Cookie Man

Chapter 4: Genie Outside My Window

Chapter 4: Genie Outside My Window

Jett wasn’t sure how his ten-year old sister Chichi came to be, but he was almost 100% sure that it wasn’t “natural”. (And he didn’t mean those new fangled ways that science had come up with, like IVF.) Ever since he was eight, and Chichi came into the world, a process that his family excluded him from, Jett had been convinced that Chichi had been crafted from the clouds in sky and brought down into this world by storks. Like in Dumbo. Maybe that would explain her severe allergic reactions to earth metals. And maybe that was the answer to something Jett had wondered all his life, maybe Chichi was an undercover villain sent here from a foreign planet and had come to brainwash all people living on Earth that sometimes good, isn’t always, good.

Most people would probably think he was crazy, which even he wasn’t sure of, but Jett knew that there had to be a mind-blowing explanation as to why his family was the way they were. It is a well known fact that all families have a weird little quirk, or maybe even a crazy quirk, but they all seemed to deal with it fine. Minor nuisances that could be covered up or dealt with in one manner or another. But Jett wasn’t willing to settle for this interpretation of things.

As he headed upstairs to take a shower, (the shower was also the place where Jett did his best thinking-- other than the toilet admittedly), he heard Mom hollering for him to get his foul buttocks downstairs and do the laundry. And not to forget to wash his P.E. uniform for school tomorrow. And remember to separate the colors and the whites. Oh and if he wasn’t too busy he should also wash the dishes.

Jett grimaced, if he was forced to choose which chore he hated doing the most, it would have to be washing the dishes. He knew it wasn’t too bad slathering soap and water onto plates and spoons, but the Madisons were messy eaters, and Jett really wasn’t up for looking at food guts.

“Moooooooooooooooooooooom,” Jett whined loudly from the top of the staircase, “I really need to take a shower and I am starving, all I ate before I ran was a granola bar and an apple. Please make Chichi wash the dishes, I promise I’ll do laundry later. Besides, she’s already old enough to wash a few bowls and spoons.” That last sentence was Jett’s fatal mistake.

“Well Jett,” Mom started, “It’s like you said, it’s only a few bowls and spoons, so you should be able to manage that and still have time for your worksheet. Anyways, Dad and I are going to go for a run now, and Chichi didn’t want to come, so you’re being baby-sitter too.”

“But Mommy,” Jett started to protest, and he knew calling her Mommy might gain a little more of her affection. He took a breath, but before he could say anything his mom blew him a kiss and she headed out the door. His dad quickly followed and shrugged his shoulders at Jett before leaving too.

Exasperated, Jett took two steps at a time down the stairs to go and find his little sister to monitor her. He was too tired to call out for Chichi and he knew she wouldn’t respond being the annoying kid that she was. Plus, she liked making people work at finding her because being the intellectual home-schooled kid she was, she thought that it was her sworn duty to teach people that without hard work, you cannot ever hope to achieve greatness. Imagine having to live with that.

“Hey Monkey! Come out here where I can see you! I have banana bread for you, oh-ah-ah-oh.” Jett called out loudly. He knew how much she hated being called Monkey, but he also knew that she couldn’t resist perfectly good banana bread.

“Liar,” Chichi retorted from somewhere very near. “Daddy and I ate all the banana bread this morning. Without you. All we have left for your breakfast is some fried Spam, lemon pound cake, and those green waffles. Unless you want cereal.”