Balloons

Helen was in the middle of preparations to make Crabapple Farm Specials for a late lunch, when she was interrupted by the insistent ring of the telephone.

“Hello, Crabapple Farm.”

Caroline Lynch interrupted any further greeting from Helen.  “Hello Helen.  I was wondering if the boys are ready to come home for lunch.”

“Caroline, all three of them left over an hour ago.  I think they were planning on stopping in to see Regan about exercising the horses.”

“But Helen, Regan isn’t at the stables.  He left early this morning to go to Pennsylvania to look at a new horse for Maddy.  Ok, I’ll call Ms. Trask and see if she has seen them and will send them on home.”

“Umh Caroline, Ms. Trask left last night to go visit her sister this weekend.” Helen wrinkled her forehead in thought. “Trixie and Honey went to Mrs. Vanderpoels this morning. They were planning on getting together with Diana when both of you got back from shopping, and Brian, Mart and Jim are over at Maypenny’s helping Dan put on a new roof.”

“I just dropped Diana at Manor House when we got back about thirty minutes ago.”

Before either parent could speculate on the mischief that the BLT could be up to, Helen suddenly heard the clatter of a door slamming.  Through the phone, she heard Diana and the boys chattering excitedly.

Caroline exclaimed, “Diana, all of you are soaking wet!  What on earth happened?”

Diana laughed and said, “Mom, you will never guess!  She got the BLT set up with water balloons.  First they were aiming at each other, even her.  The boys were all wet, and so was she.  Then when I went around back of the Manor House looking for Honey,  they all turned and started aiming at me. I have never seen her having so much fun.”

Caroline sputtered, “Trixie set this up?”

Diana exploded.  “NO!  Mrs. Wheeler did.”

Helen heard one of the boys interrupt.  “It was awesome Mom.  We had gone to the stables looking for Regan, but he wasn’t there.  Then Mrs. Wheeler came back from her ride, and since we didn’t have anything else to do, we helped her take care of the horse and the tack. “

Next Helen recognized Bobby’s voice.  “She asked us to finish up and wait in the stables for her, that she had something to get from the house.” 

The last twin took over the story and said, “When she got back, she had a big plastic jar of water balloons, and four plastic laundry baskets.  She took us to the back of the house, and we started filling up the water balloons and separating them into the baskets.”

Helen heard Bobby break in again.  “Then she divided us into teams,  Mrs. Wheeler was on my team, and we started a balloon war.  Then Diana showed up, and we all started aiming for her.  Well, Mrs. Wheeler held back a little.  But after Diana was all wet, too, Mrs. Wheeler sent me to Larry and Terry’s team, and she and Diana got together against us guys.  I never thought that Mrs Wheeler could be so cool!”

Helen heard Caroline laugh.  “Well, all of you go upstairs and get dried off and changed into dry clothes.  Lunch will be ready in a little while.”

“Helen, did you hear all of that?”

Helen laughed. “Yes, I am here, Caroline.  Just last week when we were talking about taking the boys to the fair, I told you that she really enjoys seeing what she missed with Jim at this age.  I think that this proves that she enjoys spoiling them and then sending them home to us.”