Minnie and Winnie - Valentine

MINNIE AND WINNIE - VALENTINE









‘Where are you Winnie?’ shouted Mrs Small.

‘I’m outside in the backyard mummy,’ yelled back Winnie.

She wandered around the garden, bored stiff with nothing to do. She heard voices coming from the other side of the fence and curious to see who was there, she pushed a big empty flower pot next to the fence and by stepping on it, she could just see over the fence. Belinda from next door was talking to a fat boy who was walking backwards trying to get away from her.

‘So what do you say Arnie?’ wheedled Belinda. ‘Would you like to be my valentine?’

‘Ah, dunno ‘bout that,’ mumbled Arnie.

‘Why can’t you be nice to me Arnie?’ pouted Belinda as she rubbed her eyes.

‘You ain’t gonna cry are ya?’ asked an alarmed Arnie, his eyes darting around trying to find a way to escape. ‘No ‘arm in it hey? ’Xpect it would be a’right.’

Arnie ran to the gate and stumbled through it. ‘I’ve gotta go now. See ya ‘round huh.’ And he was off like a shot.

‘He said yes, he said yes,’ beamed a happy Belinda. That’s when she saw Winnie staring at her open-mouthed from over the fence.

‘What do you think you’re doing, spying on me Winifred?’ she yelled as she ran over. ‘I will call the police and you’ll be in big trouble, mark my words.’

‘I am s-sorry Belinda, I meant no harm,’ stammered poor Winnie.

‘You’re always peeping over the fence and spying on me, you are,’ said an irate Belinda. ‘This has to stop. I am coming over to talk to your mother and you will be in hot water then.’

‘I don’t like very hot water,’ said Winnie. ‘I burnt my hand real bad last year by putting it under the hot water tap.’

She lost her balance and nearly fell off the flower pot as she moved her feet around. She grabbed the fence and looked beseechingly at the older girl.

‘I am sorry for peeping at you over the fence, but you are so grand and posh and old and know everything. And I can’t help but try to learn to be like you.’

Belinda’s rage disappeared instantly as she heard these words, and stroking her long blonde hair she looked pityingly at the younger girl.

‘Belinda, what is a valentine? If I may ask?’ said Winnie respectfully.

‘You’re too young to understand but you will find out when you grow up and start going to school like me.’

Belinda patted her hair back in place as a gentle breeze ruffled it in front of her face.

‘You see,’ she said gently. ‘My mother says I’m special so I can have anyone I want as my valentine.’

With a startled yelp Winnie clutched the air in vain as she vanished from sight. The flower pot had finally given way and Winnie landed unhurt in the vegetable patch. She got up slowly and brushed the soil off her dress.

‘Mummy is not going to be happy when she sees the state of my clothes,’ she mumbled to herself as she made her way thoughtfully towards the house.

Winnie was right. Mummy was not happy at all and marched her straight to the bathroom for an early bath.

When Minnie came home from school Winnie was waiting for her impatiently.

‘How come you’re so late?’ she asked her sister.

‘Daddy picked me up but we went to granny’s place before we came home,’ answered Minnie.

‘Did she give you any sweets?’ asked Winnie excitedly. ‘She always gives me something when I go and visit with mummy during the day.’

‘Daddy took them off me. He said I didn’t deserve them. Just because I pinched that rude Arnold from across the road. He was being mean to me and calling me names. He’s a bully, he is; picks his nose all the time too. No manners at all.’ Minnie paused and stared unseeing into space.

‘Now take Norman instead. He is so nice and polite. When he looks at you through his big round glasses, your heart misses a beat and... What did you say?’ she asked her sister absent-mindedly.

‘What is a valentine? I heard Belinda next door talking to Arnie about it. She says she could have anyone as her valentine. Is Arnie a valentine?’

‘Belinda next door says a lot of things,’ said Minnie scornfully. ‘Ignore her. If you must know, a valentine is someone you love, like mummy loves daddy.’

‘Like I love you?’ asked Winnie.

‘No, no, no, we’re sisters. It’s more boy loves girl, or girl loves boy,’ answered Minnie dreamily.

‘Is that why Arnie is a valentine, because he is a boy?’ asked Winnie.

‘What’s with Arnie sis? Why do you keep talking about Arnie?’ Minnie said in a sharp tone. She got up angrily and walked out of the room.

Later that evening Minnie started making a valentine’s card. Her intended valentine was Norman, who also happened to be her kindergarten teacher’s son. She liked him a lot and he was always polite to her.

The next day after school she went to her room to work on her card. Winnie wasn’t home as she was visiting granny with mummy. When she went to her desk she was surprised to find a half-hidden card with Winnie’s writing on it. It wasn’t completely finished but in the middle, in big letters was written “I love you so much, you mean the world to me.”

‘Oh my my,’ said Minnie faintly, her eyes wide open in amazement. ’She really fancies that Arnie.’

Also half-hidden behind some books at the back of the desk she found an issue of ‘Earnest Love’, a magazine that mummy bought every week. And the words in the card were circled in the magazine.

‘She’s copied the words onto the card,’ Minnie said thoughtfully to herself. ‘Clever little girl, isn’t she? But why Arnie?’

Minnie spent the next two days brooding about Winnie’s card until she could not take it any longer.

‘Mummy,’ she said as she entered the kitchen where her mother was cooking. ‘What are we to do with Winnie? I think you should talk to her.’

‘What has she done now?’ asked a flustered Mrs Small. She was making a cake for her husband, as the next day was Valentine’s Day. Gary was crazy about mud cakes, the thought of chocolate made him drool like a baby. She was very busy and the last thing she needed was to try to keep Winnie out of mischief.

‘She’s copying me and making a valentine’s card,’ said Minnie.

‘What’s wrong with that?’ asked mummy. ‘It would keep her quiet for a while.’

‘But mummy, the card is for Arnie from across the road. He’s a bully and has no manners whatsoever. He’s wrong for Winnie.’

‘I know you love your sister and you’re looking out for her, but my dear, she’s only a child and will get over it. By the way, you’re not that much older than Winnie so don’t worry about it. Now I’m very busy so go and find something useful to do.’

Minnie wandered moodily to her room. ‘Fine then, I’ve done my bit. If mummy won’t worry about Winnie’s friends, neither will I,’ she said to herself. She pulled out her unfinished card and set to work. The next day was Valentine’s Day and she had to finish it now.

Everyone in the Small household was up early on Saturday. They all chipped in and helped with breakfast and never had pancakes been eaten so quickly.

‘Mummy, can I go down the road to give my valentine’s card to Norman?’ asked Minnie. ‘It’s only a couple of blocks away, and I promise to be careful when crossing the road.’

‘It’s early and it’s Saturday morning, so there shouldn’t be too much traffic,’ mummy said as she looked at her husband. ‘Maybe you can take Winnie with you.’

‘That’s a good idea,’ said Minnie happily. ‘Winnie can give her valentine card to Arnie on the way.’

‘I’m not giving Arnie a valentine card,’ retorted Winnie. ‘Why should I? He’s not my valentine.’

‘But I saw the card you were making, and all week you’ve been mentioning Arnie’s name.’

‘He’s Belinda’s valentine, not mine,’ answered Winnie.

‘Then who is the card for?’ asked a surprised Minnie.

‘My card is for my valentine, and I’ll go and get it now,’ said Winnie, who stood up from the table and walked out of the room.

Minnie stared questioningly at her mother and father and their surprised faces mirrored her own.

Winnie walked in carrying her card, the card she had been working on for nearly a week.

‘So if it’s not Arnie from across the road, who is the card for?’ asked an impatient Minnie. ‘I hope it’s not for Norman. He’s mine so stay away from him.’

Winnie stood in the middle of the kitchen, blushing with embarrassment. She took a few seconds to try and calm down, and then, after taking a deep breath, she said slowly, ‘Minnie told me that a valentine is someone very special, someone you love dearly, like mummy loves daddy. So after thinking about it very carefully, I could only find one person who is the perfect fit.’

Winnie stopped to catch her breath, and saw her family watching her in wonder, mouths open in surprise at the longest speech she had made in her life.

‘I am sorry mummy, I hope you don’t mind too much to share, but my love and the only valentine I will ever have is daddy.’

And Winnie ran with outstretched arms to her father, who clasped her close to him and hugged her as hard as she was hugging him.

Minnie wiped her eyes and saw mummy and daddy do the same. Daddy opened the card Winnie handed him and read aloud with a catch in his voice, ‘I love you so much, you mean the world to me.’ He paused and gazed lovingly at his youngest daughter. ‘Thanks Winnie,’ he said, hugging her again.

‘You are welcome daddy. You know I will always be your girl and your little valentine.’

True love and true words always come from the heart and mouth of a little child.