Carla x Monty- Holiday Heartbreak

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH

Now, where was I (tapping chin and thinking) . . . ?

Okay . . . Mr buttons was missing! And Dayl, Penny, and Miss Brianna were having a simultaneous meltdown.

We looked EVERYWHERE! And still couldn't find that stupid sock. I knew socks had a nasty habit of disappearing in the dryer. But I had no idea how one could just vanish into thin air.

"Monty! You're the babysitter!" Penny screamed. "Do something! And do it NOW!"

I was like, Oh. No. She DIDN'T!! "Really?! So I'M the babysitter now that Mr buttons is LOST and everyone is CRYING?!" I yelled at Penny. "Personally, I think this is all Miss Brianna's fault. Tell HER to go find Mr Buttons!"

But since I WAS the mature, responsible older brother, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

After rummaging through my sock drawer, I found an old mismatched sock with ruffles and lace. I grabbed a black marker and drew on a face. Then I stapled on some wool for hair, dabbed on some cherry lip gloss, and BAM!! A new puppet was born. I called her Maxine. Mainly because she was as UGLY as Max the roach (max is a two-metre-long-hideous-looking plastic bug bolted to the top of my dad's extermination van)

Although, with the big hair, long eyelashes, fancy lace and ruffles sock outfit, clueless expression and five thick layers of lip gloss, she bore a striking resemblance to . . . NEVER MIND. I rushed back into the family room to introduce Maxine to Dayl.

"Dayl, please don't cry!" Maxine pleaded in a squeaky voice. "Everything will be okay. I promise!"

"Wh-who are you?" Dayl sniffed.

"I'm Mr Buttons' older sister. My name is Maxine. Nice to meet you!"

"Wow! Your're Mr Buttons' SISTER?!" Dayl giggled and wiped his tears.

Penny must have felt a little jealous or something because she just glared at Maxine and frowned.

"Um . . . WHY do you have fluff all over your face?" Penny asked.

"Yeah, and your hair looks funny too," Miss Brianna scoffed, looking her up and down.

"Hey, back off, girlfriend!" Maxine said, rolling her eyes at Miss Brianna. "At least I HAVE hair!"

So, maybe Maxine WAS a little fluffy. Sorry, but I was NOT about to destroy a good pair of socks. And WHY would Miss Brianna get all snotty and insult another puppet when SHE was a puppet too?! Was I the only person who found all of this disturbing, bizarre and a wee bit creepy?

Maxine continued. "I'm here to help you find Mr buttons. But don't worry about that guy. He's a prankster and he's probably just playing hide-and-seek!"

Dayl's face brightened. "You think so?"

"Don't listen to her!" Penny fumed. "I think he's been KIDNAPPED by the TOOTH FAIRY!!"

"I have a great idea, Dayl!"-Maxine- I said. "Why don't you hang out with Maxine while I finish looking for Mr Buttons. Okay?"

"That would be fun!" Dayl giggled.

I handed Maxine to Dayl. Then I went from room to room in search of Mr Buttons. When I returned, Penny and Dayl had plastered over a dozen Kidnapped, Missing and Wanted posters all over the family room in their desperate attempt to find that puppet.

Penny was about to tape a poster to a pillow on the couch when she suddenly gasped in surprise.

"Hey, look! It's Mr Buttons!! The tooth fairy kidnapped him and stuck him behind this pillow?!" she exclaimed.

"Mr Buttons! Mr Buttons!" Shouted Dayl. "I'm so glad to see you!"

We all gave Mr Buttons a great big group hug.

Just then the doorbell rang. It was Mrs Cookies.

"Hi Mrs Cookies," I said, thankful she hadn't arrived five minutes earlier.

"Hello, Monty, dear. How are my little gangbusters doing?" She asked cheerfully.

"They're GREAT!" I answered. "We played some games and even went on a BIG make-believe ADVENTURE!"

Suddenly Mrs Cookies frowned.

"What was that?! You think I've gained weight and need to get a wig and dentures?!" she asked, highly insulted.

"NO! Actually, you look beautiful! Just the way you are," I tried to reassure her.

As Dayl was leaving, he gave me a great big hug.#

"Monty! You're the best sitter me and Mr Buttons have ever had!"

"Thanks, Dayl! Both Maxine and I will be looking forward to you visiting again."

He took a few steps down the sidewalk, holding his grandmother's hand. Then he abruptly turned around and raced back to the door to give Penny a hug too.

"Thanks for finding Mr Buttons," he whispered. "He made this especially for you!"

Dayl reached into his back pocket and handed Penny a wad of red construction paper.

Penny unfolded the paper to reveal the most beautiful crinkled-up, lopsided Valentine's heart I have ever seen in my entire life . . .

Both Penny and Miss Brianna had these big goofy smiles on their faces as they waved goodbye.

"Bye Dayl! Bye Mr Buttons! Come back soon!"

AWWWWWWW 😄! That whole scene was so cute and sickeningly sweet, I almost couldn't stand it.

yes, Dayl was a little weird. And misunderstood. But he was such a good kid! Mrs Cookies was lucky to have him as a grandson.

That's when it hit he that Dayl reminded me a lot of, well . . . an old friend of mine.

Anyway, I was really happy that Penny had sound a new friend she had so much in common with.

I just hope Dayl won't change when he gets older. Like, you know . . . some people.

I almost forgot! Speaking of new friends, I now have a roommate . . . MAXINE!!

She's moving in to my sock drawer.

😁!!