Bette scoffs and I stifled a laugh

“Maddie we will talk about this boyfriend thing with Mommy. You are too young”

Maddie huffs “I don’t want to Momma.. Please I like him.  He always holds my hand when we are at recess and..”

“Maddie enough!” Bette exclaims shaking her head

“Fine” Maddie pouts and folds her arms clearly angry at her Momma “Not fair!”

I could tell Bette was about to say something else so I immediately wanted to diffuse the tension

“Hey” I nudge her with my elbow and she looks up at me “You wanna see something really cool”

Her eyes light up and excitedly nods

I pull out my fidget spinner placing it between my fingers and began spinning it and Maddie’s eyes widened in fascination.

“Oh wow..What is that?”

“It’s a fidget spinner.  When I get a little anxious or nervous I use this to help calm me down.  It relaxes me”

“So you use it before you play your games”

“Yes” I wanted to say I needed it right now because of her gorgeous Momma sitting in the front passenger seat but of course I couldn’t do that  “It is my favorite fidget spinner in the whole world and I want you to have it” I say handing it to her

“Wow!…Thank you” she says excitedly taking it from me and immediately places it on her finger and begins spinning it.  I knew she was no longer thinking about Bette scolding her about the boyfriend situation.

I turn to look at the window as we pull into the gym parking lot and parked.  Maddie jumped out of the car eager to show Bette the fidget spinner.

“Momma look what Tina gave me.  It’s a..a..uhm”. She looks at me “What is this thing again?”  She asks. Her angelic face scrunched up trying to remember

“Fidget spinner”

“Oh yeah a fidget spinner..Watch Momma”  she says spinning it between her fingers.

“That’s so cool isn’t it” Bette remarked and Maddie was so engaged with the spinner she didn’t even pay her any attention

“Thank you for doing that for her” Bette said and I waved her off

“It was nothing” I said throwing my gym bag over my shoulder