A Wild Day

by Rishona

WOW! Today was a crazy day, some of it was great, and some was not so great. So it all started this morning. I woke up and dressed into my pair of comfy overalls. When I was at the top of the staircase I looked quickly around, happy to see no one around. I slid down the banister.

No one saw me, I thought. As I was walking to the kitchen to join the family for breakfast, I heard something move from behind the couch. I walked over and heard a. “Boo,” and I saw a head pop up.

I blinked and then pinched myself. “Ouch!” I was certainly not dreaming. “Well, hi, Levi, Mother didn’t tell me you were coming!” I said half-glad to see him; I was hoping he’d have learned to use “good” language by now.

“Howdy, Andi. Let’s go get some breakfast, I’m starved!”

I walked into the kitchen, where I saw Kate and the other kids around the table. Little Hannah was not so little anymore. “Nandi!” she exclaimed. She fingered the necklace I’d given her and said. “Look what I have!”

I patted her on the head. Then I took a seat by Betsy. “How long will you be staying?” I whispered to Betsy. “And when did you get here?”

Betsy smiled shyly. “We got here early this morning, and I don’t know when we are leaving.”

Then Justin said a prayer for the meal, which was interrupted by Levi’s burp and then Betsy’s giggle. Right when he said “Amen,” Hannah started choking on her food that she was eating during the prayer. Then we all heard a knock at the door.

So, the door was being struck on impatiently, Mother was scolding Betsy and Levi, and Kate was pounding the screaming Hannah on her back. What a noise!

Chad jumped up to open the door. I was watching Kate kiss Hannah and telling her that she would be all right. Just then I saw Mitch’s mouth hanging open. (The half-chewed eggs didn’t mix well with his toast or milk, now that I mention it.) It looked disgusting. I mean, if you think something is disgusting than believe me, this was.

No one else seemed to notice. They were all staring at the entrance to the door. Even Hannah stopped crying. I turned to look too, and I couldn’t believe what I saw.

There stood Aunt Rebecca. Mother, who was just as surprised as I was, said, “Why, Rebecca, how nice of you to come by.”

Aunt Rebecca turned to Mitch.  “Chew with your mouth shut, Mitch.” Then she looked at Mother. “Well, I thought it would be fun for us all to be here together. No need to thank me.”

Now it was my turn to gasp. I shut my mouth quickly, though, unlike Mitch. Just then I thought about my overalls. BIG OOPS.

As if Aunt Rebecca could read my thoughts she turned to me and said, “Andrea, go and put on something reasonable.”

I sighed and looked at Melinda, who had been fairly quiet during this whole thing. She actually gave me a sympathetic look. I figure she was probably practicing all her different looks for whoever her next suitor would be.

Once in my room, I changed into a green dress that wasn’t too fancy. By the time I finished changing I went downstairs and I found—no, scratch that—HEARD everyone in the parlor. I hadn’t had much time to eat so I was still very hungry. For the second time since I woke up, I pinched myself. I had kind of hoped that I was dreaming, but my hope was in vain. “Ouch!”

Just then, Aunt Rebecca walked out of the parlor. “Is that you, Andrea?”

I walked over to her. “Yes, Aunt Rebecca,” I answered, rubbing my arm where I had pinched myself. Just then my stomach rumbled.

“My goodness, child, did you not eat enough?”

I didn’t say anything.

Just then one of the ranch hands burst in with another person, who I didn’t recognize. This strange person went straight to Aunt Rebecca. “Ma’am, Mrs. Walker sent me. She needs you quickly. She thinks her baby is coming soon. She sent me for you a little after you had already left. I traveled all night!”

Aunt Rebecca left within the next hour. So it was just Kate and the kids.

They’re still here, and they will leave in three days. Uh-oh! Hannah is wailing, and Mother told me to take care of her . . .

What a wild day!

The End