Never Is a Long Time

~ Two ~

The girls and their mother went outside with a box of sidewalk chalk. Mrs. Bowen, knowing that Miri and Ceci needed to burn some excess energy, suggested a game of hopscotch. She instructed the girls to each pick out a pebble, from the flower bed, while she drew the game grid on the sidewalk in front of their home.

"Oh, Mommy, I found a bootiful rock!" Ceci exclaimed as she hurried to show it to the woman.

Examining the pebble cradled in the little girl's hands, the mother said, "That is an awesome one, Cecilia. The word is beautiful, though. Be • yu • teh • ful."

The four-year-old girl attempted the word as her mother carefully and slowly repeated it. The child felt accomplished when the woman patted her cheek and told her that she had done well. Then she did a little celebratory dance as she approached chalk-drawn grid.

Mrs. Bowen chuckled at the girl's behavior. Then, looking at her older daughter, she asked, "Miri, haven't you found your pebble yet?"

Miri was looking down the street at a couple of kids rapidly riding their bikes through a large puddle. She chuckled at the huge splash the boy had made. Suddenly, he noticed her and he smiled and waved at her. She did the same in return. Then her eyes darted to the boy's sister, hearing her speak.

"Sal, come on. I know where there's another great puddle. Let's check it out!" Kelly said.

Without looking away from Miri, the boy replied, "Lead the way, sis." Then he winked at Miri before turning to follow his sister.

A moment later, Miri was startled by her mother lightly touching her shoulder. The woman asked, "So, the Vulcano boy, huh?"

"Hm? Oh, yes. Sal. He's in my class at school," Miri replied, snapping out of her daze.

Mrs. Bowen commented, "He's a cute one."

Miri started to nod in agreement, but stopped herself. She said, "Ew, Mom! That's gross."

Laughing, the woman said, "Remember you told me that ten years from now." Then she asked, "Have you found your pebble? Ceci and I are ready to play."

"Yeah. Yeah," the girl replied. She looked once more at the boy riding away on his bicycle. Then she turned back to her mother and sister, and said, "Ceci, you wanna go first?"

They played the hopscotch grid a few times. Ceci actually won every time, though she did not know that her mother and sister let her win. They had a great time and no one had their feelings hurt.

After a half hour of that game, Mrs. Bowen left the girls to play on their own. She said, "I'm going to go start making supper. Daddy will be home soon."

"Okay, Mommy! May we continue to play out here for a while?" Miri asked.

"Of course," her mother replied. Then she said, "Just stay out of the wet grass. I want the two of you behave and keep playing nice. No fighting or crying of who wins and who loses."

The girls looked up into their mother's eyes and promised.

When she was gone, Ceci said, "I'm tired of hopscotch. Can I just draw on the sidewalk with the chalk?"

Smiling at the younger girl, Miri answered, "That sounds like a terrific idea, Ceci!"

The two of them each claimed a square of concrete and began to draw. They shared all the colors by taking turns.

Ceci used all of the colors drawing a typical picture from the average four-year-old; a square house with a triangle roof, with a rainbow overhead.

Miri drew cartoonish animal characters. She drew some of her favorite animals, including a dog, a turtle, and a frog. Other ones drawn were a bear, a penguin, a cat, a pig, and more.

Seeing all the animals her big sister had drawn, Ceci was in awe. She said, "Wow, Miri! You can draw all the animals!" Miri shook her head and blushed slightly. Ceci said, "Yes, you can, Sissy! Will you add a kitty to my picture?"

Miri obliged and finished just as their father pulled into the driveway.