Disclaimer: I don't own anything.... um, Merrill rocks and he deserves a bit of romance! Man, I love him, but who doesn't? Ok, so on with the fiction........ Oh and I love Morgan too so forgive me if this sounds out of character from him. He is a such a cool little dude! Please no flames!
"Can you believed how well I did, Uncle Merrill?" Morgan Hess said as he walked with his family, "I only had to use my inhaler once today!"
"You were great, champ," Merrill patted him on the back, "Next week, you guys will beat' um."
"Can we go to Rheba's, Papa?" Bo Hess stared up at Graham, who was lugging Morgan's bat.
" Sure thing Bo," Graham replied as he put Morgan's baseball gear in the back of the car as the happy family climbed in.
" Someday I'll be as good as Uncle Merrill," Morgan piped up, sipping his lime-green Gatorade. This comment made Merrill smile.
" You will be Morgan, no worries." Graham replied and watched Merrill checked himself out in the side mirror.
"There's a new waitress at Rheba's, right?" Morgan asked , needless to say this question startled Merrill.
" How did you know that?" Merrill questioned, pulling into the parking lot.
" People at school were talking about her. She gives out stuff for kids to play with. Plus she's a babe!"
"Babe?" Graham looked at him inquisitively, " Where did you pick up that word?"
"The guys at school. You forget I'm 10, I'm not just a kid, you know." Morgan replied wisely, climbing out of the car.
"Are you still going to play with the kid's stuff now, Morgan?" Bo chimed in, closing the door.
"Yeah," Morgan said, adjusting his coat, " Just to test it out.. you know... it case you don't like it."
Bo looked at him strangely and skipped into the restaurant, followed by Morgan, Graham, and Merrill. Graham reached back and patted Merrill on the back.
"You'll be fine," He grinned, "just use the old Hess charm."
Lottie was at the counter, placing orders, and cracking jokes with Mr. Halmo, who had lost his wife of 20 years in the attack. She looked up and saw the Hess family standing at the door. She excused herself from Mr. Halmo and ducked into the back quickly. She smoothed her hair, pinched her cheeks, and straighten her blue t-shirt and tan flared pants. Lottie went back out and found Merrill waiting for her.
"Hey Merrill," she smiled , " I see you brought the family today."
"Yeah--" He started , but Bo interrupted him.
"Are you the lady with the toys?
"I sure am," she squatted down to meet her stare, "I'll get you all seated and then I'll bring you the toys, k?
Bo nodded and Lottie led the Hess family to a booth and then went quickly to a plastic bin that was overflowing with toys and books.
"Well," Lottie said as she set the bin gently on the table and looked at Bo, " I have something special for you. Nobody has even colored in it yet." She held up a Cinderella coloring book with a tattered coloring box.
"I love Cinderella!" Bo grinned and took it. Morgan was still staring at Lottie. His mouth open like a fish.
"I'm Morgan! And this is Bo!" he said excitedly and shook her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Morgan."
"This is my dad," Graham and Lottie exchanged greetings, " and this is Uncle Merrill."
"We've meet," Lottie replied simply, nervously brushing her short locks back.
"Is this the girl you guys were talking about?" Bo piped in, looking up from her coloring book. Merrill blushed and Lottie turned her attention on the youngest Hess man.
"Did you find anything, Morgan?" Lottie asked him while he rummaged through the bin.
"You have a gameboy?" Morgan questioned, looking at her with wonder. "And Sonic the hedgehog?"
"Yup, it was going to be a present for my little brother." Lottie said, with a sadness in her voice.
"Was?" Graham repeated, stopping Bo from drawing on the table.
"He was killed in the attack," Lottie said quietly, "At least he's in a better place, right?" She smiled weakly, biting her lip "What can I get you all?"
"Can I have macaroni and cheese without the cheese?" Bo asked, "and a glass of water."
"Sure thing," Lottie answered, writing in down on her pad, " Morgan?"
"I'll have a steak," he replied, sitting up straight in the booth. He was still plugging away on the gameboy. "I'll make him a tiny one." Lottie mouthed to Graham.
"And a beer!" Morgan chimed in, trying to sound older. The 3 adults exchanged looks.
"Root beer, gotcha.." Lottie smiled, the 2 men breathed with relief. Morgan didn't even notice. He had just gotten killed by Dr. Robotic ( a/n: Or whatever his name was.)
"I'll have the special." Graham said, reaching over and turning the sound down on the gameboy with much protesting from Morgan.
"Me too--," Merrill started, but was interrupted by a loud voice from the doorway.
"Hey! Can we get some service around here?" Lionel Pritchard yelled over the jukebox, his brother Bill stood in the doorway.
"I'll be right back with your food," Lottie said quickly and went to the door. Merrill strained to hear their conversation while Bo had Graham looking at her coloring of Lucifer, the cat.
"Why don't you two have a seat right over here," she pointed them to a counter, far away from the Hess family.
"Lottie, why don't you return my calls?" Lionel asked aggravated as she led them to the counter.
"Well, Lionel, the day I saw you try and hit that cat on the road, I knew that we could only be friends," Lottie shuddered and the men sat down. "The usual, boys?"
"Don't change the subject." He said flatly, "You like someone else?"
"None of your business," She said sharply, "I'll get you boys your burgers." With that, she turned and walked into the kitchen.
The Pritchard boys grumbled to each other, staring intently at Lottie as she wiped down the counter. Mr. Keen brought the order to the Hess' table. Merrill ate quietly and kept his eye on her. The Pritchards were not a family of boy scouts. Lottie reluctantly grabbed the burgers and placed them in front of the brothers.
"We're going to the movies after this, Lot." Lionel tried again, "You wanna come along?"
"Thanks guys, but I have plans tonight, " she replied and scooted by them to Merrill's table.
"Everything all right over here?" She asked, taking Bo's half empty water glass.
"Fine," Graham answered, "Those boys giving you trouble?"
"Nothing I can't handle," she winked, "Just pay at the register when your are done."
She went on to serve some other customers, the Weddles, a family that just moved from the other side of town. Mr. Weddle had just gotten a job at the bookstore that was about 20 miles away. Ms. Lawrence, moved back to live with her sister, always stopped in for a cup of coffee before she went home.
"I'll take care of it," Merrill motioned to Graham; he headed up to the register . Lottie was waiting for him.
"Hey Merrill," she said in her soft tone, "How was your meal?"
"Great," he replied, pulling out his wallet.
"You back again, Hess?" Lionel leaned over the counter, "How's the gas pump doing?"
"Better than unemployment," Merrill replied sarcastically and Lottie stiffened a laugh.
"Very funny, grease monkey," Lionel sneered and turned his attention to Lottie, "How bout you blow off your plans tonight and head out with me."
"Actually--" Lottie began, but Merrill hushed her.
"Lottie and I are going out tonight." Merrill said, staring down Lionel.
"Yeah!" Lottie chimed in unsure, "Sorry, Lionel."
"Whatever," Lionel glared. Bill threw down a couple crumpled bills on the table and they left, muttering under their breath.
"Thank you," Lottie breathed a sigh of relief. "No matter how many hints I drop, they just don't get it."
"Do you wanna do something tonight?" Merrill asked, "We could do anything you wanted."
"Ok, sounds great!" She smiled, " Pick me up here at eight?"
"See you then," He said, handing her the money for the meal.
The rest of the family was sitting in the car, waiting for Merrill. Graham started the car and they were off to their home.
"Hey Graham? Can I borrow the car tonight?" Merrill asked.
"Why?" Graham questioned.
"I got a date." He replied.
The two brothers shared a grin.
"Sure thing, Merrill"
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Ok, guys and gals! That's it till the next chapter! If any of my reviews have any thoughts on my story, please e-mail me at Showtunes_Starlet@mindless.com ! Thank you to everybody who reviewed! I love you!!!!
"Can you believed how well I did, Uncle Merrill?" Morgan Hess said as he walked with his family, "I only had to use my inhaler once today!"
"You were great, champ," Merrill patted him on the back, "Next week, you guys will beat' um."
"Can we go to Rheba's, Papa?" Bo Hess stared up at Graham, who was lugging Morgan's bat.
" Sure thing Bo," Graham replied as he put Morgan's baseball gear in the back of the car as the happy family climbed in.
" Someday I'll be as good as Uncle Merrill," Morgan piped up, sipping his lime-green Gatorade. This comment made Merrill smile.
" You will be Morgan, no worries." Graham replied and watched Merrill checked himself out in the side mirror.
"There's a new waitress at Rheba's, right?" Morgan asked , needless to say this question startled Merrill.
" How did you know that?" Merrill questioned, pulling into the parking lot.
" People at school were talking about her. She gives out stuff for kids to play with. Plus she's a babe!"
"Babe?" Graham looked at him inquisitively, " Where did you pick up that word?"
"The guys at school. You forget I'm 10, I'm not just a kid, you know." Morgan replied wisely, climbing out of the car.
"Are you still going to play with the kid's stuff now, Morgan?" Bo chimed in, closing the door.
"Yeah," Morgan said, adjusting his coat, " Just to test it out.. you know... it case you don't like it."
Bo looked at him strangely and skipped into the restaurant, followed by Morgan, Graham, and Merrill. Graham reached back and patted Merrill on the back.
"You'll be fine," He grinned, "just use the old Hess charm."
Lottie was at the counter, placing orders, and cracking jokes with Mr. Halmo, who had lost his wife of 20 years in the attack. She looked up and saw the Hess family standing at the door. She excused herself from Mr. Halmo and ducked into the back quickly. She smoothed her hair, pinched her cheeks, and straighten her blue t-shirt and tan flared pants. Lottie went back out and found Merrill waiting for her.
"Hey Merrill," she smiled , " I see you brought the family today."
"Yeah--" He started , but Bo interrupted him.
"Are you the lady with the toys?
"I sure am," she squatted down to meet her stare, "I'll get you all seated and then I'll bring you the toys, k?
Bo nodded and Lottie led the Hess family to a booth and then went quickly to a plastic bin that was overflowing with toys and books.
"Well," Lottie said as she set the bin gently on the table and looked at Bo, " I have something special for you. Nobody has even colored in it yet." She held up a Cinderella coloring book with a tattered coloring box.
"I love Cinderella!" Bo grinned and took it. Morgan was still staring at Lottie. His mouth open like a fish.
"I'm Morgan! And this is Bo!" he said excitedly and shook her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Morgan."
"This is my dad," Graham and Lottie exchanged greetings, " and this is Uncle Merrill."
"We've meet," Lottie replied simply, nervously brushing her short locks back.
"Is this the girl you guys were talking about?" Bo piped in, looking up from her coloring book. Merrill blushed and Lottie turned her attention on the youngest Hess man.
"Did you find anything, Morgan?" Lottie asked him while he rummaged through the bin.
"You have a gameboy?" Morgan questioned, looking at her with wonder. "And Sonic the hedgehog?"
"Yup, it was going to be a present for my little brother." Lottie said, with a sadness in her voice.
"Was?" Graham repeated, stopping Bo from drawing on the table.
"He was killed in the attack," Lottie said quietly, "At least he's in a better place, right?" She smiled weakly, biting her lip "What can I get you all?"
"Can I have macaroni and cheese without the cheese?" Bo asked, "and a glass of water."
"Sure thing," Lottie answered, writing in down on her pad, " Morgan?"
"I'll have a steak," he replied, sitting up straight in the booth. He was still plugging away on the gameboy. "I'll make him a tiny one." Lottie mouthed to Graham.
"And a beer!" Morgan chimed in, trying to sound older. The 3 adults exchanged looks.
"Root beer, gotcha.." Lottie smiled, the 2 men breathed with relief. Morgan didn't even notice. He had just gotten killed by Dr. Robotic ( a/n: Or whatever his name was.)
"I'll have the special." Graham said, reaching over and turning the sound down on the gameboy with much protesting from Morgan.
"Me too--," Merrill started, but was interrupted by a loud voice from the doorway.
"Hey! Can we get some service around here?" Lionel Pritchard yelled over the jukebox, his brother Bill stood in the doorway.
"I'll be right back with your food," Lottie said quickly and went to the door. Merrill strained to hear their conversation while Bo had Graham looking at her coloring of Lucifer, the cat.
"Why don't you two have a seat right over here," she pointed them to a counter, far away from the Hess family.
"Lottie, why don't you return my calls?" Lionel asked aggravated as she led them to the counter.
"Well, Lionel, the day I saw you try and hit that cat on the road, I knew that we could only be friends," Lottie shuddered and the men sat down. "The usual, boys?"
"Don't change the subject." He said flatly, "You like someone else?"
"None of your business," She said sharply, "I'll get you boys your burgers." With that, she turned and walked into the kitchen.
The Pritchard boys grumbled to each other, staring intently at Lottie as she wiped down the counter. Mr. Keen brought the order to the Hess' table. Merrill ate quietly and kept his eye on her. The Pritchards were not a family of boy scouts. Lottie reluctantly grabbed the burgers and placed them in front of the brothers.
"We're going to the movies after this, Lot." Lionel tried again, "You wanna come along?"
"Thanks guys, but I have plans tonight, " she replied and scooted by them to Merrill's table.
"Everything all right over here?" She asked, taking Bo's half empty water glass.
"Fine," Graham answered, "Those boys giving you trouble?"
"Nothing I can't handle," she winked, "Just pay at the register when your are done."
She went on to serve some other customers, the Weddles, a family that just moved from the other side of town. Mr. Weddle had just gotten a job at the bookstore that was about 20 miles away. Ms. Lawrence, moved back to live with her sister, always stopped in for a cup of coffee before she went home.
"I'll take care of it," Merrill motioned to Graham; he headed up to the register . Lottie was waiting for him.
"Hey Merrill," she said in her soft tone, "How was your meal?"
"Great," he replied, pulling out his wallet.
"You back again, Hess?" Lionel leaned over the counter, "How's the gas pump doing?"
"Better than unemployment," Merrill replied sarcastically and Lottie stiffened a laugh.
"Very funny, grease monkey," Lionel sneered and turned his attention to Lottie, "How bout you blow off your plans tonight and head out with me."
"Actually--" Lottie began, but Merrill hushed her.
"Lottie and I are going out tonight." Merrill said, staring down Lionel.
"Yeah!" Lottie chimed in unsure, "Sorry, Lionel."
"Whatever," Lionel glared. Bill threw down a couple crumpled bills on the table and they left, muttering under their breath.
"Thank you," Lottie breathed a sigh of relief. "No matter how many hints I drop, they just don't get it."
"Do you wanna do something tonight?" Merrill asked, "We could do anything you wanted."
"Ok, sounds great!" She smiled, " Pick me up here at eight?"
"See you then," He said, handing her the money for the meal.
The rest of the family was sitting in the car, waiting for Merrill. Graham started the car and they were off to their home.
"Hey Graham? Can I borrow the car tonight?" Merrill asked.
"Why?" Graham questioned.
"I got a date." He replied.
The two brothers shared a grin.
"Sure thing, Merrill"
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Ok, guys and gals! That's it till the next chapter! If any of my reviews have any thoughts on my story, please e-mail me at Showtunes_Starlet@mindless.com ! Thank you to everybody who reviewed! I love you!!!!