"Well, do I get that kiss?" asked Hawkeye flirtatiously.
"Well, all right," said Margaret, kissing him on the cheek.
They broke apart again, blushing furiously.
"Ah, d'you want a jelly bean or two?" asked Hawkeye awkwardly.
"Yeah, thanks," said Margaret with embarrassment.
Margaret dug around in the jar that Hawkeye proffered.
"It's ok; you don't have to do that. I give all the green jelly beans to Tommy," Hawkeye said gently.
"Mind-reader, how did you know?" asked Margaret, eating a red jelly bean.
"I do it too," said Hawkeye, tossing an orange jelly bean into his mouth.
THE LOBSTER FESTIVAL
"Hey Margaret, are you ready?" asked Hawkeye eagerly, knocking on her door.
"Yeah, just a second," said Margaret.
A few moments later, Margaret came out, patting her hair nervously.
"Do I look ok?" she asked anxiously.
"Beautiful," said Hawkeye honestly. "The other fellows will be jealous cos you're my friend."
Margaret smiled at him.
Margaret was wearing a blue blouse that highlighted her ice blue eyes and plain jeans. Her hair was tied with a blue ribbon into a ponytail.
Hawkeye was wearing a blue shirt and jeans.
"Thanks. You look good yourself," said Margaret honestly, blushing.
"Thanks," said Hawkeye, also blushing.
"We're doing an awful lot of blushing you know," said Hawkeye.
"I know," said Margaret.
"It's really unusual. I don't think I've blushed so much in the rest of my life!" said Hawkeye.
"Ditto, let's go before we embarrass ourselves," advised Margaret.
"Great idea, let's go," said Hawkeye.
Outside, it was warm, and the air smelled of salt.
"Hey, you wanna ride there? There are two pushbikes in the garage," said Hawkeye.
"Ok," said Margaret.
"Ok," said Hawkeye and he dragged two pushbikes out of the garage.
"Mine, and Dad's. Which one do you want to ride? Dad's newer but mine has better brakes," said Hawkeye.
"Will your dad mind?" asked Margaret.
"Naw, of course not, here you go! And helmet, one of the few times I ever wear a helmet!" said Hawkeye, handing her a helmet.
"Daffy Duck?" asked Margaret in surprise.
"Mrs Hegrel gave it to me. I don't have a choice," he muttered embarrassed.
"Mrs Hegrel?" asked Margaret.
"Matriarch of Crabapple Cove. Been around since the Stone Age, when Dad was a kid. She's a widow and ninety odd years old. Everyone tiptoes around her, even Dad," said Hawkeye.
"Ok, let's go, you lead the way cos I don't know where we're going," said Margaret, hopping onto her bike.
"Margaret! Hawk! C'mere! Margaret, this is my beautiful wife, Jane, Hawk's and mine friend Dickie Barber, Dickie's wife, Hannah and his daughter, Julia. Everyone, this is Margaret Houlihan, Hawk's girlfriend up for the Festival," said Toby.
Hawkeye and Margaret (guess) blushed fiercely.
"I already told you Toby, she's not my girlfriend. We're just friends," said Hawkeye speaking for them both.
"Ah, sorry. It's old age creeping up, I don't remember everything I'm told," said Toby.
"That's where I heard them!" burst out Margaret.
"What?" asked Hawkeye.
"I knew I'd heard the name Toby Wilder before! You had a nightmare about him, Dickie Barber and Tommy Gillis," explained Margaret.
"Ten points! When was that?" asked Hawkeye.
"Where else dumbo?" asked Margaret.
"That's me with the big ears! I listen a lot plus I'm small, grey and cute!" said Hawkeye good-naturedly.
"What?" asked Margaret.
"C'mon, haven't you seen Dumbo yet? Oh, yeah, sorry. Dumbo, a Walt Disney cartoon about an elephant with ears so big that he can use them as wings. We got the video at home; I'll have to show it to you sometime! It'll be a classic and I'm babbling again aren't I?" asked Hawkeye ruefully.
Margaret sniggered.
"Yep, again, don't worry about it Hawk," she reassured him.
"What ya looking at Dickie?" asked Hawkeye, noticing his old friend looking at him strangely.
"Nothing Hawk, you got a spider on your shoulder," said Dickie.
Hawkeye looked at his shoulder in horror.
"Very funny Dickie, now ladies and jelly beans, we must be going, I promised Margaret that Crabapple Cove's lobsters are a trillion times better than that measly stuff they feed you in Boston. Uh, Margaret you don't have to tell Charles I said that and I'm babbling again. C'mon," said Hawkeye.