The Worry with a Pocket-Sized Chair

Beside Mina’s knee a blue little loop went twiddle-dee-tight.

It looped round her tummy and tickled her throat till her breath squeezed tight.

Pip stopped all his bouncing. Ponder leaned near. Mama stayed by the door.

“Something came with the card,” Mina murmured softly. “Something I felt before.”

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“New games!” peeped Worry. “New faces! New noise! What if kites tumble down?”

Mina listened without shooing. The loop loosened once. Pip put both ears down.

“Worry is warning you,” Ponder said gently. “It wants you to take care.”

Mama held out her hand. “We can listen together. I’ll be with you there.”

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They found a small chair with a round yellow cushion and one wiggly leg.

“Sit here, little Worry. You may tell us your news. You needn’t shout or beg.”

The blue loop sat down with a wriggle and sigh. It still stayed in sight.

Mina nodded. “A feeling can have its own corner without taking all the light.”

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On a pea-sized paper Mina drew three steps with a green crayon line:

“Hold Mama’s hand. Wave once to Noor. Watch one kite climb.”

“And if it feels too much?” asked Pip, very carefully. “We leave,” Mama said.

Worry read the small plan from beginning to end. Then it bobbed its blue head.

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In came a breath like a slow little train: chuff-chuff through the nose.

Out went the breath like a warm summer drizzle that softened her toes.

Pip’s ears rose high. Then flop went his ears. Ponder counted to four.

Worry did not vanish. It simply sat easier than it had sat before.

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At last they set off. Mama walked close. Pip hop-walked in time.

Worry rode in Mina’s pocket with the pea-paper plan and a peppermint shine.

“You may come along,” Mina told the blue loop. “But I choose where we go.”

Past three garden gates they went step-step-step, not fast and not slow.

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Noor waved both hands like two kite tails fizzing over the gate.

Mina squeezed Mama’s fingers. Worry wibbled once. Noor smiled and could wait.

“Hello,” Mina whispered. Noor whispered, “Hello.” Pip bowed very low.

One hello was enough for the first brave minute. Then they watched the wind blow.

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Noor needed a helper to hold the red ribbons while she tied every string.

Mina took just one. Then another felt fine. Soon the tails went zing-zing!

Worry peeked from her pocket. It curled but stayed welcome. Mama smiled from nearby.

“Not the whole party,” Mina said to Pip. “Just my piece of the sky.”

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Back home, blue Worry curled up like a comma on its pocket-sized chair.

“You heard me,” it sighed. “So I didn’t need shouting to know you took care.”

Mina kept the pea-plan. Pip kept one red ribbon. Mama tucked both in tight.

A big day held worry and wind, friends, and laughter— with room for delight.

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