“Opening up? Help HER? How can I do that?” Tina asked dumbfounded.

“Well for a start Tee, how about we give hottie the English instructions to the jungle gym.”

“Yeah okay, I suppose I should, I’ll let her squirm for another half hour or so.”

***

Across town, a somewhat lost man, sat at his desk twiddeling his thumbs when, his mobile beeped.

James! QUICK I NEED

your HELP. Can you:

(a) speak CHINESE? or

(b) build jungle gyms?

James smiled to himself, and replied slowly  and meticulously to the message, before making several calls.

***

Back in the garden, Bette paced around frantically. She had taken apart all of the parts to the jungle gym, and had lain them out in an orderly fashion on the grass. Based on common sense of ground level and her judgement of children needing to be away from dangerous places like the pond and the road, Bette decided that the nice small clearing between the willow trees was ideal.

Now she just needed James, who had yet to respond. Impatiently, she folded the large instruction manual out on to the grass and stepped back looking at the 184 detailed steps instructing her in a combination of diagrams and Chinese to construct the jungle gym.

She sighed, taking her phone out of her pocket once more and checking it for James’ message. He had replied.

Day-care too

hard for little

Miss Bette?

Help is on the

Way. J

She sighed in relief and turned to the side noticing a move. Tina stood there tapping her foot impatiently.

“There’s a no call ban while you’re working.”

“I wasn’t calling it was a text message to my assistant.”

“There’s a no texting ban while you’re working then.”

“I was only reading it, I didn’t even reply.” Bette said in her defence.

“Give me the phone,” Tina demanded.

“Uhm, No.”

“Give it to me now.”

“I’m not one of your day care children Tina, or should I say Ms. Kennard. Don’t you dare try and confiscate any of my belongings.”