ONE | ROSALIE
1122 Words
"Rosie, get up!"
I groaned and rolled over as I pulled my pillow over my ears. "It's too early," I complained.
I felt Chris nudge me softly. "Rosie? You ok?"
I sighed and rolled back over. My uncle Chris, who was actually only about 2 years older than me, was hovering over me with a silly grin on his round face. "You ok!" he exclaimed and raised his hands in the air.
"Of course I'm ok, goof," I said, and nudged him with my bare foot.
He kneeled down and stared at me. "Time get up," he said seriously. He pointed at his wrist.
I sighed again and pushed my unruly curls out of my face. "Ok, buddy," I said as I pushed the covers off. I sat up and bent over to stretch my back.
Chris grinned and stood up, and I nearly choked when I saw what he was wearing. "Chris," I moaned. "Did you dress yourself this morning?"
"Yup!" he chirped. He twirled around, stumbling a little before he caught himself. "Like it?" He was dressed in daddy's old plaid golf pants and an orange muscle shirt. He had tucked the pants into a pair of cowboy boots and tied a green towel around his shoulders as a cape. I giggled as he jumped into a superhero pose.
"I love it!" I gushed. "It's great for around the house." I stopped and gave him a serious look. "But it's not great for school."
His face fell. "Really?" he moaned.
I nodded. "Really." I stood up and stretched. My lanky arms nearly brushed the low ceiling of my attic bedroom, which had been a present from momma and daddy on my 18th birthday. I was looking forward to the privacy when they showed it to me. I should have known privacy was not a commodity I could look forward to with my uncle living with us.
Momma's parents had died a few years ago in a car accident on the Loop when I was 15. Chris had been a surprise baby for them - he had been born when granny was in her late forties. They had named momma and daddy as Uncle Chris's caregivers, so he had moved in with us after they died. I loved him like crazy, but there were sometimes I just wanted to flush him down the toilet, like this morning. He had no concept of privacy or personal space, which usually wasn't a problem, but today, I just had wanted to sleep in a little. I glanced at the alarm clock on my bedside table and rolled my eyes. 6:05AM. Just like clockwork.
I held my hand out. "C'mon buddy. Let's get you dressed in something that works for school. Then we can have breakfast and you can hang out with daddy while I get ready, ok?"
He nodded happily. "Ok!"
~*~
I smiled as Chris munched on the corn flakes in his cereal bowl. Operation school clothes had been successful - he was now dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. We had compromised on the boots. "Daddy, I'm going upstairs to shower," I said.
The old staircase creaked and cracked as momma came downstairs. Daddy leaned down and brushed my head with a quick kiss. "Ok, Flower," he said. Momma came into the kitchen, yawning loudly. Daddy blew momma a kiss and grabbed his messenger bag. She waved tiredly at him. "Don't be too long, Rosie" she yawned again. "You can't be tardy again."
I started up the stairs to my room. "Oh, don't forget, I have a game tonight!" I called.
"I know. We'll be there," daddy called back. I heard the screen door slam. "See ya later, alligator!"
"After a while, crocodile!" I yelled. I grinned and took the stairs two at a time up to my bathroom. After clipping my curls on the top of my head, I showered as quickly as I could, and wrapped myself in my fluffy towel. I pulled my unruly hair into a messy bun and put on the bare minimum of makeup. As I stepped out of the bathroom still in my towel, I nearly tripped over Chris, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the door.
"Chris!" I yelped.
"Chris, get down here! Lord help me!" momma yelled from downstairs.
He sighed and stood up. He was a lot shorter than me. The top of his head only came up to my shoulders, but his shoulders were nearly twice as wide as mine. "Guess I better go downstairs," he whispered.
I glared at him for a second, then shook my head and smiled. "I'm almost ready buddy. 10 minutes."
He grinned back. "Ok. 10 minutes." He turned toward the stairs and shuffled down one at a time. "Anne," he hollered down the stairs. "10 minutes on the clock!"
I grimaced. He'd hold me to that, too.
15 minutes later, I barreled down the stairs. I had dressed in skinny jeans and a baggy sweatshirt for school. "I'm sorry, Chris!" I apologized.
He was sitting at the kitchen table, frowning. Momma shrugged. "You told him 10 minutes."
I looked at her helplessly. She shook her head as she wiped the kitchen counter. "Go ahead," she said, gesturing towards my uncle.
Sighing, I kneeled down in front of Chris.
"Hey," I whispered.
He looked away. "You said 10 minutes," he complained.
"I know," I said. "I'm sorry. I couldn't find my shoes."
He glanced at me. "You said 10 minutes."
I pressed my lips together. "You're right, I did. But I had to find my shoes. Did you want me to go to school barefoot?"
He grimaced. "No."
"So, am I forgiven?" I asked.
He nodded and stood up. "Hug?" he asked.
I stood up and wrapped my arms around him. "Of course."
He squeezed back, nearly taking my breath away. "Not so hard!" I wheezed.
He pulled back and smiled. "Time for school!" He grabbed his bag off the back of the kitchen chair and headed toward the screen door. I marveled at his quick attitude change as always, wishing I could do the same.
"Hold on," momma said. She went over to him and hugged him quickly. "You listen to Ms. Jackson today, ok?" She tapped her ear.
He nodded enthusiastically. "I'll listen. Promise."
She held up her pinky. "Pinky promise?"
He wrapped his thick pinky around her long, thin one. "Pinky promise!"
I gathered my books and gave my mom a one-armed hug. "Love you, momma," I said.
"You too, Flower," she said.
"Ugh!" I grimaced as I pushed Chris toward the door. "I'm not 10 anymore!"
Momma shrugged again and grinned. "And?"
"Fine," I complained. "Let's go, buddy."
- Writer
