Monday morning, Lolly was staring out the bus window. On the side of the road she saw Munch. He was wearing a bright purple suit and wing tipped shoes. Mrs. Anderson rolled the bus to a stop and opened the door. Munch walked up the steps. Mrs.Anderson said, “Good Morning Michael. Why don’t you take your seat beside Lolly.”

“Thanks.” Munch waved at Kevin and Max, and then slid into the seat beside Lolly.

Lolly asked, “Why are you riding the bus?”

“It is time for me to ride the bus. I spent my whole damn life hanging on my mama’s apron strings like a big baby and it is time I stood on my own two feet. Yes, I might get bullied on this bus, but I can take it. What I can’t take is another morning sitting in the car with a woman who cannot wipe that stupid grin off her face.” He rolled his eyes and said “I swear. Someone has done come and snatched my mama’s brains away.”

Lolly did not comment on who the brain snatcher was, she knew.

Munch leaned across her and looked out the window. “Good Lord, you can see a lot from up here.” He sat back down in his own seat and told her, “I talked to your Aunt Jessie, she can take us to Hancock Fabrics after school. I gotta get some trims and find pink fabric for that dress your are so crazy for.”

Lolly asked, “Is Mitzi going to go too?” She prayed the answer was no.

Munch gave out a little huff. “Of course she is. I have appointed her my assistant.”

“You have obviously not been shopping with her. It would be better to leave her with Grandma Toady.”

“She will be fine, you'll see."

Lolly thought, yeah, right.

The bus stopped. Trevor got on. His eyes smiled at her before his lips did. He said, “Hey Lolly."

She managed to get out a husky, "Hey, Trevor." She watched him as he did that weird fist bump thing with Munch that boys liked to do. His eyes met her's one last time and then he headed to his seat. It took everything in Lolly not to watch him walk down the aisle. The bus pulled away.

Munch jabbed her in the ribs. He cooed, "Did you see how that boy looked at you?"

She had, but she didn't know if it meant anything.

"Ooo Lah Lah." Munch smiled showing every tooth he possibly could.

"Shut up!"

He just giggled and batted his eye lashes at her. She wanted to punch him so bad. He gave her a coy little grin and said, "A birdie told me you were with Trevor on Saturday."

Surely, Max wouldn't have told him that, would he? She glanced back at Trevor. He was talking to one of his cross country buds. She whipped her head around and said to Munch, "I was helping his sister with her English.”

"Come on girl, you don't have to pretend with me." This time she punched him in the arm. He rubbed his arm and asked, “Ow, you tryin’ to do me bodily harm?”

“I am trying to get you to shut up.”

He laughed, “You know that never works.” It never did, yet she tried time and time again. He leaned toward her and said, “Bet you are wondering who the birdie that told was?" Yes, she was, but there was no way she was going to ask. "I called Trevor last night to schedule a fitting. He told me you came over." Trevor told Munch about her visit? Did that mean anything? Please let it mean something.

Munch grinned at her. “If you could see your face lit up so bright and shiny.”

Excited and embarrassed, Lolly looked out the window. She felt like squealing, but she tried to look cool. Even though she did not look at him once, Munch talked ALL the freaking way to school. When they got off the bus, she glanced back at Trevor. For just an instant their eyes met. A boy from behind her said, "You are blockin' traffic." Lolly turned red and rushed down the steps.

As she and Munch made their way into the school, he was still talking. She didn't have clue as to what he was saying. He talked the entire time they were in the cafeteria before the bell rang. It was good he was talking, it meant he was doing better, but good grief, she was going to miss sitting by herself on the bus.

*

Aunt Jessie did not drive a truck. She had a compact Ford Pinto the color of a pinto bean. It was little and Lolly couldn’t see much as they made their way to Hancock Fabrics. She was in the back seat with Mitzi and Puccini. Puccini was wearing a dog harness and leash, lest he get lost in the fabric store. Up front with Aunt Jessie, Munch was elaborately detailing the concept of his runway show. Once upon a short time ago, Munch would get so tongue tied around Aunt Jessie, he could barely speak. Had he gotten over his crush? Aunt Jessie, nodded and said, “Oh,” in all the right places, but Lolly seriously doubted she was listening. On the radio Loretta Lynn sang, “Don’t come home a drinkin’ with lovin’ on your mind.”

When they got to the store, Mitzi said, “Grandma Toady bringed me here before. We got quilt stuff.” Lolly had been here many times too. Munch went to where the bolts of pink and red fabrics were. He made Lolly stand beside him while he pulled out bolts of fabric and held them beside her face. He was in full throttle design mode. Nothing pleased him. As Lolly looked at the various shades of pink, she instinctively felt they were all wrong. Maybe she should let Munch design what he wanted to design for her, maybe she should trust him. He was the best dressed person she knew.

He sighed and said, “None of this works.”

Lolly told him, “I agree. You make me what you think would be best in the color you want.”

Astonished, Munch asked, “You mean that?”

“Yes.”

He hugged her and said, “Lolly girl you just wait until you see what I have in mind. I got these curtains from Goodwill, they are the most amazing shade of silver blue...” On and on he went until, Mitzi cut in.

Mitzi asked, “When do we get to pick my fabric? I am ready for my fabric and so is Puccini.”

Munch said, “Remember Honey, I showed you your fabric. You said you loved it.”

“I changed my mind.”

“What would you like?”

“I will show you.” She marched across the store to where the sequined fabric was. It was super expensive. She pointed at the red fabric and said, “I want a dress made out of that.”

Aunt Jessie said, “It cost too much Sweetie.”

“Daddy will pay for it.”

A spark of anger flared in Aunt Jessie’s eyes. “Your daddy is not here.”

“I can call him. They have a phone. I saw it by the cash register.”

In a hard flat voice Aunt Jessie said, “No.”

Lolly braced herself. She saw the look on Mitzi's face. This was going to get ugly real quick. Oh, God, Mitzi was reving up to throw a daddy fit at her Mama.Bad move. First came the flushed face and then the clenched fists. Mitzi gave her mother the look that absolutely whithered Uncle Luke. Aunt Jessie grabbed a hold of her and said, “You pitch a fit, you are out of the show. You get your daddy to buy that,” she jabbed a finger at the fabric, “you are out of the show.”

This was a tone that Mitzi recognized, but she chose to ignore it. Now for the next phase of Mitzi meltdown. “You are MEAN! I am going to go live with Daddy, he is nicer than you and he loves me more.”

Wow! Mitzi had gone for the big guns!

Aunt Jessie's eyes glazed over. She said, “Okay, you are out of the show. Puccini too.”

Mitzi lets out a loud shuddering, “No-o-o!” Everyone in the store turned and looked.

Aunt Jessie snatched Mitzi up. “We are going home now.”

Mitzi began to flail in her mother’s arms. “You are a bad mommy! Help me somebody help me! Call my Daddy, he loves me!”

Stoned face, Aunt Jessie said, "Sorry Munch, but this party is over." Mitzi twisted in her arms. "Let's go." Lolly and Munch followed her out to the car. She opened the back door and locked the flopping child into her seatbelt.

Mitzi sobbed, “I’m Munch’s assistant! I have to be in the show.”

“You should have thought of that before. Now hush.”

Lolly climbed into the back seat. Mitzi let out her high pitched wail. She was going for gold today. In the front seat, Munch said nothing. Lolly had warned him, but he had not listened.

The ride home was great fun. Lolly finally just covered her ears. She could still hear, Mitzi blubbering, “My career is ruined. How could you do this to me?” It was way too much. If Mitzi was this awful now, what was she going to be like in a few years.

When they pulled into Munch’s driveway, he could not get out of the car fast enough. Before he closed the door, Aunt Jessie said, “I”m sorry we can't be in the show Munch. I will reimburse you for what you've spent."

“Oh,okay, I understand.” He closed the door and walked quickly to his house.

All at once, Mitzi came out of her tantrum and asked, “What is reimburse?”

Aunt Jessie said, "It means I am going to pay back Munch for what he spent on our clothes."

Mitzi's eyes grew wide. It seemed that the reality that she had gotten herself kicked out of the show was finally dawning on her. "Mama, no. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Please let me be in the show."

Aunt Jessie shook her head. “You heard me. Your father may put up with behavior like that, but I am done. No more little lady. No more.”

Mitzi opened her mouth and then closed it. She grew very quiet. For the first time in a long time, she had just lost a battle of the wills.