The voice was musical and sounded like chimes tingling gently in the wind. “Rose, Rose! Over here!” It called. I whipped around. No one was there. I looked left and right. No one. I looked down at the concrete and up to the sky. No one.
“Ew, get away!” Michelle shouted, waving her head wildly at a flying bug. “Annoying bug,” Michelle murmured. We walked the rest of the way. By the time I got home, I was quite convinced I just made the voice up. After all, it didn’t sound like Michelle or Ricky heard it either.
I closed the door quietly behind me and walked to the kitchen. On the island, there stood a plate full of apple wedges. Kara was standing behind them, a pen in her right hand, scribbling something down on a notepad.
“Hey, Michelle, Ricky and Rose!” Kara said enthusiastically, waving her free arm.
“Kara!” Michelle replied, running to her. Michelle and Kara have also been very close to each other. I guessed it was the fact they were both orphans that made them stick together so well. Michelle wrapped her petite arms around Kara’s waist and hugged her tightly.
“How was your first day of school?” Kara asked kindly, pushing the plate closer to us.
“It was fantastic! Wasn’t it, Ricky?” She said this through a mouthful of apples.
Ricky just nodded and shoved an apple slice into his mouth.
“How was your’s, Rose?”
I froze with my hand wrapped around an apple, inches from my mouth. I swallowed and put the apple down. How was I supposed to answer? Tell the truth? Or lie? Telling the truth would obviously be better—Kara could help me. But I didn’t want to say it in front of Michelle and Ricky. Kara stared at me, her elegant face screwed up in a confused expression.
“Um, it was…okay.” This wasn’t a lie, and it was partly true. My day wasn’t that bad. I saw Kara’s eyes flicker with confusion before she understood. She nodded once and I knew she would give me some advice when we had time.
I didn’t hear the voice anymore the rest of the day and I was sure I made it up. I finished my essay a few hours later when I heard the garage door open. There was a loud bang that followed and I knew my mom was home.
She checked on Michelle and Ricky’s homework first, to make sure they knew what they were doing. She was clanging around in the kitchen when I walked downstairs.
“Hey, Rose. How was school?” She asked as she stirred some soup. She put the spoon down and wiped her hands on the white apron she was wearing and walked over by me.
I didn’t reply to her question and just asked, “Can I help you with anything?”
“Yes, you can. But first, I want to know how school went.” This was how my mom was. If I didn’t tell her about something, she would just keep asking me about it until I answered.
“It was okay.” There was nothing else to say.
“Just okay?” She seemed surprised by my answer. Maybe she expected school to go better for me, although it never did, not even when we lived in Kansas.
“Just okay.” I answered. “So, what can I help you with?” I asked in a lighter tone.
“Um, well…the vegetables need to be cut and the meat needs to be seasoned. You know the recipe right?” I nodded. “Okay, well wash your hands and get started. Dad will be home soon.”
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