Meng Jia is Not the Color PINK

Chapter Three

"Snack time." Taecyeon puts the package of Oreos on his kitchen table.
"Yum." I rip the package open, take out a cookie, eat the cream center out of the middle and hand the cookie parts to Taecyeon.
"Yum." He eats them.

I take a second cookie and eat the center out of it.

Taecyeon and I have been eating cookies like this since preschool.
We call it teamwork.
Kim Hyuna calls it "gross."
Mrs. Daniels walks into the kitchen. Danny follows. "Play Legos with me."
"Leg. Legos. What's the differences?" Taecyeon walks over to his brother and pulls at his leg.

I wish I had a little brother or sister to tease. Being an only child means I don't, but it's okay, I guess, because I can always tease Danny. Mrs. Daniels tells Danny, "You can play with your toys later. Right now I don't want you to make a mess because the real estate broker is bringing people over to look at the house."

Suddenly, teasing Danny doesn't seem so important. Suddenly, it's much more important to cross my fingers and wish very hard - very, very hard. I wish that the people hate the house, that they think it's too small or too big, that they don't have the money to buy it. The doorbell rings.
"Would you two play with Danny?"
Mrs. Daniels asks and then leaves to answer the door.
"Cookie." Danny imitates the sound of the Cookie Monster on Sesame Street.
"Sure, Walter." I hand him a cookie.

Walter is Danny's real name but when he was little he had trouble saying it and kept calling himself "Danny Danny." The name stuck and now everyone calls him Danny, except for Taecyeon and me when we want to torment him. Danny starts to sing a song. "Meng Jia is a pink crayon . . .a pink crayon . . .a pink crayon . . .a broken old pink crayon."

Something tells me that I never should have let him know how I hate they way that some kids tease me about my name. I guess that it's probably not such a good idea to tease someone about a name when they can tease back.

We all eat a few more cookies and then take a plastic bowl and start throwing cookies into it.

"Two points. Yes!" I yell, as my cookie rims the bowl falls in.
"Good shot," a strange voice says.

Looking up, I see a very pregnant lady who applauds my athletic ability.

"Maybe Jia should try out for the gold medal in the cookie Olympics." Taecyeon grins. "Maybe you kids should play in another room while Mrs. Bradley looks at the kitchen." Mrs. Daniels smiles and motions us out.

'It's all right. I like seeing children in the kitchen. I've already got a four-year-old." Mrs. Bradley pats her stomach. "And this one will be here in a few months. So I like the idea of a kitchen with children playing in it." She looks around.

I debate telling her that there are dragons in the basement, ghosts in the walls, and ectoplasm in the attic.

"You've done a really nice job decorating." Mrs. Bradley is looking in a cupboard, which has shelves that twirl around.

"Thank you," Mrs. Daniels says. "We've really loved living here and hope that the next family loves it, too."

I don't want there to be a "next family" here.

I remember how we all sat around looking at the wallpaper and stuff when the kitchen was being redone. Mrs. Daniels said that since everyone in the house was going to see it everyday, everyone could help decorate it. She also said that since I was practically aa member of the family, I could help, too.

They didn't pick the wallpaper that Taecyeon and I wanted, baseball players. Instead, there are flowers all over the wall. Mrs. Bradley says, "If you don't mind, I would like my husband to see this house soon."
Soon. That sounds serious.
I can't help myself. "I hope you don't mind alligators in the toilet."

Mrs. Bradley looks surprised and then she grins. "Alligators in the toilet. That's quite a bonus." She and Mrs. Daniels look at each other and smile.
This is definitely not a good sign.
The grown-ups leave the room.
Taecyeon, Danny and I continue playing cookie basketball.

We pretend that everything's the same. I try not to get too nervous. After all, a zillion people have seen the house and not brought it.

Maybe Mrs. Bradley's husband will hate it. I hope I'm here when he looks at the house. I'll be sure to mention giant termites. Mrs. Daniels returns.

"Jia, would you like to try for dinner tonight?" I'll call your mother and see if she wants to join us. We'll order pizza."
"Yes," i say, feeling a little bit better.

This is something we do a lot, especially since my parents got a divorce. I stay with the Danielses until my mom gets home from work and then sometimes we all eat together. Pizza is Taecyeon's and my favorite food group.
Mrs. Daniels gets on the phone.
My mother says yes.
Then Mrs. Daniels calls the pizza place.
"Extra cheese, mushrooms, and sausages, please."

Taecyeon and I yell at the same time, "And hold the anchovies." Then we laugh, imagining what the guy looks like holding the anchovies.

And for a while, I forget that the house might get sold.