The Key to her Heart

Chapter Eleven

Thursday came and Mom and Dad had gone to work. We didn't come back from the hospital until three O'clock in the morning because we had to wait for Molly to fall asleep so she could get her stitches (she couldn't stand the pain so she would scream to the top of her lungs and call the doctors mean names. So they decided to wait for her to fall asleep so they could do the stitches but since Molly was in pain she didn't go to sleep until one thirty and the doctors didn't come check on her until two fifteen). Mom had called me out of school for the day to watch Molly and I didn't mind I mean it's a day off from school and I don't have to pretend to be sick! It's eight twenty-two in the morning and I am in my room looking through Instagram out of boredom. I like one of Rodgers posts and that's when my stomach growled.
I look down at it and sigh. Putting my phone down I get up and walk to my dresser. Opening it I grab a grey T-shirt and slide it over my head and down to my waist. Next stop was the kitchen. When I open my bedroom door I hear someone say;
"Where is our next location?"
I frown. Molly's bedroom door is cracked and the pink light (that was made by the sun and her bright pink windows) flowed out into the hallway. I walk to Molly's door and crack it open a little wider. Her bed was a mess and her dolls were all over the place. I sigh and slowly shake my head. I walk to the living room and discover that the TV was on. Molly was cuddling her toddler princess doll in Dads velvet red rocking chair dozing off, the remote on the floor. She was watching some toddler show that she has been adoring since she was able to watch TV.
"Ay!" I say.
Molly's head jerks up.
"What?" She asked, annoyed.
She had even rolled her eyes. Grumpy little girl this morning.
"You want something to eat?" I asked.
"No I'm not hun—yes I want some pancakes, pwease!" She said, with just a hint of excitement.
I chuckle at the way she said 'please'.
"How many?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen.
I turned on the kitchen light and saw Molly running (more limping than anything) in the kitchen. I grab her and hoist her up on my hip.
"You're not supposed to be up running around." I say.
I tickle her a little and she laughs. I walk over to a counter and sit her down on it. Opening the cabinet above Molly's head I grab the pancake mix and sit it beside her. Next I grab a pan from the cabinet beneath Mollys dangling feet. I put the pan on the stove and began to make the pancakes. Molly sat on the counter the whole time and watched me. We talked about how she would grow up and become a professional pirate queen and that her crew would consist of all girls except for one boy.
"Who's going to be your first mate?" I asked.
"What's that?" She asked with her adorable confused face.
"A first mate a pirate who is selected by the Captain to take their place when they aren't around." I explain.
"Oh . . . well then my entire crew would be girls and you would be the first mate." Molly said.
"What happened to the one boy?" I asked.
"You're the boy!" Molly replies. "Unless . . . you're a girl."
She mumbled her last comment.
"I'm not a girl or a boy." I said.
"Alex! There's only two genders in the world, pick one." Molly said. "I don't discriminate."
"I'm a man." I say, flexing my muscles childishly.
"A . . ."
Molly examines me. She literally looks me up and down with her top lip curl up. She bursts out in laughter.
"I see no man in you." She said.
"Oh yeah?" I asked.
I get closer to her while I let the pancake in the pan cook. Molly scoots over on the counter a little. She a had a miniature smile on her face.
"Yeah . . ." She says really, really softly, it was almost inaudible.
I close the gap between us a little more and Molly chuckles.
"Get away from me you old troll." Molly said. "I can't run."
My mouth flew open.
"Old troll?" I asked.
She nods.
"It's good you can't run because that means I can get ya without breaking a sweat." I said.
I place my hand on the counter top and Molly jumps a little bit.
"Alex stop!" She whined.
"Okay, okay, I'll stop." I say, making my way back to the stove.
I can see her stick her tongue out at me through the corner of my eye.
"Oh is that how it is?" I asked.
"Maybe, but this princess is off duty so the she can't be chased."
"Oh so you're referring to yourself as a princess?" I asked.
"Oh-no you're right I'm no princess I'm a queen." Molly said confidently.
Wow, talk about self love and high self esteem. I don't remember having this much confidence when I was her age.
"Okay, Queen." I said, taking the last pancake out of the pan. "Breakfast is ready."
"Yay!" Molly shouts.
"Alright I'm going to go put your plate on the table and then I'll come back to get you." I said.
Molly nods, excitedly. I smile and followed through with my plan. When we were both sitting down at the table I look at the TV. It was still on the little kids channel she had it on when I walked into the living room.
"Who's that?" I asked as some poorly animated little boy in a knight pops up on the screen.
Molly turns around and looks at the television, licking her fingers free of syrup. She turns back to me and shrugs.
"I don't know." She said.
Must be a new show for boys.
"So how's school going for you?" Molly asked, biting a piece of her pancake (the little bit she had).
"Uh . . . it's okay." I reply.
"That's good."