- SUMMER AFTER FIRST GRADE -
My mom, stepdad, and I went home, and my grandfather helped us all unpack. I was excited to be back home with my mom, but I was going to miss being able to see my grandfather every day. My grandfather told me to be good, right before he hugged me and said goodbye.
I went into my room and put all of my things on my shelf. My stepdad came into my room and asked to help me with my unpacking. He helped me put all of my clothes away. After we had my room unpacked, my mom called us downstairs. I raced my stepdad downstairs into the kitchen. We had a beef stir-fry with white rice. I sure did miss my mom's cooking while she was gone. She was one of the best cooks in town. She won a cooking contest in town center when I was in preschool. She was awarded best cook of the year, and the mayor gave her a check for $250 and some new cooking appliances.
After we were done eating dinner, I went upstairs, and began to get ready for bed. My mom called me back downstairs. She told me to sit down on the couch that she had some surprises for me. She ran upstairs, and brought back a huge box. She sat the box down and told me to open it. My stepdad got out his pocket knife and opened up the box. There were at least eight t-shirts in the box. I got out the t-shirts and held them up to my chest as if I was actually wearing the shirt. I stood up and hugged my mom, and she redirected me back to the box and said, "there is more in there sweetie". I pulled out an Eiffel Tower Statue and a piggy bank with mime makeup and a hat that the french people like to wear. I giggled, and pulled out a thick envelope. I opened up the envelope, and there were a bunch of pictures that my mom took while she was in France. My favorite pictures were the ones of the French Countryside. and right when I thought I was done, my stepdad showed me that there was another envelope in the bottom of the box.
I picked up the additional envelope and tore it open. There was a card inside, that read:
Congrats! It's a Girl!
I looked up at my mom and stepdad confused. I said, "I'm not a girl!" I thought to myself, are they trying to say that I act like a girl? My parents giggled and ensured me that I am not a girl. My mom finally yelled, "YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY SISTER!" I was completely speechless. I began to cry, and ran up to my room. I grabbed my favorite stuffed animal, and took it back downstairs. I handed my mom the bear and told her that she can have it. My mom and stepdad laughed, and both hugged me at the same time. My stepdad helped me put everything back into the box, and carried it up to my room for me. I sat in my room and played with my toys, and my mom and dad were hanging out downstairs. My mom came up and tucked me in for bed, and told me that I was going to be the best big brother in the world. I giggled, and agreed.
- THREE MONTHS LATER -
Three months have passed so quickly. I woke up, and my grandfather was in our living room. I asked him what he was doing, and he told me he was going to take my mom to the doctor. I started to get worried. I asked my grandfather if mom was going to be okay. He told me mom would be fine. I asked if the baby would be fine. He bent down and told me not to worry, that they just had to go to the doctor to make sure that the baby is getting the right amount of vitamins, calories and all that good stuff. I was so relieved. My stepdad came downstairs and made me breakfast, and my mom and grandfather left to go to the doctor.
I walked over to the table and sat down. I looked at my stepdad and said, "thank you". He said, "what for?" I looked at him with a smile, and said, "for marrying my mommy". He laughed, and said, "thank you for letting me marry your mommy". We both laughed, and he continued to make my waffles. I was tired, so I put my head down in the fold of my arms. I woke up to the ding of the waffle maker, alerting us the completion of our waffles. I sat up straight on the edge of my chair, kicking my legs in excitement for my waffles.
My stepdad sat my waffles down in front of me, and told me to dig in. I devoured three waffles in about twenty minutes. He asked me if I wanted any more. I answered him "no" in a panting voice, indicating that I was worn out from eating my waffles. He said for me to go up to my room and get dressed. I said okay and walked up stairs. I don't feel like getting dressed, so I am just going to play with my toys, I thought to myself.
My stepdad came up the stairs and saw me in my room playing with my toys, still in my pajamas. He raised his voice and told me to get dressed. I stood up and threw one of my action figures at him. He walked into my room, and sternly told me to not trow things. I began to cry and walked over to my dresser. I pulled out one of my new t-shirts, and put it on. My stepdad walked out the room and shut my door. I pulled the t-shirt back off, shoved it back into my drawer and put my pajama shirt back on. I walked over to my toys, and continued playing with my action figures.
My mom and grandfather came home from the doctors office. My mom walked up the stairs and into my room, and knocked on my door. She called out from the hallway, "Hey sweetie, can I come in?" I yelled back, "yes ma'am!" My mom walked in, and stopped right inside my door. She had a frown on her face. I asked her what she wanted, and continued playing with my toys. She walked over to me, and with a raised voice, "get your clothes on now! Your dad has already told you to do so!" I looked up at her, and then looked back down and continued to play with my toys. My mom yelled for my stepdad to come into the room, and both of them yelled at me for about a minute. My mom walked over to me and picked me up, and spanked me really hard. She put me down and said, "now put your toys up and get dressed right now!" Through tears I answered, "yes ma'am!" My mom and stepdad walked out the room and shut the door.
I put all of my toys away, and walked over to my dresser. I picked up the shirt I had earlier and put it on my back. I put my pants and shoes on, and walked downstairs. My mom, grandfather and my stepdad were all waiting downstairs in the living room. My granddad stood up as I approached the final step in on the stairs.
He said, "You ready Sport?"
I said, "Ready for what?"
He chuckled and answered back, "You will see."
My mom and stepdad stood up and walked over to the door. My grandfather and I followed. We all piled up in my stepdad's 1979 Chevy Impala.
I constantly asked if we were there yet, anxious to know where we were going. We finally parked in a parking lot, and walked up to a building with a sign that read, Herald's Best I looked at my Granddad and asked where we were. He laughed and told me that it was a surprise. We walked in and there were clothes all over the place. I asked what we were doing at a clothes shop, and my stepdad said, "I wanted to bring you here and buy you some outfits for school next month.
Excited to try on clothes, I ran through the isles, snatching down clothes I liked. My mom grabbed all of the clothes from me, and made combinations of outfits for me to try on. I tried on ten different outfits, and wore seven shoes. My mom and stepdad bought me all of the clothes I tried on, including the shoes. We got back into the car, and continued driving. I was looking out the car, and could tell that we were not heading home. I asked where we were going now, and they all laughed and answered, "it's a surprise!"
We got out of the car, and went into an Asian Restaurant. I ate a ton of egg rolls, and fortune cookies. My grandfather had me try some of his chicken chow mein. I did not like it very much. I did however, like what my mom ordered. She said it was called sweet and sour chicken. It was fried rice, with chicken pieces, covered in a tangy, pink colored sauce. We went home that afternoon and hung out until dinner time. My mom, grandfather and stepdad all worked together to cook dinner. They cooked pork chops, with red potatoes wedges, green peas, and a milk. After dinner, we made ice-cream sundaes. My grandfather went home around 8:00pm, and I went to bed.
