Standing Up to Life

Chapter 17:

MY PARENTS HAD finally snapped out of the shock about the time that we had our screaming session. They were absolutely ecstatic about the sale that we had made.

We talked about what to do with the money on our way home. We decided that for now it was going to go into an account that was going to earn interest, and we'd do something more long-term with it in a month or so. I had offered to pay off the house, but they seemed to think it had other places that would be better to put it into.

We called my grandparents as soon as we got home, they couldn't believe the news either. It was still early enough to have gone out for ice cream or something to celebrate, but given we were already full from dinner that didn't seem that appetizing an idea. Instead we just sat around and excitedly talked about the evening until Mom and Dad forced me to go to bed.

The next day I went to school and things seemed normal. A silent pact had been formed between the four of us not to say anything to the other kids about our experience last night. Telling them could only mean trouble we had decided. Since we couldn't talk to everyone else about what happened the night before, all we talked about at lunch was the slumber party the next night.

"What are we going to do?" I asked Amy.

"All sorts of things! But I'm not telling you or anyone else what until Friday night." She said mischievously.

"Come on Amy..."

"Nope, you're just going to be surprised like everyone else!" She stuck her tongue out at me.

"Oh, I have one of those too," I stuck mine out. We both started giggling and the other girls just looked at us and shook their heads.

Ashley asked, "Are you two sure you aren't twins that were separated at birth?"

"Fairly," I answered. I had never given it much thought, but most of the time that we were out together doing stuff most people probably assumed we were sisters.

We had a fairly quick day and Amy came to my house after school. When we walked back from the bus stop I looked over and saw a large box sitting outside the door. As I got closer I saw there were actually two boxes sitting there.

"Brandon this must be the stuff that Mattel sent us!" Amy exclaimed.

"You're right. Help me get it inside and we'll see what it is." I said as I reached over and picked up one of the boxes. Actually I should say tried to pick up one of the boxes. It was heavier than I expected, and bulky. I decided to open the door first then pick it up again to carry it in.

I got that box inside the door and Amy brought her box inside too. "Brandon why don't we take these to your room to open?"

"Okay." I replied.

'Easier said than done,' I thought for a second as I picked the box back up. It was large and I figured it weighed at least fifty pounds. It took me several minutes to get it into my room and set it on the open floor area in there. She sat hers next to the one I had while I grabbed a pair of scissors to open them up. We decided to open the heavy one first, 'just what was inside of it?'

As I got the flaps of that box open I saw another box inside that had a pink exterior. Could it be? Could I really have received a set of girls' toys of my own?

Amy helped me pull the inner box out and we found a huge, really expensive, really nice doll house. "Wow Brandon, you won't have to come over to my house to play Barbies anymore."

"No I guess I won't will I?"

"What else is inside of here?" She asked as she dug through the box. We found several sets of doll furniture inside. "Wow, this is a really nice doll house set. I think it's nicer than the one I have!"