September
13, 2003
“Dumb console, broke
down again!” Patty yelled as she kicked the computer.
“It’s defiantly not
going to work if you kick, Patty.” The woman turned to see Darlita, coming into
the room.
“Maybe I could try.”
The teen said as she headed to the machine.
“I don’t know, Red
might get a little,”
“Forget him; if you
want this thing to work you have to have someone who knows how to work with
these things.” Patty watched as the cub
messed with the Color Console then watched as the computer started back up.”
“How’d you?”
“Used
to do stuff like this all the time before the Orphanage.” Not sure what to say, Patty just sat and started
doing her work.
“It’s a shame you
have to leave, it was fun having you here," I could hear Tanjia’s
voice responding, as I walked up the paths to the Color Castle. I stopped and
listened.
“I know, but I
really do miss my Mamma, Maybe she’ll let you come to our house sometimes, Io.”
I couldn’t help it I had to walk in.
“Of course I would.
Matter of fact, I’d be happy to have all you children at some point.” I told
them as my daughter ran to me, hugging me tightly. You two wanna come to the
castle with me, or did you wanna play some more?”
“I wanna be with
you, Mamma.”
“That’s fine, Tanni.” Tanjia took my hand as we
headed up the path, to a place I had spent many days
when I was younger.
From the distance I
could see Forest sitting with Chase, I could almost hear them. We stopped and
watched for a few minutes.
“Uncle,” Forest
spoke out, Chase answered,
“Dumb- Ass!” I couldn’t help it; the tears were rolling
down my face as I laughed. I couldn’t believe how she
had been sitting here with the baby doing this.
I turned to one of
my oldest, “What have they been teaching him?” I asked. Both girls went into
the story. I had to laugh; both Red and Patty have always been the type to have
something fly back at then,
“And now, Chase
thinks, that word is, Uncle Red’s name.” I smiled as the two started back up; I
turned to see Buddy walking up the path. He looked to his daughter,
“I’m not saying it
Daddy, he is. I’m just saying Uncle.” As if on cue, Chase shouted out,
“Dumb
Ass!” I laughed and picked my son up, and held him
close. As much as I enjoyed the break, I missed them all, as well as the craziness.
Together Buddy and I
walked into the main hall,
“This is better then
I remember it, Buddy!” I felt like I was
in a dream or something. Since the banning, I hadn’t been here. I looked
around, taking in everything.
“Dumb
Ass!” I turned my
attentions to see Red coming down the hall; I then corrected the child in my
arms,
“No Chase, his name
is Red, not Dumb Ass.”
“Dumb
Ass!” Chase shouted as he
reached his arms out to him.
“You're going to
call him Red, and you're not going to go to him while you're calling him Dumb
Ass.” The little boy squirmed and fought to get loose. I held tight.
“Forget it Chase
Cullen.” I told him sternly. I greeted
Red, and then headed to the console, where I knew at a few more would be.
After several moments,
Patty turned to me,
“You want to?”
I thought for a
moment, let's do it! “Let's show those kids what the two of us can really do.”
Patty and I had taken the children all outside to play water balloons while the
other adults were busy trying to get some work done.
I hadn’t played
around with Patty since forever. I hadn’t forgotten the lessons she taught that
goes with these games of her. I watched as she took one and sailed it straight
for one of my cubs. Kenya had to head straight for us. Patty got her first.
That made the child mad.
“Aze illian tachien!” She shouted as she attacked. I grabbed hold of my cub,
“Kenya Elisa, I want
you to go sit,” I pointed to the tree near by, “You know better than to talk to
anyone like that.”
Patty looked at me
puzzled.
“Trust me you don’t
want to know,”
“That bad” I nodded
in answer.
Later, I headed
inside to gather the rest of my children, I opened the door to the room that
Lightning had been in, and she had been playing with the smaller ones. I smiled as I noticed that she, Chase, and
Bliss were fast asleep together in a little corner.
“Stormy better take
that picture, you probably won’t ever see that again.” The woman nodded.
“This has been the
most interesting week I have ever had. But I’m not doing it again,”
“What Stormy,
couldn’t handle a few little children?”
“Its, not that, its just well…”
“Thought so.” I said
smiling and heading out the door before she could catch me.