Tippy Toes

Introduction

March 30, 1875

I open my eyes just a peek and saw the small dust particles floating gracefully in the sunlight coming from the window in the far right corner of the room. I blink a couple times and the blur goes away slightly. I turn over in the bed and yawn as I stretch out my arms and legs. Today was the day. My birthday. I'm finally going to be five! A huge smile tugs on my lips as I debate in my mind whether I should wake up my big brother, Robin or not. I shake my head, knowing it's no question, he loves me, and could never stay mad at me even if I took away his precious morning sleep.
I slowly creep up to his side of the room. The wooden floor boards creaked and I stopped in my tracks when a really loud one sounded. Curse these wooden planks daddy made so creak-able! I tip-toed over the rest of the wooden floors until I made it to Robins bed. He was in his white shirt and brown pants, both torn slightly. His lime green eyes were closed and his brown hair was tussled around on the pillow. I giggled quietly as I pull my hands closer to his even breathing body. "He looks so peaceful." I whispered, feeling slightly guilty for what I'm about to do. "No Aralyn, you are not guilty, it's his fault for not waking up on your birthday." I whispered to myself, trying to snap out of my sympathy for Robin. I nod my head and mentally prepare myself for it. Suddenly he wraps his arms around me and pulls me into the covers with him. I squeaked before realizing my plan had failed. "Robin..." I said, whining. "Aralyn..." He mimicked me, his eyes closed and his lips formed in a closed-mouth smile. I glared at him even though he couldn't see me. "Not funny." I said, crossing my arms as he pulled me closer to his chest. "Your so cute Aralyn." Robin said, chuckling. His bed head curls bounced up and down as he laughed. "Stop making fun of me, do you even know what day it is?" I asked, exasperated. "This is why you are just so adorable Lynnie." He said, shaking his head. "What do you mean?" I asked, getting really confused. "I heard the floor boards creak, and that caused me to wake up...I heard you silly." He started. I snapped my fingers. "Darn wooden floors." I mumbled under my breath before he continued, "I would never forget your birthday Aralyn." He whispered as he pet my golden brown hair. I smiled to myself. "Good." Is all I said before I snuggled up close to my big brother and giggled sleepily. "Now, help me wake up mommy and daddy." I said mischievously. "Aralyn...we shouldn't." He said, nervously. "C'mon Robin!" I whined, using my puppy dog eyes that I know he can never resist. "Okay fine. Anything for the birthday girl." Robin said with a smile. I laughed and tried to pull him up from his bed. "Robin, help me out. Your heavy!" I said, letting go of his hands causing him to fall back onto his bed. He chuckled and got onto his feet before picking me up too.
Robin carried me out the door and to our parents room which was down the small hall. Like before, the wooden floors creaked and I was afraid we would give ourselves away. He kept walking through the room though, not paying much mind to the squeaks every now and then. And I, well, I just bounced on his back, being the polar opposite of him with my attention focused on any sound the floors made. Suddenly he stopped and I turned my gaze away from the floor to meet his eyes. "Robin?" I whispered. "Yeah?" He asked back. "Um..why did you stop?" I asked. He laughed quietly. "Because Aralyn, we are already at their bed." Robin said. I looked at our parents sleeping and saw sure enough that we were at the foot of their bed that daddy made along with the house."Oh." I answered, embarrassed. I mean, how was I supposed to know? I was staring at the ground. Robin smiled at me. "You are so cute it just drives me crazy." He said, setting me down. "Whatever." I mumbled.
Suddenly daddy started moving under the covers. Me and Robin quickly locked eyes. "Get down." Robin mouthed. I nodded my head before crouching down at the foot of the wooden bed that went with the wooden floors. I heard him get up and walk out the door. Oh no. What if he goes to Robin and I's room and sees we aren't there.
I heard a creak and as fast as the speed of sound I turned to Robin. I glared at my big brother who smiled sheepishly back. He was the one who made the creak. I hit my hand to my head and sighed. He's going to wake up mommy and it'll give ourselves away!
I crouch-walked over to Robin and cupped my hands over my mouth as I leaned close to his ear. "We need to wake up mommy before daddy gets back. Operation wake up daddy has been terminated so we must complete this mission if we want to accomplish anything." I whispered in his ear. Robin looked at me and lightly chuckled. "Why are you so adorable." He whispered. "Did you not hear what I just said Robin?!" I whisper-yelled, exasperated for the second time today. "Yeah, yeah. C'mon Aralyn, lets do it." He whispered back, motioning me up from the floor. I followed his lead and saw mommy sleeping. Her hazel hair was in a bun at the very top of her head and it was all messy.
Mommy was very pretty, even in the mornings.
But the look on her face was priceless when Robin rolled over her.
Her blue eyes shot open. She looked really alarmed, it was hilarious. Her emotions changed from alarmed to confused to scared to mad. She glared at Robin before he stuck out his tongue and mommys anger faded to laughter. We laughed with her, of course and I crawled into my mommys arms. "Good morning mama!" I said, hugging her waist. She was in her cotton night gown she made herself. "Good morning my babies." She said, laughing a little. Robin baby crawled to the other side of our mother and she held both of us. "Guess what day it is mom." Robin said, winking at me and making sure mama got the hint. Taking me by surprise mama turned to me and pinched my cheeks. "It's my sweetie pies fifth birthday!" She said excitedly. I giggled whilst mommy kissed my right cheek after she finished pinching it. "I got you something hun." She said, her voice growing quieter. My blue-green eyes widened at the sound of this. "Ooh, what is it. Can I see it?" I asked, anxious already. She smiled and took my hand as she got out of bed. "Wait here Robin." She said to my older brother. He nodded and got comfy in the covers. Mommy was leading me down the hall when the worried voice of my father interrupted us.
"Have you seen Aralyn and Robi-" He stopped, looking at me. He let out a breath of air and ran to me, relief written all over his face. Daddy picked me up and held me close to his chest. "Dada!" I said excitedly as I wound my arms around his neck. "Aralyn, honey, I was so worried." Daddy said tightening his hold on my small body. I giggled, "I'm okay daddy." I said. "Where's Robin sweets?" He asked. "Uh-" I was cut off by mommy. "He's in our room, the kids were going to wake us up for the special day today-" Mommy hinted. "-but you left so they just woke me up." She said, emphasizing "me" and sending a playful glare in my direction. I laughed lightly and turned my attention to daddy who was already looking at me. "Happy birthday Lynnie-bear!" He exclaimed excitedly. I giggled as he started tickling me. "Daddy...stop it...I'm the...birthday girl!" I said in between my laughing outbursts. He chuckled and set me down. Once my bare feet reached the wooden floor I ran to mama for safety, giggling along the way. I clutched onto her leg and both my parents laughed. I wiped the hair out of my eyes and tucked it behind my ear.
"C'mon Aralyn, lets get you your present." Mommy said, holding my hand. "Bye daddy!" I called from the far end of the hall. "Bye my beautiful girls. I'll give you your present later Aralyn." Daddy replied before disappearing into his bedroom shared with mommy.
"Close your eyes." Mama said. I did as I was told and the world faded to black. I felt mamas soft hands on mine as she placed something in them. Curiosity filled my thoughts, what was it? "Now open."
My blue-ish green eyes fluttered open and the brightness of my surroundings adjusted. I looked down at my hands and saw a small dark green journal in them with a black pencil. "You can write stories, you can draw, and you can talk about life in this little journal as if your talking to me." Mommy started. "I won't be here forever Aralyn, but I want you to promise to talk to me in this journal and when I...go...I want this next to my grave so I can read it in heaven." She finished. My eyes pooled with tears but mommy quickly wiped it away. "Honey, don't cry." She cooed. "But I never want you to go." I said. She shook her head. "Its just part of life sweetie. This journal will be your way to talk to me when I'm gone. You will set it by my grave as often as you can when I go, and I swear to you I will read it. So do you promise to do this for me honey?" She said with a smile. "I promise you." I said. "I love it." Mommys face lit up with a wide smile. "Im so happy you like it sweetie-" I cut her off. "I don't like it, I love it." I corrected. "Well...I'm happy you love it." She said, hugging me. "There's more." Mommy said, biting her pink lips and releasing the hug. "There is? Mommy, you shouldn't have, this is enough of a gift for me." I said. "Nonsense Aralyn. Now close your eyes again. Let me hold these." Mommy took the journal and pencil out of my hands and once they were gone I closed my eyes again.
This time I felt something go around my neck. It was cold against my skin. I opened up my eyes and saw a necklace. It was a silver heart shaped locket. I gasped. I decided to study it, so I twiddled with the heart in my hands before it opened revealing on one side a picture of me and my mom and the other side a small picture of the whole family. I didn't recognize when they were taken, but I didn't have to in order to be in complete and utter awe. "Mama, I love my presents so much!" I said excitedly, wrapping my arms around my mommy and kissing her cheeks repeatedly. "Happy birthday my little Aralyn." She said, handing the journal back to me so all of my presents from her were together in my arms. I smiled widely, imagining the nights I'll spend hours writing in the journal to my mama while staring at the precious pictures inside my locket. Before my imagination could get too wild, daddy and Robin came strolling down the hall towards us, Robins hands behind his back and daddy with nothing. Disappointment washed over me but I didn't want to be a spoiled girl on my birthday so I didn't say anything.
They walked slowly, as if to build up my excitement with each step.
And boy, did they do that!
Every booming step on the hard wooden floors got me even more vivacious!
Once they were about a foot away from me, Robin took his hands out from there original position and placed them in front of me.
It was a small brown and furry teddy bear!
"Awww!" I gushed, carefully taking the bear from his hands and pulling it towards my chest.
"Happy birthday Lynnie, do you um...like it?" Robin said nervously, scratching the back of his neck making me giggle. "Of course silly! Anything from my big brother is a thing I love!" I said, as if pointing out the obvious and making him sigh in relief. "Good." He said. "I'll name him Teddy!" I said, thinking of the first thing that came to mind.
Robin crouched down so he was my level and the moment he did I grabbed him and pulled him towards me just as I did with my new teddy bear.
"I love you Robin." I said.
"Oh Aralyn, I love you too." He said meaningfully, petting my golden brown hair.
After a good sixty seconds of the hug we pulled away from each other and daddy came up to me next. 'Why would he come up to me if he didn't even get me a presen-' "Aralyn..." Dada whispered, breaking my thoughts. "Yeah?" I asked in a tone matching his. "We have to go to the secret place for your present so follow me and make sure Mommy and Robin don't come." He said quietly. A feeling of joy took control over my body, he did get me a present! I clutched onto my teddy bear and nodded my head before adding a softly said, "Okay." and following daddy to our secret place while looking behind me and checking to see whether or not they are following. "We are going to this private place for Aralyns present so stay here." Daddy said, answering their unsaid questions.
I giggled and in a swift move brushed past dada, knowing the exact way to our hideout.
I pulled open the wooden door on the floors and crawled inside before daddy closed it above us and then held my hand, leading me on the direction of the familiar library. He tilted the picture frame and the book shelves opened up, exposing the small room only me and daddy have access to.
"Wait here sweetie, I'll be right back." Dada said. I nodded and sat down on the hard floor with my teddy bear.
I always love coming down here, it makes me feel like I'm an important person on a mission.
I clutched onto my teddy bear and whispered to it, "Don't tell anyone about this Teddy, it's just us." Teddy seemed to agree, not denying in any way that he would do as I say.
"Ready Aralyn?" Daddy asked.
"That was fast! Yes I am!" I said, standing up and dusting myself off.
I looked at daddy starting to walk further into the small room near the high shelves on the wall I know I would never reach and saw him motioning for me to follow him.
"Don't move Teddy." I said quickly as I stood him up beside a book.
I hurriedly ran over to daddy, starting to get confused wondering what my present was.
"Okay Lynnie..." Dada said in almost a whisper.
He suddenly pulled out a small golden box, it was about the size of my hand. It was beautiful. The small golden box was designed with patterns around its rim. It shone in even the dim lighting of the room. It was magnificent. If the outside was so extraordinary it got me wondering what was on the inside.
I was about to take off the tiny golden clasp holding the small box shut when daddy stopped me.
"No Aralyn, you can't open it." He explained sternly.
A confused look crossed my face.
"Dada, why would you get me a present I can't even open?! That's ridiculous!" I said, throwing up my hands in a way of trying to get my point across.
"You have to be patient." He said, ruffling my hair.
"I know you don't understand now, I didn't when my father gave me the same task...but what lies inside this box is something you can only posses when you are tall enough to reach it." He said.
He then placed the golden box on the very top shelf and before I could even open my mouth to object he elaborated.
"When you are tall enough to reach the box I will know you are responsible enough. And only when that happens will you witness the journey of the ancient golden box." He said.
"Daddy, this is insane, how in the world will this box lead me on some mega journey? And why did I get a present I won't be able to open until years later?!" I complained.
"This golden box was passed down for ages Aralyn, and for each person it was passed down to comes a different story. Mine led me to your mother, now I don't know what yours will lead you to whether it be big or small but this golden box is magic and it will lead you to something." He said, determined.
"As for the reason why I gave you a present you can't see until a couple of years pass, it was because you have something special in you. Something that can be....amazing. Something that fascinates others. You have it. I had a choice to give it to Robin but then I looked at you and knew you were stronger than he was. You had that problem solving instinct to make things better. You see the bad in people and make them happy. That power you already have will only grow stronger Lynnie, and in a few years, when you can reach the box, your power will be at its best and you will set out on a journey...I chose you to have it because of that power in you." He finished.