Forty Third Friday Flash: Lollipop

Thanks to @robi27 for editing and @indulgence_cafe for items, location and emotion suggestions(lollipop, giraffe, hacksaw, house and disbelief)

Ginny loved visiting her grandfather. He always had presents for her. Today he gave her a lollipop and a great big balloon with a giraffe on it.

“Thank you, Pappy!”

“Pleasure, my darling,” he said before he started coughing violently.

Ginny frowned. “Are you okay?”

“All good, my dear.”

“Okay,” she replied undoing the lollipop's wrapper and popping the multi-coloured candy into her mouth. It was a welcome distraction, she didn't want to think about how sick her grandfather was.

“Will you do me a favour, Ginny?”

“Anything for you, Pappy.”

“That's my girl,” he said handing her a hacksaw.

Ginny reluctantly took it, and held it at arm's length. Turning it over and looking at the serrated blade. “This is dangerous.”

“In the wrong hands yes, but you're a big girl.”

“What do you want me to do with it?” she asked, her spirits boosted by his confidence in her.

“See that cabinet over there? I want you to cut the lock off of it.”

Ginny took a step back, “But that would upset mummy.”

“Please sweetheart, just this once.” Her grandfather leaned forward in his bed, his big brown eyes filled with life. Sometimes he wasn't much better than the boys in her school. Always up to something naughty.

“I don't know.” Her mom could get awfully angry.

“After your mom throws me in that retirement home I will have no freedom at all.” He coughed again more violently this time.

Ginny sighed, “Okay.”

She went over to the cabinet and carefully began to work on the long necked lock, her grandfather putting his radio on full blast so it would disguise the noise. Ginny worked a little faster, her Pappy's music gave her a headache and she was worried her mom would come back from cleaning the kitchen at any moment.

Just when she thought her arm was going to catch fire from muscle burn she cut through the lock.

“Fantastic, my girl,” he said turning the radio down a bit. “Now bring the one with the three ships on it please.”

“Okay, Pappy.”

She carefully took it over, the bottle was heavy. With shaking hands he took it and placed it on his bedside cupboard.

“Can I try some, Pappy?” she asked as he opened the bottle.

They both froze as her mom barged into the room. “Will you put that infernal noise down?! Hey… wait! What is going on here? I can't leave you two alone for a minute!”

Ginny felt sad as she saw the light go out of her grandfather's eyes.

“I'm not a baby!”

“Sometimes I wonder! It's bad for you and you know it.” Her mother took hold of the bottle, but he wouldn't let go.

Ginny took a few paces back and reached in the cupboard for the other bottle she had seen, this one had a black label. Moving as quietly as she could, she placed the bottle in the bottom draw of the chest of draws next to the cabinet.

Her grandfather seeing what Ginny had done let go of the bottle. “Okay you win, you know best.”

“That's better.”

“Now give me a hug.”

Ginny smiled as her mom leaped at the chance, normally her grandfather hated hugs. “You know I'm only looking out for you right?”

“I know, I know,” he said winking at Ginny.

Ginny winked back.

Her mum turned to her, “Don't look so pleased with yourself, you're not off the hook yet.”

“Yes, mummy,” she said taking the lollipop out of her mouth.