Idlebones

Sophie & Paddy Ch 4

October 19, 2006 – 21:54

He hasn’t hurt himself I trust?” Napolean inquired politely, raising his eyebrows and looking in the direction of where Paddy had been sitting.

Sophie was still giggling to herself, her little shoulders raised
around her ears as she looked down at Paddy who was flat on his back
amongst her Barbie dolls, half covered with the curtain which he had
managed to drag from Sophies shoulders the rest of the way down with
him.

“Oh he’s ok. He’s always falling over” she chuckled.

She bent down and helped Paddy to his feet, and then pulled him back
up onto the window ledge.

“Your ok, aren’t you Paddy?” said Sophie happily

“I didn’t fall, I was looking for the needle and thread” said Paddy, a
little put out, puffing his chest out and brushing his fur back over
his eyes.

“Nope, not down there” he announced with a sigh.

Napoleon stood to attention once more.

“Glad to hear it, and thank you Mr, em, Mr. Bear.

“Paddy” Said Sophie, “His names Paddy”

“Thank you Mr. Paddy” Napoleon corrected himself.

“S’ok Nappy. Glad to be of service” Paddy remarked, still slightly
grumpy at being called a short bear.

Sophie cut in before Napoleon could correct him. Paddy was being his
usual grumpy self and she didn’t want the soldier to feel they were
being unfriendly.

“I can get you a needle and thread if you like? They’re in the kitchen
in the bottom drawer” she said, giving Paddy a sharp nudge with her
elbow as she did. She remembered her mother putting a little clear
plastic case with a spool of black thread into the bottom drawer,
pushing a needle safely into its side one morning having repaired a
hole in Sophie’s favorite mittens last Christmas. Sophie had been
sitting in her seat in the back of the car as they went to visit her
Uncle Owen in Ireland, poking her finger through the little hole and
wiggling it at her Daddy in the rear view mirror with glee.

“I’d better fix that for you when we get home” her mother had said,
looking over her shoulder as Sophie made a face.

“Best put them away before we get to Uncle Owens’. You know how he’s
always making holes in things. He’ll make it even bigger until there’s
more hole then mitten, knowing him” her Daddy laughed.

Sophie grinned. Uncle Owen was always breaking things. He would drink
wine with her Mummy and Daddy out of mugs when they went to visit
him, because he was always breaking his wine glasses. The last time
they had been to see him, Sophie had wandered around his big silver
car, tracing its dents and scratches with her finger.

“It keeps falling out of bed in its sleep” her Uncle had explained
with a wink, as he bounced her Daddy’s favourite suit case off the
front door, forgetting to open it first. Sophie had made an ‘O’ with
her mouth as her finger disappeared into a long groove in the side of
the car.

Now that she could see Napoleon more clearly, Sophie could see that
Paddy had probably been right. He was, it seemed, a boy in men’s
clothing. He stood not much higher than Sophie herself, his brow just
above hers as he stood in the moonlight. His clothes didn’t look as if
they were ill fitting at all, though. They seemed to be made just for
him. His red tunic was crossed with gold braids that linked bright
shining gold buttons, long across his chest getting shorter towards
his belly. She could see now that he had gold bands across his
shoulders too, with tassels that hung over each side. His collar was
high and stiff, reminding Sophie of the priest that sometimes walked
passed them in the street in town, always stopping to say hello and
ruffle Sophie’s hair. His collar had two gold buttons on it though,
one above the other, that fastened the collar of his tunic about his
neck. No wonder he stands so stiffly, she thought, looking at how
tightly the collar held against his neck. His face was, however, young
and smooth. His chin bore none of the little blue flecks that her
daddy’s did, and around his pale blue eyes the skin had no wrinkles or
creases in them, so that they appeared just another part of his smooth
brown face. Only his eyes themselves seemed slightly older. They were
a little red with tiredness, and slightly distant as if he was
thinking of something other than his lazy balloon.

“Are you really a soldier?” she asked eventually.

Napoleon de la Podium stiffened slightly, standing to attention once more.

“Of Course Madamoiselle!” He seemed a little hurt by Sophie’s question.

It’s just that you are, well. You’re just a little boy, aren’t you?” she said.

Napoleon looked down his nose at Sophie for a moment.

“Well you’re just a little girl, aren’t you?” he said, rocking back on
his heels as if he had made his point.

Sophie looked at Paddy, who looked back at her and shrugged.

“I suppose so” she said slowly.

“Well. There you are then! Now, how about that needle and thread?” he
said with a grin, and turned to stride back towards his balloon with
his hands clasped behind his back.