Beauty and the Pharaoh

Chapter 7 - [Beauty and the Kindergarten Workbooks]

After a day filled with an equal amount of annoyance and humor, it was finally over.

Strangely enough, it ended off with Grandma Seetha telling me how sweet she thought Akhenatem was. Apparently it's not every day a boy comes to work in a cake shop.

At around five thirty, both Atem and I were on our way back to my brother's apartment.

As I promised, I was going to teach Atem how to read and write so on our way home, I stopped by a bookstore and bought a bunch of kindergarten English workbooks and a new set of pencils and erasers and some pencil crayons. I even got him a pencil case.

I had tutored kindergartners as a part time job before, so I knew this wasn't going to be too hard. Especially since Atem seemed to be a fast learner.

He didn't seem to argue when I placed the books on the kitchen's island and told him to sit at the chairs in front of it. It made me realize that maybe he really did want to learn to read and write.

But that wasn't too surprising. It must have been such a drag to no be able to read or write.

Especially read.

Not being able to read would totally suck.

So for the rest of the evening, we sat at the counter and he traced the alphabets over and over and over again while I reminded him what sound each letter made.

He commented frequently on how easy the English language was in comparison to his own language. And I didn't argue with that. I didn't know Egyptian. I remember buying a book to try and learn hieroglyph's once to impress my Aunty Maya... but gave up after the first page. It was too complicated.

By the end of the evening, he had memorized the entire alphabet though he refused to sing it, and that was pretty good in my opinion for only one day of learning.

What I personally learned about him was that not only was he left handed, but he really seemed to enjoy coloring activities.

Which made me wonder if I should get him a coloring book for him to use during all the free time he has.

And that was when I realized how much it felt like I was actually raising a kid.

The next day was spent learning to write as well since I didn't work on Sundays.

But when I got to the apartment on Monday morning, Blake opening the door surprised me.

"Hey!" I said, "what are you doing here?"

Blake smiled his usual warm smile as he stepped aside to let me in. "Akhenatem said that you'd probably be here soon."

"Where is he, anyways?" And just as I spoke, Neferkiti came rushing out of Akhenatem's room and Akhenatem followed. He was holding one of the workbooks in his hands and when he reached me, he handed it to me, "I have completed this lesson. Am I proficient in this language yet?"

I chuckled, "No, you need to do more practice. Then we've got to start putting it all together."

He didn't look too annoyed by that, to my surprise, instead he walked into the kitchen, "I need food."

I rolled my eyes and looked at Blake, who was still smiling at me. "You're teaching him how to read and write?" He asked. He knew that Atem couldn't read and write, which made him worry more over the fact that I was keeping him here rather than taking him to the hospital or something to get some help.

I nodded, walking over to the kitchen to start up some breakfast. I hadn't eaten yet either.

"That's very kind of you, May."