Gradual Change

First period

Gradual Change Chapter 20

Around 8 am Erinna woke up with a tiny body bouncing on her bed. That’s what Erinna felt, but the reality was different, as it was Angelo, and he was bouncing on top of Maria’s body. Erinna only realized that when Angelo started to jump up and down on her.

“Oof, you…” Erinna sat up, groaning, holding Angelo down. “How did you even get in here?” Erinna asked, feeling it weird that a three-year-old could leave his parent’s room and walk to her room unnoticed.

Angelo just giggled and pointed to the door making Erinna roll her eyes.

“Rin, cookies, please,” Angelo said, bringing his hands together in an attempt to make Erinna bring him cookies. For a three-year-old this boy, he knew his way around, even using Erinna’s new nickname, Rin. Angelo was the one behind the new moniker.

“Not now, you little naughty one, after breakfast,” Erinna said firmly. She felt a kind of responsibility towards Angelo. Even if no one asked her and Maria to watch him, they would look after him. Angelo huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. He hoped to get Erinna to make him cookies, but he failed. He didn’t like the ones his mom made because she always burnt them in the oven.

Erinna was not in the mood to argue with Angelo, her spirit was not that good today, and she could feel pain in her stomach. “Maria,” Erinna called, but Maria didn’t wake up. She was a heavy sleeper. With a sigh, Erinna turned to Angelo. “Wake Maria up, gently,” Erinna instructed as Angelo smiled. She knew that if you told Angelo to do one thing, he would probably do the opposite, so Erinna was sure he wouldn’t wake Maria gently.

Erinna walked to the bathroom just as Angelo started bouncing again, aiming to wake Maria. Walking into the bathroom, Erinna sat down to relieve herself, and when she stood up, she was shocked at what she saw in the toilet. Erinna used all her mental power to stop herself from screaming. Trying to act as calm as possible, Erinna removed her clothes and walked to the door peeking out with her head. “Maria,” Erinna called, hoping Maria would be up already.

“Yeah?” Maria replied as she walked to the bathroom while Angelo held on to her left leg and refused to let go. Erinna would have laughed if she wasn’t in the middle of a panic attack.

“Can you call my mommy, please?” Erinna pleaded as she looked distressed and panicky. She was desperate and needed her mom, and she didn’t know who else she could ask for help.

“Ok! Will you be all right?” Maria asked, genuinely concerned about her cousin. It was her first time seeing Erinna like this, and it only made her worry about Erinna.

“Yes, just call my mommy, please,” Erinna pleaded for the second time before closing the bathroom door behind her.

After taking Angelo off her leg, Maria walked out of the room with Angelo in her hand. She looked around the whole house but couldn’t find Heather, her mom, or Leslie for that matter. She found her brothers and George sitting in the living room watching TV; she asked them about Heather.

“They all left to go buy g... I mean some stuff for tomorrow,” George informed her. He was about to say gifts but couldn’t say it in front of Angelo, as he still believed that Santa brings presents, and they didn’t want to disappoint him.  

“Emma and Destiny are in their rooms, dad is working on something, but everyone else went shopping. Why do you ask anyway?”

Maria explained to them how Erinna entered the bathroom and wouldn’t leave. She asked for Heather specifically. Hearing this didn’t bother Frank and Joe that much, but it worried George.