Maggie's first week at school went by fast. She really liked Mrs. Donovan and Natasha, who was also at her table group with Taylor and Ashley.
But today was Saturday and so Maggie didn't have school. She could play with Jim and Mama and Papa. But today Papa had some work to do with Uncle Tyler so Mama took her shopping with Aunty Jenna and Rosie. And they went to McDonald's for lunch.
"She's doing so great," Jenna said to Debby as they watched the girls play in the PlayPlace together. Rosie was chasing Maggie.
"She is. But she's been having these horrible nightmares. She wakes up screaming bloody murder but says she can't remember what she's dreaming about. None of us have had a full night's sleep in two weeks. I made an appointment with the doctor to talk about them."
"Poor kiddo," Jenna said as she watched Maggie show Rosie a trick on the slide. Even though they were two years apart, Maggie and Rosie were similar in size with Maggie having just the slightest edge, height wise, to Rosie.
When the girls were done playing, Jenna and Debby packed up their belongings and headed to their separate homes.
"Mama?" Maggie asked from her car seat in the back. She'd been singing Old MacDonald.
"Yes, Bug?"
Maggie giggled. She loved when Mama and Papa called her Bug.
"Where is the scary room?" Maggie asked.
"The what?"
"The scary room. Where the monsters are."
Debby looked in the rear view mirror at her daughter, who was looking out the window, looking completely nonchalant.
"I don't know Peanut. What do the monsters look like?" Debby asked, hoping this wouldn't be traumatic for Maggie.
"They look like their faces are all melted and they have hundreds of teeth that are spiky and dripping. I think they have poison on them. And they say mean things."
"Like what?" Debby asked. Was this what was plaguing Maggie's sleep these last two weeks?
"I-I don't 'member," Maggie said quickly.
"It's okay. If you do, you can tell Papa and me. Okay? Because nothing will stop us from loving you," Debby said.
Maggie nodded. But she still wasn't sure. What if Papa and Mama thought the monsters were right?
Maggie went back to singing Old MacDonald, who apparently has a dinosaur on his farm.
Debby made a mental note to write down what Maggie had asked to discuss with the doctor. And discuss it with Josh.
At home, Debby made Maggie a snack and let her watch TV while she made a few phone calls and notes. She called the doctor's office to make an appointment. They were open on Saturdays, so Debby was able to talk to the receptionist. She made an appointment for Monday morning at 10. Debby would take Maggie to school late. Therefore her next call was to the school to leave a message that Maggie would be late for school on Monday.
While she was doing that, she was making notes about Maggie and the 'scary room' with the 'monsters'. Maggie had said they looked like they had melted faces and hundreds of spiky teeth that were dripping something, maybe poison, right?
Debby went into the living room where Maggie was watching Dora the Explorer.
"Hey there, Bug," Debby said, picking up her daughter and tickling her sides as she sat and put Maggie in her lap. Maggie giggled and then laughed when Debbie tickled her.
"No Mama! Don't tickle me!" Maggie laughed.
"Don't tickle you? Don't tickle you? But, I love to tickle you! I'm the tickle monster."
Maggie stopped laughing suddenly and looked at Debby.
"What's up, Bug?"
"You're not a monster," Maggie frowned.
"I didn't mean I'm a real monster," Debby said.
"No monsters," Maggie frowned.
"Okay. No monsters. I'm the... tickle master!" Debby said, tickling Maggie again, loving the sound of her laugh.
"No, Mama!" Maggie laughed. "Stop tickling me!"
"Okay, okay," Debby said.
Just then her phone beeped and Debby checked the text.
"Guess what, Bug?"
"What?" Maggie asked.
"Papa is going to be home in time for dinner. What should we have?"
"Pasgetti!" Maggie cheered.
"With meatballs?"
"Yeah! With meat bulbs!"
Debby smiled.
"Want to help make meatballs?"
"Okay!" Maggie said. She loved helping her Mama.
Debby made sure Maggie washed her hands thoroughly, and washed her own as well. They mixed the ground beef that Debby had taken out earlier, figuring whether Josh came home or not, they'd do something with the meat.
Debby put all the ingredients in, telling Maggie what she was adding, while Maggie mixed everything with her little hands.
"Those look good enough to eat!" Debby said to Maggie as Maggie rolled the meatballs carefully.
"No, Mama. They have to cook first," Maggie said, putting her meat covered hand up to stop Debby. Debby smiled down at the little girl.
"You're right. What could happen if I ate a raw meatball?"
"You could get a very bad tummy ache and maybe even have to throw up."
"That's right. Which is why we do what before and after making meatballs?"
"We wash our hands very good because we don't want to make anyone sick."
"Exactly. Exactly right my smart girl," Debby smiled.
Once the meatballs were all rolled out, Debby put them in the oven to cook and put a pot of sauce on to simmer.
"Okay, those should be ready soon and then we can boil pasta and put them in the sauce. Let's go wash our hands," Debby said. Maggie nodded and hopped off the stool she'd been standing on. Debby moved the stool over to the sink and helped Maggie wash all the meat off her hands.
"You know what we should have after dinner?" Debby asked Maggie.
"What?" Maggie asked.
"Chocolate chip cookies!" She said, pulling out a Pillsbury packet.
They put the cookies on a cookie sheet ready to go into the oven when the meatballs were done.
Debby got Maggie to wash her hands again, and the two of them went back into the TV room. Debby snuggled the small girl close to her while they watched TV together. Jim kept coming over and sniffing at them.
"You can tell we've been working with meat, can't you, Jim?" Debby said, scruffing the dog's ears. Maggie pet Jim on the head. Jim licked Maggie's hand.
"Mama, I hafta wash my hands again," Maggie said.
"Alright little Bug. Let's go wash your hands again."
The two got up, washed hands again and sat down waiting for Papa Josh as well as the meatballs to be ready.
YOU ARE READING
Magnolia Blooms
FanfictionMagnolia (known to family and friends as Maggie) is seven years old. Two years ago, her life was changed when she was tossed out of her parents car, in a garbage bag. She was found by none other than Josh Dun of the band twentyone pilots. She was a...
