Boys Like You and Girls Like Me

Family, Cupcakes, and Mrs. Zimmerman

I walked up to our neighbor's front door and knocked three times. I stood and tapped my toes as I waited for Mrs. Zimmerman, the lovely older woman who lived next to us with her husband. I held a plate of cookies that my mom baked and wanted me to bring over.

"Hi Andrea! What a pleasant surprise. How are you?" Mrs. Zimmerman answered

"I'm good. You?" I responded.

"Oh I'm wonderful. Come in, please. Are those cookies?" she asked as she led me into the kitchen.

I stepped into the wonderful house that smelled like cinnamon and cupcakes, chuckling. "They sure are,"

I placed the cookies on the counter before she handed me a cupcake. Of course I took it. I mean, who wouldn't take a perfectly good cupcake? Then I ate it. In one bite. Oh yeah, one bite. And of course it wasn't a mini cupcake...

"I still don't understand how you stay so skinny dear," Mrs. Zimmerman said as she pinched my side causing me to laugh with cupcake still in my mouth.

I swallowed and looked at her before shrugging. "I don't either,"

She laughed then walked into the living room with me following. "So how is school?"

I jokingly rolled my eyes. "Oh, you know. Only the best days of my life,"

She chuckled at my sarcasm before looking at me seriously. I gulped. "No, seriously. How is school? Everyone's nice there?"

I nodded. "Oh yeah. We're like a big family. Why do you ask?"

"We're getting our adoptive son tomorrow,"

"Oh. Congrats," I said, surprised they were getting him so soon.

Mrs. Zimmerman was in her 40's but didn't have any children. She had ovary cancer in her twenties and had to have them removed. She had always wanted children though. Her and her husband had been talking about adopting but they decided they couldn't take care of a newborn. Mrs. Zimmerman had informed me that he was my age a 'very charming boy'. Her words.

She smiled brightly. "We've finally gone through the whole adoptive process and get to bring him home tomorrow,"

"Well, I can't wait to meet him," I said standing up. "It's been lovely talking to you, but I must go. We've got family coming over today,"

"Goodbye dear. I'm sure you two will be great friends,"

I smiled before making my way out the door and to our house. I walked in and being me, yelled "Honey, I'm home!"

My mom laughed from the kitchen. I made my way there to see her baking more cookies.

"Why more cookies?" I asked, sitting on the counter.

"Because your aunt is coming over," she said as she pulled out another pan of cookies. 

"Which aunt?" I asked. There could be multiple aunts of mine that could be coming over.

"The one with six kids," that was enough for me to start moaning and whining.

"But why-y?" I complained. I was an only child so six children under the age of eight was a little much for me. Granted, her youngest two were twins and only 10 months old.

"Because she wanted to come over and I want to see her two younger ones. I was gone when she last came over,"

"I know, it was wonderful," I joked.

"Excuse you missy? You wanna go clean the bathroom?" she asked, looking at me with a raised brow.

"Have I told you how much I love you today?" I said while batting my eyelashes. 

She laughed. "Come on and help me,"

Until our family arrived, I was helping my mom cook and clean. My dad showed up around four, half an hour before my aunt, her kids, and her husband showed up.

"COOKIES!" the four oldest yelled and ran to kitchen.

"Again? I swear you do this on purpose," my aunt Chelsea said. She was my mom's sister and whenever they would visit each other, one of them always had a trick or two up their sleeve.

"Well, you never know," my mom shrugged. They hugged each other and started talking.

I looked down at the four children who were looking up at me, cookie crumbs on their faces.

"Hey munchkins," I said.

"Hi Andrea!" my favorite cousin, Lilly Bean, a four year old sweet little girl said to me.

I smiled and picked her up, placing her on my hip. She hugged me around my neck and giggled. 

We all talked and hung out until Chelsea and everyone left. We had dinner before they left so I changed into some pajamas and went to bed. But when I made it to my door I realized something.

"No! Tomorrow's Sunday!" I whined.

"So?" my mom asked.

"It means that the day after is Monday," my dad whined with me.

"See? He gets it," I said.

"Oh, go to bed," my mom laughed at me.

I grumbled under my breath about the weekends being too short and walked into my bedroom. I laid down and quickly feel asleep.

***

I woke up that morning around nine. I got up and went into the living room. My dad was sitting on the couch and looked at me when I walked in.

"Good morning. Do you know that you have a rat's nest on your head?" he asked.

I reached up and patted my hair. "I do now,"

I sat down next to him and stretched my legs out. I was there for like a minute before my mom came in.

"Hey, can one of you two go bring in the garbage can please?" she asked.

"Nose goes," my dad said and put a finger on his nose.

I groaned and stood up. I slipped on a pair of flipflops and walked outside. I had just reached the can when I looked up and saw Mrs. Zimmerman walking inside. Behind her was a tall boy with brown hair. He was turned, looking at me with raised eyebrows. My eyes widened when I remembered that I was in my pajamas and I had serious bed-head.

I gave him a shaky smile and waved. His shoulders shook slightly like he had chuckled then raised his hand and gave me a wave before going inside, walking with a limp.

I brought the can in from the road and thought about him. He must have been their adoptive son, I thought.

Well. He was kinda cute.