Cindy's Time (Ongoing)

CHAPTER 1

"CINDY! CINDY! Get up, you lazy girl!"

Three loud knocks followed my Auntie Merida's usual morning tirade. I groaned and opened one eye to check the digital clock in my bedside table. Four fifty-six AM. My five o'clock alarm has not even gone off yet. Who needs an alarm clock anyway when you have yourself a megaphone personified? I sighed, thinking of the lost four minutes of peace I still would have had.

"CINDY!" again came the impatient demand of my stepmother. She started rattling the doorknob of my door. "Are you up yet?"

I stared at the heavily scarred wooden door right in front of my bed, thankful as always that at least I could lock it. I exhaled heavily before answering in a cheery, although admittedly rather forced, voice, "Yes, Auntie! I'll be down in a minute."

"Get yourself in the kitchen now! The eggs are not going to cook themselves!" she shot back in reply. I heard her heavy footsteps moving away from my door, presumably heading downstairs to the kitchen.

When I heard the kitchen door open and close, I decided to finally stand up. I stretched my limbs, shaking out all the kinks for sleeping in an extremely narrow bed. I crossed to the other side of my room in five short steps and faced the mirror hanging on my wall. I looked at my reflection, with my long brown wavy hair in all its tangled glory, and breathed deeply before uttering my morning mantra: "Another day, another adventure! Yes to all, yes to life!"

-oOo-

WHEN I arrived at the kitchen, Nana Tessa was already happily humming a soft melody over the soup she was cooking. "Good morning, Nana Tessa," I greeted.

"Good morning, dear. Do you want me to make your hot chocolate?" she asked, smiling at me.

"No, it's okay, Nana Tessa. I'll make one myself. Would you like me to prepare a mug for you as well?"

"Thank you, dear, but I already had two cups of coffee. You go enjoy your drink while I finish this, okay?"

"Thank you, Nana." Nana's warm presence somehow makes up for the rather unfriendly treatment I always get from my stepmother. I have known Nana for the whole of my eighteen years; she has taken care of me since I was a baby.

I opened the cupboard above the sink and took out my mug. It has a smiley face on it that says Simple Magic In Loving Everyday. I have always loved this mug; my father gave it to me for my tenth birthday back when he and mom were still alive. He would always prepare my favorite chocolate drink while mom cooks breakfast for the three of us. I smiled at the memories.

I took out a packet of Swiss Miss and added hot water. I pulled out a chair from the kitchen table and sat down. Still in my happy place where I'm still with my parents, my reminiscing was stopped short by the loud slamming of the kitchen door.

"Cindy! What are you doing sitting there? There are loads of things to do!" She gestured wildly at the three baskets of vegetables waiting to be peeled, sliced, chopped, diced, and so on. "Keep that up and we might as close our business!"

Before I can respond, Nana Tessa turned off the electric stoke, turned to face my stepmother and spoke steadily to her. "Calm down, Merida. We absolutely won't finish anything if you don't stop yammering on like that. Let the girl finish her drink first." I really admire Nana for the way she can speak up to my Auntie. I can't imagine myself doing the same thing. She turned to me and told me to finish my hot chocolate.

Auntie Merida turned red in the face. I can almost see the veins popping angrily in her slim neck. She pointed a finger at me and snarled, "You better finish everything preparing all these before you go to school!" I can hear the implicit threat in that statement.