love you, too." Rosie smiled. It was a routine we had. I'd say I love you,then Rosie would say it. Then, together we'd say:
    "We both love you."
    "I love you too!" Harbor said, scampering off to his room. 
    "Basil, why don't you get ready, too?" I suggested. We needed to have a little chatwith Wren, without any siblings around.
    "Alright." She smiled, following Harbor to the indoors.

    "We're glad you're okay." Rosie said, once bother of the other children were inside.
    "We are." I said, as I hugged her, then Rosie did. "And we're taking you to the hospital to see a doctor, in a few minutes."
     "Why did you do it?" Rosie asked.
     "His pumpkin was stupid and he copied me."
     "Honey, you don't smash pumpkins because of that."
     "I can't help it. Besides, Basil wouldn't take my picture. She took my picture when I was on fire."
     "You wanted attention?"
     "I dunno." She shrugged, glancing at her feet. "Maybe."
     "Well, we need to get you to the doctor, quickly." Rosie said. "I'll drive her."
     "Should I stay with the kids?" I asked. "They might need to chat a little."
     "I'm okay with it." Wren shrugged.
     "It's would be a good idea." Rosie agreed. They began walking towards the car, as I went inside.I opened the front door, walked though the kitchen, and up the stairs to Hazel and Wren's room. They shared a cute pink room and had bunk beds.

      "Hi, Basil." I said, smiling. "You alright?"
      "I'm good... is Wren okay?" she sat on her bed, glancing up at my hopefully.
      "She is. Mum's taking her to the doctor just to make sure. Don't worry, though. We're going to make sure she is."
      "Okay...I like photographing. When can we go and develop the pictures?"
      "How about tomorrow? It's Saturday and we don't have anything going on. Or, you could always ride your bike to the store. I'll give you some money."
      "Really?!"
      "Of course. You're old enough."
      "I do have two more pictures to take... the drugstore's right by the park."
      "Perfect! You can go tomorrow." I smiled, glad she had found something she likes doing. "Goodnight." I said, turning to turn off the light.

      "Goodnight, mother." And with that, I turned out the light and went to Harbor's room. I hoped Wren recovered quickly and was soon as active and content as Basil.