His Safety Net

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

       "Mom, have you seen my sunglasses?" Orchid asked as she walked down the stairs. "I swear, I left them on the shelf by the front door but they're not there, and they're also not in my room."

       "I haven't seen it," Mom said as she continued to wrap the bandage around my wrist to replace the old one. Even though my whole family knew about it, Mom was the only one I let replace my bandages. They have all seen the bandages, but Mom and Dad were the only ones who've seen the wounds.

       I didn't want anyone else seeing it.

       "Didn't your mother tell you to get all your stuff ready yesterday?" Dad asked from his spot in front of the stove, flipping a pancake over. 

       "And I did," Orchid said. "Like I said, I could have sworn I left my sunglasses by the front door. It's not my fault they mysteriously disappeared."

       Alan came down the stairs just then, carrying everything he was going to need for the school-wide beach field trip. And the first thing I noticed was the sunglasses perched on top of his head.

       "They didn't mysteriously disappear," I said. "They're on Alan's head."

       "What?" Orchid asked before looking in Alan's direction. "Hey, those are my sunglasses!"

       "I know," Alan said. "This is revenge for when you made me do the dishes yesterday when it was your dish night."

       "Then I'll do the dishes on your next dish night," Orchid said. "But you are not using my sunglasses. Go use your own sunglasses."

       "I don't know where mine are."

       "Then go look for them."

       "I tried."

       "Then try again."

       "I've been trying ever since I woke up. I'm not trying again."

       Dad sighed heavily as he put the last of the pancakes he made onto a plate. He placed it on the island counter before looking at Alan. "Alan, give your sister her sunglasses."

       "But then I won't be able to wear any," Alan said, taking the sunglasses off his head and handing them to Orchid. "If I take even one accidental glance at the sun, it can burn my eyes and I can go blind. And if I go blind, I won't be able to play basketball. Or watch Ryder dance. Or look at Nolan's artwork."

       "Just borrow one of my sunglasses," Dad said. "Now come eat some breakfast before you head off to school for the field trip."

       "Also, make sure to pack some snacks," Mom said as she finished wrapping up the bandage. "And sunscreen. In fact, put some sunscreen on before you leave. And when you get to the school. And--"

       "Okay, we got it," Orchid said. "Put on sunscreen."

       "Do we have to?" Alan asked. "It's only the end of February. Speaking of, I'm not complaining or anything but why is the school-wide beach field trip in February? Why not have it in June? Or, like, not in the middle of winter?"

       "Hey, if it means we don't have to go to school all day, I'm all for it," Orchid said. "And it's not really the middle of the winter. It's close to the end."

       "Potato, tomato."

       "That's not the saying," I said, pulling up my sweater sleeves to cover my bandages. I knew I didn't have to do that at home but... It was just a habit.