I Wish...

5

I woke up. The room was dark. Why does it always have to be dark? I got out of bed carefully since my legs weren't exactly stable anymore. The doctors had offered surgery, but I didn't want to be in a wheelchair any longer. It had been years since then. Now I helped with the dishes and meals.

I stumbled my way towards the bathroom, and heard a rooster call for dawn in the distance, the sound of water rushing from the faucet, and the buzzing of the TV downstairs. I showered and brushed my teeth before heading back into my room to change. The air was chilly against my wet skin.

After finishing up my business upstairs, I made my way downstairs carefully. "Mom? Do you want help with breakfast?" I asked once I'd reached the bottom of the stairs, the smell of pancakes hitting me. "No, sugar," she responded, "Why don't you go ahead and help your dad with the animals?" "Alright, Mom," I said as I quickly walked out the door. The sun was barely peeking through the trees and the air was damp. "Dad? Where are ya?" I asked as I walked towards the pens behind the house. The noises and smell of animal filled the air as quick as lightning. "Over 'ere, darlin'," my father said, "'seems like Potta is gonna have piglets."

"Really?" I said excitedly. "They'll make some good bacon, or we can sell 'em," he replied. "NO!" I yelled. He raised his eyebrows at me. "Um... I mean, at least let me keep one," I mumbled, shuffling uncomfortably in the slightly moist dirt. Slowly, he started walking towards the next animals, horses. I followed, tailing him like a lost duckling.

Eventually, we finished with all the animals, and went to go eat breakfast. "Great! Now I'm smelly all over again," I grumbled as I trudged up the stairs. After washing my hands and changing my clothes, I quickly gobbled up my mound of pancakes. "Ma, you make the most delicious food," I complimented. "Thank you, Rubicea," mom replied, "What do you think of the pancakes, Noel?" "I think they're good," dad replied, still stuffing his face with pancakes. "Really? I got a better compliment from my daughter?" mom said in mock exasperation. "Uh... lemme rephrase that, you make the best food in the entire universe, just like you are the most beautiful woman I'll ever see," dad replied, an awkward smile on his face. "Thank you, Noel," mom grinned. I chuckled softly, "I'm going outside before y'all get smoochy." "Just come back before dark," mom yelled as I closed the front door.