Benjy

Part 3

So far everything had been going well for Joanne and Josh. Her baking business was picking up as people got to know about her delicious homemade cakes and pastries. Josh was fitting in well in his new school and had made a number of friends. In fact, one of them, Benjy, was coming over fo tea this evening.

Joanne smiled as she mixed the batter for the chocolate cookies that she made for the two little boys. She knew Josh's sweet tooth and had added in extra chocolate chips in the batter for him. She was sure that Benjy would like it as well.

She wondered what type of a boy Benjy was. According to Josh, he did not attend the school which Josh did. Which was a little weird, since that was the only primary school in the area. Josh seemed to be very fond of Benjy and talked about how he had a lot in common with him. Apparently, Benjy liked reading and drawing as well.

"Mommy! I'm home!"

Joanne took out the cookies from the oven and put them on the counter top to cool. She smiled and went out to the hall to greet her little guest.

"Hi Benjy!"

"Hi Mrs Harrison."

Benjy was a little blonde headed boy with the clearest green eyes Joannne had ever seen. He glanced and smiled shyly at her and Joanne felt her heart warm out to him. He was dressed in a faded pair of jeans and a pale red t-shirt. His coat, which was hung on the coat hanger by the door, was a dusty blue and black. His clothes looked slightly old and off color.

Did he come from a poor family? wondered Joanne.

"Mommy! Did you bake chocolate cookies?!" squeaked Josh happily as he sniffed the air where the smell of the cookies wafted in from the kitchen.

"Yes dear. And when you've washed your hands you and Benjy can have some of them."

"Yay! Mommy bakes the best cookies you've ever tasted," boasted Josh as he dragged Benjy to wash up at the stone sink in the kitchen.

When they came back, Joanne had set the dining table with the yummiest tea Benjy had ever seen.

There was ice cold milk, fruit cake cut into mouth watering chunks, warm scones with creamy butter and the biggest plate of chocolate cookies that he had ever seen. He stared at the table with wide opened eyes and mouth.

"There's ice cream after you boys have finished," Joanne told them when they were muching on the food.

After tea, Josh showed Benjy his collection of books and drawings as Joanne washed up. The house was filled with the chattering and laughter of the two boys as they talked about anything and everything.

When it was time for Benjy to go, he hugged Joanne tightly.

"Thanks a lot for the tea Mrs Harrison. It was smashing! And you're really nice!" he said with shining eyes.

"You're welcome. It was nice having you here too!" she answered, looking down at the cute fellow.

"My mommy never bakes cookies for me before. In fact, we don't have tea at all in our house," he said softly.

Joanne looked at him. Poor kid... She wondered what type of household he came from. She made up her mind to ask Josh that night.

"I don't know," he answered. "I've never seen his house nor his parents before."