Ghost Bird... Do You Hear Me?Book II

Parsley Ruined My Life

CHAPTER THREE

Parsley Ruined My Life!

Phoenix's POV:

September 28th

I loved family photo day. It was a lot of work, and Mom, and our dads, they always seemed to pull us through it. What I liked best was seeing how everyone had grown and changed from the years before. Frank would send the digital images to us tonight, and our parents would go through them, then by the end of the week we would have new pictures for the walls and album.

I lay on the trampoline out back in the late afternoon sun. It was one of my favorite places to be. Even if my younger siblings were out here. I loved the outdoors. Mom said I got that from her. I have known about my dad, and what he did for our country, well, as soon as they started teaching sign language to me. Don't get me wrong, I love all of my dads, and of course I love my mother. Hell, she almost died having me... and then my dad.

"Oy, Phoenix. It's time to go inside."

I sat up quickly. What the hell was that? I shook my head and tugged at my ears. That was weird. I stood up on the trampoline and jumped up as high as I could go to see over the fence and into the Tomas backyard. I wanted to see if Nova was out. Although Alyosha, who was the same age as me, and was my best friend, he swore he would kill me if I ever looked at his fourteen year old sister the wrong way, I couldn't help it. She was hot! When I didn't see her or anyone else out back, I slowed my jumping down a bit to where I could jump off safely to the ground. Then I headed inside.

"Hey, Phoenix," Violet signed. "Can you grab the silverware for me while I grab the plates to set the table?"

"Sure, Sis," I signed back.

I went into the kitchen where my mom, and my dads, Sean, and Owen, were finishing preparations on the spaghetti dinner with salad. The industrial grade kitchen was going full steam. It was a chore feeding eighteen people full-time. And once the twins started eating, that would be twenty. We also had guests over all the time, mainly the Tomas, our grandparents, and aunts and uncles. I believe we had hosted dinners for about fifty people or more. It was amazing. But tonight, it was just our family. I grabbed the silverware from the drawers and gave Mom a kiss on the cheek as I passed her on the way to the dining room.

People asked me, well they signed to me, all the time about being deaf. If it's weird, or if I feel left out. I can honestly say that I have never felt alone or different. My family has never once treated me as if I had a disability. Papa Sean asked me once if I wanted to have the cochlear implant. I replied, absolutely not. The only thing he said was that when and if I ever did want to have the procedure, just to let him know. I definitely don't. The thought of sounds invading my space would take away part of who I am. I like being me.

I had just gotten the last of the silverware laid out next to the plates and bowls that Violet, my 14 year old sister, had already placed, when Papa Owen, and Papa Sean were bringing in the salad and spaghetti. Mom followed not far behind with a second large bowl of Spaghetti. I immediately took the bowl from Mom and placed it on one of the trivets. I watched my mother's lips as they said thank you, and I replied back with you're welcome.

Soon everyone was seated around the long table; one of the kids seated between each adult. It just made it easier to serve the younger ones, and we just never changed the seating rule, although we did switch it up quite often.

Everyone had been served their salad and spaghetti, although Papa Luke and Averie, the two year old, had skipped the salad. I heard Papa Luke's aversion to healthy food was legendary, and it seems Averie was following in his footsteps. I dug into my food. It was delicious. Being deaf had its perks. My other senses were amplified. Taste being one of them. I had just lifted my head up from a particularly savory bite when I saw everyone laughing. I signed to everyone, "What's so funny?"