Take a sad song and make it better

Chapter Thirty-Two

"Mary, please, for the love of all that is holy stay still!" John moaned, holding out limply the tiny dress that he was supposed to be putting on the little Girl that was currently running around the modestly sized living room in nothing but her knickers.

"But why?" Mary asked, giggling as she skipped away from John's defeated form.

"Because your Dad's gunna be home soon and we promised him you would be dressed," John replied, doing his best attempt at Paul's patented puppy dog eye look.

"I didn't promise nothing!" The little Girl gasped, shocked and appalled that her Johnny would tell such a horrible lie.

"I don't want to wear my dress, the white stuff is scratchy and It's the wrong colour." she pouted, glaring at the offending garment.

John examined the dress, it was a simple yellow dress with lace around the neck and sleeves. The lace did look like it could be itchy but John hadn't worn enough lace in his life to have any kind of authority on the issue.

"Mary, the other day you told me yellow was your favourite colour! What's the bloody problem with it?" John asked, trying not to sounds half as irritated as he was.

"Yellow was my favourite colour last week! Yellow is for Babies and I've grown up a lot y'know, now my favourite colour is green." she replied, speaking slowly so John could understand. For an adult, he sure could be a silly goose.

John huffed out a defeated breath and threw the stupid bloody dress down on the floor.

He didn't know why he was ever surprised by the crazy logic that flowed from Mary's brain, being constantly surrounded by daft fools like Paul, George and Himself was bound to rub off on the little Girl.

"Fine, if you're so grown up you can explain to your Father why you're not dressed when he gets back." John quipped, not feeling at all embarrassed that he had been defeated by a small child. Not at all.

Mary was completely unperturbed by John's semi-threat, they both knew all too well that Paul had a difficult time disciplining his Daughter - not that she really gave him much cause to discipline her - and the worst she would get was a half-hearted scolding.

Mary chose to celebrate her small win by removing the clothes off of all her dolls in a show of solidarity and support in Mary's quest for nakedness. 

                                                                                   _______________________

Paul didn't know why he expected John and Mary to be ready when he walked in the door, how foolish of him to expect John to be capable of getting himself and Mary ready for the small Party at Brian's house. Very foolish indeed.

"I asked for one thing, John. One thing." Paul groaned as he stepped into the living room and spied his semi-naked child and a rumpled John.

"Get Yourself and Mary dressed before I get back, and yet, Mary is less dressed than she was before I left in the first place!"

"I don't know what to tell you, Paul, she's an uncontrollable child with nudist tendencies. I never stood a bloody chance." John groaned helplessly.

"She's not uncontrollable!" Paul scolded before turning to his rambunctious child.

"Mary darlin', you need to put on your dress if you want ta come to Brian's party."

"Alright, Daddy!" Mary smiled sweetly, immediately skipping over to her Father and obediently stepping into the dress he was holding out for her.

"See John? Very controllable, you probably didn't even try."

Mary was projecting the image of innocence, but John could still see the cheeky glint in her eye.