"Hold On!!!" she said in a defeated huff. "I can hear that you are talking, but I can't hear what you are talking about" She rinsed her hands and turned off the water. Dishes would have to wait.
"I said come watch this... you'll laugh." He was quite pleased with his find.
She tried to hide her frustration. She just wanted to finish the dishes already.
"OK!" She said it more as a command than consent and stood looking at him exasperated.
"Hurry!" he turned and walked back out the kitchen door.
Rolling her eyes she followed him. Didn't he see she had so much to do. She was trying to be civil, but the veil was very thin.
He turned at the top of the garage steps and silently mouthed the words, "Shhhhh.... Quiet...."
"!!!ENOUGH ALREADY!!!" exploded in her mind. The morning had been constant interruptions. Will you please make me? bring me? watch this? sit with me? are you done yet? AAAAAA!!!! She just wanted to complete one of her own thoughts. Just One! her current thought was to get this over with.
Just then the warmth of the sun hit her face. Blinkingly she saw them at the far end of the field. Their fox family had come to visit. It was time for the mulberry harvest. The young kits were pouncing on each other and even on the adults, who were trying to bask in the light. The blond kit was yipping, running in circles and the one with the big ears was pulling tails on the fly. She watched as even a few more adults joined the harvest reunion.
As the family rested and played, so did she. Her whole body relaxed. A soft smile began to play at her lips and eyes. She became a part of the casual foolery. Giggling at their comic antics. Laughing at their leaping. She melted into their play.
He stood just behind her, watching her breathe slower. He saw her relax. He lightly touched her arm. She stepped back and slightly pressed into him. "Thank you..." she whispered through a sigh.
He brought some seats and they watched as the foxes lazed and played through their afternoon. They watched as the young wrestled and as the old gray-bearded male simply lay in the fallen berries as he ate them. They watched till the evening light grew thin and all the foxes had run off into the cover of the woods.
They watched until dinner and its added dishes just had to interrupt...