“Don’t run!” The Blonde’s voice stretched between anxiety and propriety.
The tall Redhead, all tits and elbows, just smiled as she walked steadily through the crowd. In the history of parenting, don’t run had never produced more than a careless speed-walk from hyper-excited children.
“I want purple!”
“I want green!”
“Well I want purple and green!”
“Nuh uh! Ya have to pick one!”
The rapid fire words of diminutive humans tangled on the other side of the counter as the clerk’s expression frayed. It quickly rebounded into a mercantile smile as the women approached and confirmed their appointment.
The clerk came around the counter and pulled out a bench, then arranged a bolster. The kids perched, pressing their noses and hands all over the glass, as the clerk set down two catalogs before the women. With a moment of wrangling, the Blonde and redhead bookended the precocious muppets.
The clerk disappeared and reappeared with two cups of coffee.
The complete lack of excitement offered in the glossy images on the tablet caused the children’s eyes to glaze over.
“I thought we got to see our real souls!” protested Jason, his lips formed a ledge and arch, peaked to perfection, so as to be the envy of any Gothic architect.
The Redhead smiled. “Not until you’re downloaded, but you have to look at samples and pictures if you want to pick out exactly what you want your soul to look like.”
Both children refocused like lightening. Moyra concentrated until her tongue stuck out. Jason’s brow creased.
The clerk put on a child-friendly pitch. “What color do you want Moyra?”
“Green.”
“Like your eyes? They say the eyes are the windows to the soul,” nodded the clerk.
“No, I just like green.”
“Oh.” It was all the recovery she could offer the imp.
“I want a five carat gold-green-purple soul!” Jason grinned.
The clerk glanced to his chaperon, then to the boy. “We can set it in gold, and it is possible for it to be dichromatic under different lights, but you have to ask your parents.”
Jason looked up at the Blonde, who informed, “Dichromatic means it has two colors.”
Jason nodded in a way that made the Redhead’s neck hurt just watching him.
The Blonde smiled to the clerk. “Yes to everything but the size; pick something smaller Jason, five carats is too gaudy.”
After negotiations concluded, Jason would have a blue-green dichromatic faux diamond set in gold.
“Mom, why is mine twice as big as Morya’s when Morya is taller than me? Is my soul bigger?”
Both women looked at each other and rushed to explain before the clerk could offer any fiscal input.
“Hers isn’t smaller, it’s just like yours! You’ll match.” Offered the Blonde.
The Redhead was about to interject when the Blonde waved her off, tipping the graphite stick into view.
Both kids began to bounce and laugh.
The Redhead leaned over, “It may take a while, but I promise to pay you back.”
“Don’t. Morya is a great friend to Jason. She’s held his hand and played with him in the hospital.” She politely blotted away artificial tears. “This means a lot to them. Consider it a thank you.”
The Redhead swallowed hard, trying to choke down pride and gratitude as she watched the kids restrained rambunctiousness.
The Blonde glanced to the clerk. “How long until the stones are ready?”
“If we get the body the same day as their download, it should be ready by the time they’re established.”
The Redhead took a deep breath and nodded, trying not to picture the shimmering jewel on her baby’s body.