Smiley Tie - 8

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"He just wanted to do something nice for us." She turned around to look at Herman and Joseph who had joined Gertie on the sidelines. Herman gave her a thumbs up, and that seemed to renew her determination. Pauline pulled her hand from Anton's and walked up to his father.

"I would never, ever have wished anything so awful to happen to you or your friends, Sir. It was so lovely and I would have loved to watch you dance all night long." She turned around to face the crowd that had gathered behind them.

"I am so very sorry for dropping my cake. It's ruined your evening and hurt someone who wanted to do something nice for me, and I would undo it all if I could."

She turned around to face his father again, and waited for him to speak.

"Well, that was quite eloquent. I hope he's paying you well for that little speech, my dear."

No one said a word.

"Gertrude, get these children out of my house. All of the children." He picked up his drink, waved to the band. Music began, the dead silence began to be filled by murmurs.

Gertie turned and walked toward the kitchen with Joseph and Herman at her side. Anton and Pauline followed along behind. She never said a word to any of them, and kept her arms folded across her chest as she walked. Anton hoped it was a small detail that wasn't missed by his father or anyone else looking on. Gertie was letting them leave, not forcing them out.

"Well, I tried to tell you it would be dull," Anton said, as they reached the kitchen.

Herman hid a smile behind his hand.

"That is such a lie!" said Joseph.

"Okay, maybe I should have warned you it would be dangerous," Anton responded. He couldn't help grinning himself. "So why don't you three high-tail it out of here before anything else can drop?"

"But that wasn't the deal," Pauline said.

"Look, little lady. Don't you talk to me about deals," Anton said, a bit more sternly than he intended. He was horrified to see tears well up in her eyes. Apparently she was just as horrified, because she rushed past him like a tiny tornado, ripped open the kitchen door and was gone like a beam of light.

"Now you've done it," Herman said.

"She'll be mad at you forever," Joseph added. "She never cries. Not in front of us anyways. And you've made her cry three times tonight alone."

"Well, it's not like I was trying to set a record or something. Honestly, I didn't mean to! We have to catch her."

"Yeah, right," he heard Herman say from behind him as he started after her. "You let her get too far ahead. Trust me I know!"

Sure enough, Pauline was already a speck on the expanse of the manicured lawn that stretched down to the gatehouse.

"Where will she go?" Anton asked Joseph when the two boys appeared at his side.

"Probably the duck pond. But she'll be as pleasant as a teased hornet. Best leave her alone."

"After surviving my father, I'm not so scared," Anton said. "Can you take me? At least get me close and then you two can split if you'd rather."

"Why not? Deal was we'd show you a good time right? Maybe we can get close to what happened in there! Long as you don't mind getting chewed out again," Joseph said.

"But we do need our shoes," Herman added.

"Right."

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Tune in Monday for the next episode of Smiley Tie.

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