Growing [COMPLETE - ROUGH DRAFT]

Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

            “Anna?” I heard the smallest voice ask. I groggily rolled over and squinted through the bright sunlight to look at the little princess lying next to me. She was hugging her Dora doll as tight as a three year old could, and I gently put my arm around her in a soothing gesture.

“What is it honey?” I asked, putting a smile on my face. I knew what was coming. Every morning for the past week, whenever Abby wakes up, she always asks for mom. Always. And every time she does, I always come up with another reason for why she was not here. Frankly, you just couldn’t tell a kid her mom died.

“Where’s mommy?” Her lower lip trembled, and it broke my heart knowing she was holding back tears.

“Mom went to the grocery, she’ll be back soon.” I told her, and brought her little body right up to mine, nuzzling her head.

“But you said that yesterday!” Abigale said, her little voice sounding even smaller in the room. We were both sleeping in mom’s old room, because it was where Abby was used to sleeping. I tried so hard to keep everything in order, and I just acted as if mom was away on an extended vacation. Abby truly believed mom was coming back, and I just didn’t have the heart to correct her.

“She did go yesterday, but she went back today to get some chocolate cake!” I told her, injecting some enthusiasm into my voice. Abby’s face brightened at the mention of chocolate cake, and I tilted my lips upwards in a smile.

“I love chocolate cake!” Abby squealed, and hurriedly pushed me away, eager to get to her supposed cake.

“You’ll only get it if you’re a good girl, so we’ll see at the end of the day, okay?” I asked, sitting up and throwing off the covers. It was around seven on a Saturday morning, and my sister already wanted cake. She lowered herself onto the floor, stepping carefully so she didn’t fall.

“Okay!” She quickly agreed, and then opened the door. I walked with her to the kitchen, where I booted her up onto the counter so she could watch me cook some eggs. She crossed her legs and immediately grabbed the loaf of bread, already seeking for something to keep her hands busy.  

“Ricky!” I called out, and I got no response. I huffed in annoyance and crossed my arms. Where was he?

“Puppy!” My sister called out, and a bolt of black fur darted into the kitchen. I turned off the stove and moved the pot to the back burner, to avoid any of the small people getting burned.

“Ah!” I gasped, as he hit my legs head on, and then recoiled from the impact. I glanced down at the dog, thinking there was no possible way he was still a ‘puppy’. Ricky was a one year old flat retriever, and was probably the dumbest dog I’ve ever seen in my life.

Still, I felt sorry for the poor thing. We adopted him when my sister was two, because his previous family had left him in a box on the side of the road. Of course, we spent about five hundred dollars just on the vet, so they could fix him up and give him the proper medications that he needed. Now, he was as healthy as a horse.

“Hi Ricky!” My sister squealed, and she quickly pulled her feet up when the dog started licking them.

“Come here Rickster,” I called, and watched as the furry animal paraded over to where I was standing. I took a piece of scrambled egg out of the pot, and he immediately sat, tilting his head so that one ear was hanging open and the other was flopped closed. Satisfied, I gave him the piece, and he took it gladly, munching as he trotted away.