“Huff puff, Virginia!” Wolf cried with a mouthful of food. “This place is magnificent!” They had been back in Virginia’s world, the Tenth Kingdom as the trolls called it, for almost six months now. Her belly was growing larger with each passing day, showing signs of the little cub growing inside her, who was getting quite a workout inside.
Virginia smiled as Wolf rushed around to the different food stands, stopping every so often to play a game. She had brought him to the annual carnival; he was having the time of his life. “Wolf!” she cried after him, but it was too late. He had gone into the haunted house. She wasn’t sure how he would handle it, he did after all live in another dimension. Above the crowd she heard a shriek and seconds later Wolf ran out of the exit.
“Oh, cripes Virginia!” he whimpered, “That was the scariest thing I’ve ever been in in my entire life! I'll have nightmares for months!”
Virginia laughed and shook her head, “It’s okay Wolf, it’s just pretend.”
He cocked his head to the side. “Pretend?” He didn’t give her time to answer. He was off like a bolt to another concession stand. When he came back he had a huge bag of cotton candy of many different colors.
The singing ring he had given her that day in Kissingtown belted out a tune about gaining weight and Virginia laughed. Wolf’s eyes got wide and at first Virginia thought he was choking. “Wolf? What is it?”
He whimpered and pointed at the roller coaster. Virginia let out a sigh, “It’s only a ride Wolf.”
Wolf gasped, “A ride? But they’re screaming in terror Virginia! How can they be having fun and yelling like that?”
Virginia shrugged, “Why don’t you go on?” She gave him a little push.
He scratched his forehead, “Huff puff, I don’t think so.”
Just then a group of people rushed to the ride carrying a frightened Wolf along with them. She heard him call her name from the front car of the train. She sat on a nearby bench and waved. The ride started and the car lurched forward. Five minutes later the ride was over. Wolf got off clutching his stomach and looking rather green.
“Virginia,” he whined. “I think I’m gonna be sick.” He ran past her to the nearest garbage can and emptied his stomach, not that it was ever full. He stood up and wiped his mouth on his sleeve.
Virginia stepped up behind him, “Maybe we should go home.” she said.
He spun around with a gasp, “Oh, no! I want to stay all night! I’m better, really! Can we stay? Please?” he begged.
Virginia was getting tired and the baby was really pulling a number on her. But who could refuse that look? “All right, all right. We can stay.”
He gasped and clapped his hands. “Oh, thank you, Virginia!” He gave her a quick hug and then bounded off.
When she finally found him he was riding on a kiddy truck. He saw her and waved. She sat picking at the fries she’d ordered. The baby had calmed down and wasn’t kicking as much. Virginia couldn’t wait until he was born. Then Wolf would have someone to go on the rides with, and she wouldn’t have to chase after him.
The ride ended, and Wolf bounded in front of her to the next one with giggling little children following behind. He would make a great father. Everywhere they went, he would end up with all of the children crowded around him, and the grateful parents would ask Virginia how much they could pay her to take him off her hands.
She heard a sorrowful whimpering and looked up. The man who was running the ride refused to let Wolf on. He sauntered over and sat down beside her, a small tear running down his cheek.
Night couldn’t have come any slower for Virginia. She had been dragged to every ride in the whole park, some of them twice, except for the roller coaster. Wolf had insisted on stopping at every food stand and playing every game. Her feet were killing her.
When it had gotten time for the fireworks, they piled onto the Ferris wheel. Wolf had slipped the operator a dollar and told him to stop the ride at the top. The man looked at the money and smirked. But he stopped the ride right at the top. It was all Virginia could do to keep from looking down.
“Isn’t it the most romantic thing you’ve ever seen Virginia? Besides Kissingtown of course.”
She mhmmed and rested her head on his shoulder.
We have got to get one of these for our backyard!” he said, but she didn’t hear him. She had fallen fast asleep. He kissed her and watched the fireworks, trying to think of a way to get a fair to the Nine Kingdoms.
