VACATION

Time flew by for both the children. Michael went to school and Maria worked at home on learning everything that she could. By the end of the school year she could do everything that Michael could in school. She knew how to write her full name, all her letters, and was beginning to read simple storybooks. Her father was so impressed with her thirst for learning he bought her a computer.

During the summer Greta and Jenny planned a trip for them to take the children to the beach house that Dom and she owned in California. The beach house had plenty of space inside for both families and would give the children the freedom to run and play. As all the plans were finalized, the plane tickets purchased, Greta and Jenny decided to tell Maria and Michael. Jenny went out on the porch to call the children in from playing.

“Michael, Maria, come inside please”, Jenny yelled.

Both came running onto the porch.

“Aww mom, do we have to come in now?” both children said at the same time.

“We want to talk to you,” Jenny said

They all went inside to the kitchen where Greta put on the table a plate of cookies and two glasses of milk. Seeing this Michael and Maria ran off to the bathroom to wash their hands. When they were done and seated at the table, Greta made sure they both were busy eating before beginning to tell them about the trip.

“How would the two of you like to go on a trip this summer?” Greta said.

“Where?” 'Maria asked’???

“The beach house,” Greta said

Maria jumped out of her chair and ran and gave her mother a huge hug. She looked up at her and said, “Do you really mean it?”

Greta said, “ Of course I mean it”.

Maria grabbed Michael and said, “Do you know what this means?”

Michael shook his head no and finished the cookie he was eating.

Maria said, “ It means we get to swim in the ocean and to see my Uncle Wilton.”

Michael was still unimpressed and finished drinking his milk. Maria glared at Michael and stormed out of the house. She didn’t understand why her friend wasn’t happy about going on this trip with her. She went over to the swings and started swinging trying to think.

Michael finished up his snack and went out to find Maria. He walked over to the swings and got in the swing next to her. Maria stopped her swing, looked at Michael and said, “Don’t you want to go on vacation with me?”

He looked at her and said, “Not really. I don’t want to leave home.”

“But everyone is going to be there?”

“Well I just don’t want to go. I want to stay here.”

Maria had tears in her eyes hearing her friend didn’t want to go with her. She glared at him and yelled, “Fine then stay here by yourself!” She took off running towards home wiping her tears along the way.

Michael got off the swing kicking a rock as he walked towards his house. He didn’t understand why she was acting like this and what he did wrong.

At home Maria ran into her room and threw herself on her bed.

Greta came in and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Maria looked at her mother with her tear-stained face and said, “Michael doesn’t want to go on vacation with us.”

Greta stroked her daughter’s hair and said, “It will be all right he will love it once he is there. You both will have so much fun.”

Maria hugged her mother and lay back down. Her head hurt from all this commotion and she didn’t want to think. She glanced around her room and saw big bear. She grabbed it; still mad at Michael she threw it out the window. If he wasn’t happy going on vacation with her, she didn’t want to be bothered with him.

Michael walked into his house and sat down in front of the television. He was so mad. He didn’t want to go away for the summer. He didn’t want things to change at all. He knew that after the summer was over that he was going back to school and Maria was starting school. He didn’t understand how she could be so excited about this trip. Didn’t she know that when they came back everything would be different? He didn’t want to think anymore. He turned to his favorite cartoon sitting there looking very angry. He was angry. He was angry at the world for changing his life without asking him.

Jenny walked into the living room when she heard the television. She saw Michael sitting in the corner of the couch with his arms crossed over his chest looking very cross. She wondered what the two kids had argued about this time and was going to find out.

“Michael, what’s wrong?”

Michael heard his mother yet ignored her. He didn’t want to talk to her. She did this to him. She didn’t ask him if he wanted to go. She didn’t care as far as he was concerned.

Jenny sat next to Michael and asked him again, “what’s wrong”.

He glared at her tears beginning to well up in his eyes. “I don’t want to go on a vacation. I want to stay here.”

Jenny hugged her son, “It will be ok. You will have so much fun with Maria.”

Michael insisted that he didn’t want to go. “Don’t I get a choice?”

Jenny didn’t understand why her son was fighting this so badly. She told him to think about it for a couple of days and that he should go back outside and play.

Michael turned off the television and went back outside. He went to go and see what Maria was doing. As he walked through the yard he saw big bear lying in the grass. He wondered how it got outside. He didn’t see or hear Maria playing anywhere. He picked up big bear and went inside looking for Maria. He found her in her room lying on her bed crying.

When Maria saw Michael come into her room she turned away not wanting him to see her. She was mad at him. She didn’t know why he didn’t want to go with her on vacation.

He sat down next to her on the bed and gave her big bear. She took it and threw it across the room.

“You don’t want to be with me. You are supposed to be my friend.”

Michael didn’t know what to do. He didn’t realize that he hurt his best friend. There was only one thing he could think of doing to stop his friend from crying and he wasn’t sure he wanted to do it. He looked at her and took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry. I do want to go on vacation with you.” He left out that he was scared. He didn’t want her to think that he was a baby. He decided he had to do this to make her happy and that he would tell his mother when he went home of his decision. He might not like going but he was going to try it.

Maria sat up and wiped her eyes. “Do you really mean it?”

“Yeah I mean it”

Maria nodded. Hugging him she said,” I love you, Mi.”

“I love you to Ria. Let’s go outside.”

They both ran out the door happily. Maria was happy that her friend was back; Michael was happy that he was able to make her happy again.

The next week passed so quickly. Both mothers were busy packing enough clothes to last them a few weeks for the trip to California. Maria was constantly telling Michael about all the things that they would do when they got there. They made plans to see Mickey Mouse, to build sand castles, to go swimming, and to gather seashells. All the reservations that Michael had about the trip before seemed to disappear, he was actually looking forward to it now.

The day came when they were to leave. Both children were so excited. They were each allowed to bring one toy on the plane to keep them busy. Maria of course brought big bear and Michael brought some of his matchbox cars. Maria and Michael had the seats in front of their mothers that way they could talk and play. After the plane took off they both crowded around the tiny window looking at the clouds.

Maria got tired of this quickly and yawned. She was tired and wanted to go to sleep. She curled up in her seat with big bear to take a nap. She had a very busy morning. Both her and Michael were up before anyone else. They were outside on the swings dressed and ready to go. They had helped themselves to cereal already and wanted to go, but knew not to wake anyone else.

Michael looked over at Maria she had fallen asleep and was cuddled up with big bear.  He wished he wasn’t so tall that he could curl up like she did on the seat and go to sleep. He put his cars away in his box putting it in the pocket on the seat and tried to get comfortable. He got himself turned so he was facing Maria and took one of her hands in his and closed his eyes.

As the plane landed Maria and Michael woke up. They stretched and looked over the back of the seat at their mothers. They asked what seemed like a million questions all at once. They wanted to know how long till they got to the house, when they would eat, and when they could go swimming.

They went to collect the luggage and find the car that Wilton Knight was sending to pick them up. Both women, with children in tow, looked around and finally saw a driver holding a sign with Greta’s name on it. They went over to him and he quickly scooped up the bags and ushered the women and children out of the airport and into the large car.

As they drove along the two children were glued to the window looking at all the sites passing by. Greta sat back and started thinking about how things were going so far in her life. She had a beautiful daughter, great friends, and she had no real regrets. She thought about the upcoming doctors’ appointment that she had. She knew that there was something going on but didn’t want to dwell on it. She sighed and decided that nothing was going to spoil this vacation.

chapter 5