Picture Perfect

Chapter 6: Valerie

Chapter 6: Valerie

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Song of chapter: Feels So Good by Steven Tyler

 

        "What's for dinner, mom?" I sign. Mom has been really distant from all of us. She was folding Maddi's  laundry. She sighs and had her thinking face on. She looked really depressed and out of it. I don't think she went to work today. She shrugs. 

        "You wanna go out to eat?" Mom asks. 

        "Sure! Where?" I say and sit on the couch next to her. 

        "Cheddar's is like five minutes away. Plus, I don't want to go to McDonald's for the sixth time this month. We have had that way too much!" she exclaims. I grin, happy to see my mom sort of back in her happy, sarcastic state. 

        "Cheddar's sounds perfect!" I sign. Mom smiles and nods.

        "Cheddar's it is. Tell Maddi to be ready in thirty minutes," Mom signs and goes back to do laundry. I grin wider and go upstairs to tell Maddi what mom told me to do. I do what I was told, but Maddi wasn't too happy. I guess she wanted to stay home, but she goes with it. 

        Maddi never likes going out anywhere because she can't speak one hundred percent. Mom decided to make her start speech therapy when she was twelve. She is doing better than me when I was her age. 

        I walk into my room getting ready. I decide to wear a red, poka-dotted dress. It stopoed right at my knees. I decide to wear my white, converse. I don't wear nice clothes all the time. I go to my long mirror and sit down on the floor to touch up my make-up. I finish my make-up and do my hair. I don't know why I am getting all prettied up for dinner. I guess I'm excited to try somewhere new. We never have really gone "out" since dad died. A drunk driver hit him when dad was on the phone with mom. She blames herself for it happening. My mom cooped away in her room for three weeks before she went back to work. The funeral was the hardest thing that has happened to her. I have never seen my mom so heart broken in my life.

        I put up a messy bun and see that my lights were flashing. I open my door to see Maddi. "Are you ready to go?" she asks. I nod my head and we head downstairs. Mom was also down stairs with Ella in her arms. 

        "Oh, good! You are both ready! We can head out now," she signs. We nod our heads and head out to the family van. I sit in the front seat as Maddi sits next to Ella, who is being clasped in into her car seat by mom. Once Ella is buckled in, we were off to Cheddar's. 

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        It took ten minutes to get to our destination. I get out of the car to look around. We haven't been here before, but I have heard that it's a great place. I see that there are a lot of people here. I'm guessing it's a really popular place. Mom finally get get's Ella out of her seat, and we walk into the restaurant. When we walk in, it instantly smells like bread and soup. Don't ask. 

        "Hello!" a lady says. " How many people? Four?" 

        "Yes, four," I say. She smiles and grabs out menu's. I was looking around not paying attention if she was talking or not, but I suddenly I don't see my family anymore. Crap. I start looking around. This place isn't that big. They can't be that far. All of a sudden I feel someone touch my arm. I turn around to see Logan. "Logan! What are you doing here?" I ask.

        "I'm hanging with Michael and Emma. What are you doing here?" he asks. 

        "I'm here with my family. I was looking around and I can't hear what that girl said. I don't know where they are," I say. I look around to see if they were near, but I didn't see them. I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look at Logan.