Adopted by Falsettos

Chapter 26

"Mama! Mama! Mama! Mama! Mama!" I said, shaking Stephanie awake and giggling.

Stephanie groaned and rolled over. "Josie, it's early. What's up?"

"But Mama! We have to go to the pool today! Everyone else is already ready but you! Uncle Andy said to wake you up!" I said.

Andrew groaned from the kitchen. "Why do you always blame everything on me?"

"Because I'm telling the truth."

"I- well, you're not wrong." Andrew said.

"Andrew, did you tell Josie to wake me up?" Stephanie said. Andrew looked at me and then nodded.

"Why are you looking at Josie?"

"I don't know!"

"Okay, jeez, I'm awake, I'll get ready."

"Yay Mama!" I cheered.

______

"So...coming down here early backfired." Betsy said. "Look how busy it is!"

"Okay, can someone help me get some chairs? We need eight." Stephanie said.

"I found four!" Anthony said. Stephanie sighed and said, "Great! Okay, can four of you sit down and can someone put sunscreen on Anthony and Josie?"

"We're not five." I said. Brandon laughed and said, "No, we know, but you guys are excited kids. I just want to make sure you two are protected from the sun before you run off."

I took some sunscreen and slathered some on my legs and arms and said, "I did it!"

"Pass me some." Anthony said, and I handed it to him.

"I found two more chairs!" Christian said, and we all cheered as he put the chairs down.

"Mama, can I go on the waterslide with Anthony?" I asked. Stephanie nodded and I ran off with my brother.

"The line for this thing is long already." Anthony said. The slide had just opened and about thirty or forty kids were waiting in line.

A girl with olive skin and thick, short chocolate brown hair came up behind Anthony and I. I waved to her and the girl gasped.

"I'm Maggie! Pleased to meet ya!" the girl said in an accent I couldn't quite put my finger on.

"I'm Josie, and this is my brother Anthony." I said. Maggie laughed and said, "This your first time on the waterslide?"

"Yeah, we just got out to the pool this morning. We landed here yesterday." I said. Anthony tugged my arm and said, "Come on, Jay! We're next!"

____

After a few more rounds on the waterslide, Anthony and I got to know Maggie a bit more. Anthony ran off to do his own thing after about a half hour, but I stayed in the pool with Maggie.

Maggie's a Make-a-Wish recipient, and that's how she's here. She's from New Jersey, and she has two brothers. Maggie and I are the same age, and we're both going to be going into the fifth grade.

"I want you to meet my mom!" Maggie screamed. "Mom! Where are you? Oh! She's talking to someone."

"She's talking to my mama!" I screeched. "Mama! We're over here!"

I ran into Stephanie's arms and she said, "Josie, this is Mrs. Jacaruso, I think you were talking to her daughter."

"Hi." I said shyly, leaning into Stephanie. Stephanie laughed and ruffled my hair.

"Mama, this is Maggie. Maggie, that's my mom, my dad, my two uncles, my two aunts, and you know my brother already." I said. Maggie smiled and said, "Hi! How are you?"

"This kid is energetic." Brandon said. "I like this kid."

"She's loud." Mrs. Jacaruso said. Maggie giggled and wrapped a towel around her.

"I'm going to take Josie back to the hotel room, she needs to shower for our dinner reservations tonight." Stephanie said.

"But Mama, I want to see Maggie." I complained.

"I got her mom's number, baby. And you know what? Maggie lives close enough to NYC that you two could meet up when we get home, isn't that fun?"

Maggie and I screeched.

"Bye Josie! See you later!"

"Bye Maggie!"

AN: Just one last piece of fluffy fluff before some slight evil coming soon, hehe. Hope you enjoyed and catch ya later! Love you all!