June 2024 Flash Lit 4.2 - Watermelon

(I have no photos of watermelons, apparently!)

“Don’t swallow any of the seeds,” Jack teased, “or you’ll end up like Mommy.”  He pointed to Mary’s taut pregnant belly.

Jessie turned her watermelon-smeared face from one parent to the other, considering.  Then she deliberately swallowed one of the slippery black seeds.

 

“Jack!” Mary said.

 

“I didn’t think she’d do it,” he protested.

 

“I swear she’s more mature than you are.”  Mary’s voice was sharper than she intended, probably because there was a baby sitting directly on her bladder and the little darling had spent the whole previous night dancing the can-can.

 

Jessie’s wide blue eyes with their long lashes filled with tears.

 

“Oh sweetie,” Mary said.  “I’m sorry.”  She hugged Jessie close into her side.

 

“You get a baby,” Jessie said, sobbing.  “I want my own one.”

 

Mary thought her heart might explode with how much she loved Jessie.  “This baby is for all of us, you and Daddy and me.  I promise we will all share him, just like we all share Spaghetti.”

 

Spaghetti, hearing her name and hoping that meant treats, thumped her tail on the floor under the table.  When no treats appeared, she went back to sleep.

 

Jessie looked more hopeful.  “Do I get to name him, like I named Spaghetti?”

 

“We all agreed on Spaghetti’s name,” Mary said.  “We all have to agree on the baby’s name.”

 

“How about we name him Sponge Bob?” Jack said.  “We love Sponge Bob.”

 

Mary gave Jack a look that said something between “not helping” and “do you really want me to stab you like this watermelon?”

 

“Or just Bob,” he amended.

 

“What names do you like?” Mary asked Jessie.  “Who else do you love, besides Sponge Bob.”

 

“Can we name him Pops?” Jessie asked.  “Because I love Pops.”

 

Mary and Jack both smiled now

 

Jack said, “That might be a little confusing, since they’ll both be bald.”

 

Jessie giggled.

 

“But,” Jack said, “we could give our baby a name like Pops’s secret name.”

 

“Pops has a secret name?” Jessie asked, gripping her napkin tightly.

 

“It’s the one Nannie calls him,” Jack said.

 

“What is it?” Jessie wanted to know.

 

“Nannie calls him Michael,” Mary said.  “So how about we call the baby Mike?”

 

“Can his middle name be Sponge Bob?” Jessie asked.

 

When Michael Robert was old enough, his sister told him, “Mikey, it’s the watermelon’s fault.”