Dollar Runaways

Chapter 20: Summertime Girls

I FELT A hand tickling me, "Come on silly girl, it's time to wake up!"

"Ah!!!" I screamed.

I looked up and glared at Mom. "Can't you wake me up nicer?"

"Well, you weren't waking up at all!" She said with a smile.

She gave me a hug and said, "Come on, up and at 'em, you have chores to do today."

I groaned but looked around, "Hey, how did I end up in bed last night?"

Mom laughed, "You know, if you were seven or so years older, I'd swear you'd been out partying and drinking. I don't know what wore you out yesterday, but none of us could get you to wake up when we got home. Madison seemed to enjoy carrying you up here though."

I turned beet red.

"Oh, don't be so embarrassed, it happens. You've been under a lot of stress and yesterday was a pretty long day."

I nodded, "Umm... So, when do we hear?" I asked softly.

"Tomorrow I'll get a phone call at three or so. I'll break it to you just before the hands go home."

I nodded, "So I guess we get to win our Oscar awards tomorrow?"

Mom nodded, "sorry about this sweetheart."

"It's okay, you're not the problem, that's Dad."

I found a pair of jeans and a pink Princess shirt before heading off to feed the birds. I was done pretty quickly and went through with my now nearly ritual shower. My hair was still up from the night before and I began to realize it hurt at that point. I stood in my robe in front of the mirror trying to take the braids out, but couldn't seem to manage at all!

After several frustrating moments I went into my room to get dressed. I dug through my clothes for a moment and settled on a simple pink romper with some flowers printed on the front of it. I knew it was comfortable and that sounded good after being in my dressy dress all day yesterday. I loved how pretty it was, and it was fairly comfortable... But after a while the tulle in between the lining skirt and the outer skirt grew a bit annoying. On second thought I hung the romper back up and settled on the t-shirt I had worn that morning and a pair of denim shorts that had little flowers embroidered in pink and green.

I went to my underwear drawer and saw several more of the magical panties I'd been given the day before. 'I'll need it for swimming...' I thought to myself and grabbed one. Soon I was totally dressed and glad I had used one of the new dance belts as she had called them. I couldn't see anything that looked like a boy in the mirror and that made me smile.

'I just need to get my hair out of these braids,' I thought with a grimace. "Need some help with your hair?" I heard from behind me and saw Madison. I blushed a bit knowing she had carried me upstairs last night.

"Please?"

She had me sit down in the chair and pulled the braids out one by one until my hair hung by my shoulders all wavy. Without saying anything she grabbed my brush and began brushing it out gently until it was nice. "How do you want your hair today?" she asked.

"Not braided..." I said a little grumpily.

She laughed, "Your mom and I should have taken that out last night... Sorry."

"It's okay, I'm just glad it's out now. I don't remember the other braids hurting my head like that before."

"Those were really tight braids!" She told me with a smile, "I spent an hour pulling them out myself last night."