41
It had happened so fast. One minute there was laughter and playfulness in the morning air as the gaggle of beasts played around the old chopper and the next, a scream of pain. Ianto had run, dropping his cane he had needed today. He arrived to find a group of children huddled around a little one who had her hand cradled against her chest sobbing with those heartbreaking big body jerking gasps.
"What happened" he demanded, dropping to his good knee and drawing Jenny into his arms.
"We was…. We were playing and she was climbing in when the door closed on her fingers" her brother explained for her, his face pale with worry "the windies caught it Grandy."
"Damn it" Ianto muttered, lifting her and walking from the Goat Field as the King of Goats slowly followed and as Ianto turned to open the gate and slip out the goat approached. At first he thought the prick was trying to escape but then realized that he was concerned so he turned to let the goat smell the weeping child and gently nibble at her skirt until she gave a teary grin.
Then the good Goat King danced away and head-butted the tail of the chopper before thundering off.
"See? He told it off for you" Ianto crooned as he walked towards the house and Jack appeared in the doorway with shaving cream on his face and his toothbrush in his hand. That man… who brushes their teeth half way through shaving? Well. Apparently he does. Infuriating.
"Tiger? What is it?"
"Jenny Girl" Ianto called back and he watched the toothbrush hit the deck as Jack rushed towards their precious grandchild. He could only sigh as he saw Jill retrieve said toothbrush and disappear with it.
Great. Another one bites the dust.
Mi' Lady was also concerned, as were Ringo and the other dogs… they had a few now. Yeah… the pups were … well… it was breakfast time so they all went home for it regardless of what family there were supposed to be with now. They moved around Ianto at a respectful distance as they all knew he had issues with his feet and if he stood on one he would cry as well. Such a lovely Hooman.
Ianto sat while removing her winter gloves to check her fingers and cuddled her as she snuggled in, her tears drying as she stared at her Grampy "Grampers. Is you Santa?"
Jack blinked, then roared with mirth as he poked his finger into the goop and let her see "No darling. It's shaving cream."
"You put cweam on your face?"
"Keeps me pretty" he winked and she nodded as she considered.
"You are very pretty" she finally agreed.
Ianto leaned over and pouted for a kiss, Jack happy to oblige then lean back and laugh as Ianto now had cream on his face too.
"And that is why Grandy is pretty too, he uses cream as well. See?" Jack giggled.
She smiled around the poor fingers stuck in her mouth so Jack rose and got an icy pop from the freezer "Here darling, hold this and let the cold help the fingies."
She clutched it (one end open of course) and as both men watched the fingers move to hold tight they relaxed. Nothing broken. Just another scare.
She settled back to enjoy her treat as Jack rose and went to finish getting ready for the day.
A helicopter needed a buffer welded on the framework so the door could no longer close on little fingers. Grampy was on it now.
Grandy doing the necessary loving.
Grampy would do the hating bit with a hammer and some welding gear.