Safety First

“No!”

“Yes!”

”Nnnnno!“ Jenny chimed, frowning defiantly up at her father.

John Brightmist gave the five year old his most serious frown. “If ya don’t, what’ll keep your brains from fallin’ out your ears?!”

”John!“ sounded Cora from behind the man as she made her way out into the spaceport raceway. The woman was doing her best not to chuckle and smiled softly as the little red head cast her arms around her mother’s legs. “That is not how you convince a child to wear their helmet!”

John gave an exasperated sigh and braced his hands on his knees as he rose to his feet. “Not as easy as it looks! You try an’ get her to do it.”

Cora smirked, one hand petting Jenny’s head as she reached to accept the glittering red and blue child’s helmet. Sitting down on the ground, the slender woman put the tiny helmet on her head.

Jenny giggled, climbing onto her mother’s lap. “It’s too small!”

“Too small?” Cora gasped, jutting out her lower lip in a pout. “Well, I can’t ride bikes till I have my helmet on! How about this way.” She flipped the little helmet backwards, letting the straps flop comically down by her ears.

”Mooom!“ Jenny exclaimed as she dissolved into a fit of laughter. “You look funny!”

Cora chuckled, but it quickly faded. “Well… I guess I can’t race bikes then. And we can’t ride the equivars –”

“Because Daddy says the other kids are pus –”

“Nuh-uh-uh!” Cora swiftly interjected, putting a finger to her daughter’s lips. “We don’t call people mean names.” She did not need to give John a look to make the man wince. “I really wanted to race…. Do you think you can help me find a helmet?”

Jenny’s bright blue eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly. Scrambling to her feet, the little girl looked about wildly till her gaze alighted on the sleek black helmet that rested on the grinder a couple yards away. “I got one! I got one!” she exclaimed proudly, scampering as fast as her little legs could carry her. With a proud grin the child picked up the helmet and plopped it on her head.

“You look like a bobble-head!” Cora declared with a silvery laugh.

Jenny giggled and wiggled to make the adult helmet bobble around.

Still chuckling, Cora rose to her feet to look to the half dozen racers who had begun to congregate around the raceways starting line. “Still want to ride with mom, princess?”

“Yes! Yes! We can go fast!” the little girl proclaimed, helmet wobbling as she clapped in excitement.

Cora beamed and shot John a wink. Though he looked somewhat doubtful, the man gave his wife an enchanted smile and nodded. “Well, trade me helmets, kiddo, and you and I will beat everyone on the track.”

Quick as wink Jenny was offering the black helmet in exchange for her colorful one. “We can beat them all?” she asked as her mother fastened on both their helmets.

“You bet your britches, cutie,” said Cora, grinning before she took her seat on the grinder. John secured Jenny in front of her.

“Give ‘em hell! You girls be safe, ya hear?”

Cora revved the engine, and Jenny shoved her visor up out of her eyes to grin at her father. “We got helmets!”