[center][b][u]Thursday
Prompt Response[/u][/b][/center]

[center][b]Just
A Little Push[/b][/center]

[center]By
XP Author[/center]

Beatrice
smiled as she sat back, feeling more than satisfied from the meal.
The old squirrel felt a gentle squeeze on her hand, and returned it.
"That was lovely."

John
nodded back to his wife. "I'm glad you approve." He cooked
the whole thing for their 50th anniversary. As a retired chef, he
still liked to cook when he could. "Now for the unenviable task
of cleaning everything up."

"I'll
get it, Granpa!" The twelve year old hopped up from her seat,
happily scooping up all the dirty plates. She turned to cart them off
to the kitchen, but not before looking at her younger brother. "You
help, too, Billy!"

The ten
year old pouted. "Awww.... do I have to!?"

Susan
pat her son's head. "Go help your sister." He pouted even
more, but slid off the seat and followed Tabby reluctantly. She shook
her head as the kids walked off, turning back to her parents. "I
have a hard enough time with two of them. How did you two ever manage
six kids?"

The
elderly woman chuckled. "We had each other. And a lot of
friends."

"And
a lot of wine." John chuckled, raising his glass.

Susan
giggled softly. "Well, you two got lucky, I guess. Sticking with
each other for 50 years!" She let out a sigh. She and her
husband were going through a rocky time. She was afraid divorce was
on the table if things kept up this way. "I don't know how you
managed."

Beatrice
hummed softly, setting her own glass down. "Oh, luck has nothing
to do with it. We just found a way to work things out. And we had our
rough patches."

"Usually
my fault." John added with a chuckle. "You just have to be
willing to meet in the middle. I told you how we met, right?"

She
nodded. "Yeah, but it's been a while. Something about a bakery?"

"A
diner." he corrected. "I was working there at the time,
fresh out of school, bright eyed and bushy tailed. I was trying to
perfect this new egg dish. Kept changing it every day until I got it
right. Then this woman comes marching up to the counter, demanding to
talk to the idiot that keeps changing her favorite breakfast."
Beatrice just started giggling. "I was transfixed by her
cocksure attitude, and after apologizing more than necessary, asked
if she would like to try my other versions."

"I
didn't leave for another four hours. And I was so full I nearly
burst!" The elderly woman laughed. "He asked me out the
next day, and I couldn't say no." She sighed. "I almost
didn't go up there, you know. I was just sitting and complaining to a
friend about it, and she urged me to go and say something. So, I put
on my angriest face, pretended to be all full of vim and vigor, and
marched right up there."

Her
daughter hadn't ever heard that part before. "Wait, so, you only
went up because your friend told you?"

She
nodded. "Oh yes, and I'm glad she did. If she hadn't given me
that little push, I never would have met your father. And you and
your siblings wouldn't be here. Sometimes to change your life, all it
takes is just a little push. Just don't push so hard that you push
people away."

John
sat up. "Well, that's enough remembering for now." He
clapped his hands, rubbing them together. "Who's up for dessert?
I have a pie I baked this morning just begging to be eaten."

"I
AM!" The excited voices of the kids called out in unison from
the doorway, making the adults all chuckle.

John
smiled, getting up from his seat. "Alright. Then you two can
help me cut it!" The kids cheered, eager to help with this part,
since it meant getting pie at the end.

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