Andi Prescott-Mother

by Lizzy D.

     Amelia was crying, Jacob was trying to eat some crumbs on the floor, and Andi couldn’t find her other four anywhere. 

“Sylvia!” Andi called over Amelia. She picked up Jacob and looked in his mouth. Nothing too bothersome. 

Sylvia came walking in the room. “Mama. You called?” At nineteen, she was the oldest out of the six children. The youngest, Amelia, was two months old. Next was Jacob, at two he was crawling everywhere. Next was Thomas, at ten he was very helpful on the ranch. Next was Minnie, at twelve she was just like her mother at that age. Next was Mark, at sixteen he was the oldest boy and also very helpful. Last but not least was Sylvia. At nineteen she was getting married to Michael Davis. 

“Yes Sylvia. I can’t find three of my six children. Can you find Minnie? She needs to get started on her homework as well on her chores.” 

Sylvia came over and took Jacob. “Sure Mama. I’ll take Jacob with me.” 

Andi smiled at her daughter. “Thank you. If you happen to see your other brother tell him he needs to do his homework too.” 

Sylvia nodded. She walked out the back door and Andi went to comfort Amelia. “Shh Amelia. I sure hope you are not as troublesome as your other sister was.” Andi thought back to when Minnie was around this age.

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“Riley. You will never guess what Minnie did today.” Riley did a funny grimace. Andi laughed. 

“what did she do?” Riley said, smiling. 

“She’s only a few months old and she already knows how to climb out of her crib! I spent almost ten minutes trying to find her and another five minutes trying to grab and then another twenty minutes trying to get her back to sleep!” By the time Andi had finished Riley was trying not to laugh. 

“Riley!” Andi giggled. 

“I’m sorry. But you should have seen your face as you told the story!” Riley laughed. 

“I guess it was a little funny.” Andi blushed. 

“I’m sorry Minnie was adventurous today.” Riley smiled. 

Andi smiled. “It was okay. I think she enjoyed it.” 

“I’m glad. Goodnight Andi.”

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“Mama!” Sylvia’s call pulled Andi back to the present. Andi put Amelia on her hip and walked downstairs to Sylvia. 

“yes, Sylvia?” Andi walked over to her. Sylvia was holding Mark and Thomas by their ears and Jacob was balanced on her hip. Now that the boys were next to each other Andi could see they were almost the same height. “What happened? Mark’s got a bloody nose and Thomas’s lip is bleeding!” Andi covered Amelia’s eyes. “I found these two rolling around in the dirt. But not like they used to.” 

Andi glared at the boys. She took Jacob off of Sylvia and saw Minnie come in the back door. “Go clean yourselves up. Then work on your homework, Thomas. And you too, Minnie.” Minnie’s face sagged as she realized that she couldn’t sneak past her mother.  Mark and Thomas walked up the stairs with Minnie on their tail. “Thank you, Sylvia.” Andi bounced her two younger children on her hips. 

“Sure, Mama. Do you need me to take Jacob outside?” 

Andi looked relieved. “Yes. Thank you. I don’t what I’ll do when your married.” Sylvia took Jacob. “Don’t worry Mama. I’m only moving a few minutes by walking and, like, two minutes by horse.” Sylvia laughed as she walked out. As Andi sat down, she thought back to when the phrase ‘they were playing in the dirt’ meant something way different.

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Andi looked out at the yard to see her two little boys, Mark and Thomas, rolling in the dirt. “Hey! You boys better not be fighting!” Mark and Thomas quickly stood up. “No, Mama!” Andi laughed. Six years apart but they were the best of brothers.

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“Andi!” Riley’s voice carried through the house. Andi picked up Amelia and walked towards Riley’s voice. She found her husband holding his arm. “What did you do?” Andi put Amelia in the highchair and rushed to Riley. She moved his hand and winced. “Oh no! What did you do?” 

“I sliced my arm putting away tools.” Andi rushed over to the cabinet and grabbed some medicine. “This might hurt.” She told Riley. 

“Yow! Andi!” 

Andi giggled. “I told you it would hurt.” Riley kissed Andi’s forehead. “Thank you, honey.” Riley turned around and went out the door. Andi turned around to see Amelia tipping her chair. “No, no, sweetie.” Andi caught Amelia just before she fell to the floor. She remembered when Sylvia had a close one.

“Sylvia!” Sylvia had crawled over the bars of her crib and was trying to climb down. “No, no. Lets go downstairs and get some food.” Andi went downstairs with baby Sylvia. “Now Sylvia. No climbing anyplace. You hear?” Sylvia gurgled. Andi walked over to the cupboard and pulled down a cup. Suddenly Andi heard a creak. She turned to see Sylvia tipping over. The table had sharp corners and Sylvia could hit them and get very hurt. Andi quickly rushed forward and caught Sylvia with no time to waste. “Oh Sylvia! When I said no climbing, I should have also said no trying to hop furniture.”

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Andi picked up Amelia and headed up stairs to put Amelia down for her mid-morning nap. On her way back down stairs she checked on the kids doing homework plus Mark who was out of school.  Downstairs Andi started on lunch. Although it was only eleven, she had to get started on the sandwiches early because she had to make almost twenty sandwiches, all with different options.  

While she was making lunch, Sylvia’s fiancée came a calling. “Hello Michael. Sylvia is in the parlor with Jacob.” 

Michael smiled “Thank you, Mrs. Andi!” 

“Oh Michael! What kind of sandwich do you want?” 

“Any kind. Thanks.” Michael walked over to the parlor and Andi could hear Sylvia’s happy cry. “Thank you, Lord, for my lots of blessings”

End note: Sylvia and Michael got married and were blessed with four wonderful kids. Mark went on to college. Minnie can’t be seen anymore because she got a treehouse.  Thomas worked hard at the ranch. Jacob is now the sheriff in Fresno and Amelia is courting a very nice young gentleman.

                                                                        The End