THE HIDDEN ENEMY

Chapter 6

A Day Full of Excitement

I don't know when I doze off but on Sunday morning by 5 a.m, I felt someone beside me, Janet was already up because of the excitement of our journey to the Amusement Park and the Zoo. I was still enjoying my see and didn't expect to be woken up so early since it was a Sunday morning and not a school day, so there was no reason for me to get up early from my bed.

When she came knocking at my door, though I didn't hear her knock, without waiting for me to respond to her knocking she enter the room and jump on my bed and then started shaking my hand trying to wake me up, I wonder what could have woken her up so early this morning.

"Big sis, wake up, wake up, time to start preparing for the park or are we not going to the Amusement Park and the zoo today again?"

She questioned while still bent on waking me up. She continued to shake my hand, I groan as she continue in her attempt to wake me up, I try to respond to her while my eyes are still closed, I wonder why little kids are always like this, ever so eager to go for an outing. Now I know why she got up so early, but it was too early.

"Janet, what time is it?"

I inquired while using my pillow to wrap my face so I can go back to sleep without having to open my eyes.

"It is 5 am and you know we need to bathe, and then prepare breakfast before going."

"Are you kidding me, 5 am and not even 6 am." I glared at her in shock as I took her hands and pull her into the bed and explain to her that it was still early.

"Janet, it's still dark and early outside, we can still make it to the park If we sleep for two more hours, so please join me in bed and sleep for some time."

I told her while I got back to my beauty sleep but you know how it is with children, it's never wrong for them to disturb your sleep especially when it has to do with going out to have fun. I have been in such a situation before when I was young I always ends up not sleeping whenever my dad promised to take me on an adventure.

"But Antonia will be coming by 8 am, how are we going to be ready by the time she comes to pick us up?"

She refuses to give up on her idea of us getting up early because of the excitement she was feeling within her due to our proposed visits to both the park and the zoo.

"This is Sunday and traffic will be less today. Antonia knows she will have to wait for us, moreover, you know she will eat with us before we step out of the park. There is no need for this excitement as visiting these doesn't require stress, you don't need to disturb your sleep and if you don't go back to sleep I will not buy you ice cream as I promise you. Remember, dad and mum, don't like you having ice cream, I only want to buy it for you because you have been good in the past week. So just go to sleep."

I threaten her with the things I know she loves so much, ice cream and I am sure this is going to work because she kept quiet but not without showing her disapproval of my threat

"Big sis, you know sometimes you can be very mean."

I don't need to respond to her because my threat worked and I get to go back to sleep again. Janet too went back to sleep when she saw that I didn't respond to her.

we slept for an hour and a half hour before my bedside alarm went off to wake me up, so I quickly step into the bathroom to brush my teeth and then took my bath. Getting out of the bathroom with my towel tied around me, I met Janet sitting in my bed and wide awake, I quickly cleaned and creamed my body, took out jean shorts and a t-shirt and put them on.

"Janet, come with me, Let's go to your room so that you can clean up, then we go downstairs to get our breakfast ready."

I say to her, she immediately got down from the bed and followed me into her room to get cleaned up. I took her into the bathroom and gave her a toothbrush with toothpaste laced on it to brush her teeth while I watched to ensure she does it well. After brushing, I watch and made sure she cleaned herself properly, I gave a towel to her which she used to dry her body and then she creamed her body.

I then went into her closet to pick out jeans and a t-shirt and gave her to wear for today's outing.

"Big sis, can I put on my new dress today?"

You see Janet is a fashion freak and loves trying out new wears. I know she was going to ask for the dress Antonia and I pick out for her when we went shopping yesterday.

"No, you can't because we are going to the park, that dress is not suitable for the park because you won't be able to enjoy yourself if you wear a dress to the park.

I know she won't be satisfied with my reply to her and will want to argue out her question.

"It will not disturb me from enjoying my visit to the park. I want to look pretty, please let me wear the new dress."

How do I make her understand that a dress will not be convenient for her to wear? An idea popped into my head

"You see Janet if you go wearing the dress and it gets stuck in one of the fun machines in the park and gets torn down, that dress will be torn and you won't be able to wear it again. Now, do you understand why I said you can't wear them to the park? Or do you want it torn?"

I kindly explain to her and she agreed but not without a question because I know she will want to know when she gets to wear the dress.

"Okay, but when will I get to wear it?" I knew it! that she will not give up until she gets an answer, you taking care of kids can be very tiresome.

"Don't worry you know Mary will soon be having her birthday party, that is when you will get to wear the dress."

Mary is my cousin who is the same age as her and her birthday is next month.

"Alright, when is her birthday?" Trust her, I mentally facepalm myself as she raises her question again, she will not let me be until she gets to know when there will be an opportunity for her to wear her new dress before she can let me off the hook.

"Next month," I say to her and hope she will be satisfied with my answer

"When will it be next month?" She asked again and I know I need to be patient with her

"The second week of next month," I responded and continue to tie her hair in a ponytail

"What day, next month?" I hear her ask again

"Jenny why all these questions?" I asked her as I was getting frustrated with her questioning.

"I want to start counting, so I get to know when I get to wear my new dress." She says innocently.

Janet will continue to probe me until she gets satisfied.

"I know you will not let me be until I give you the answer you want. On the 10th of next month."

By the time it was 10 minutes past 8 am, Antonia arrive at our house as we agreed to meet. Janet quickly went to meet her at the parking lot.

Janet: Welcome, Tonia. I thought you won't be going with us again when I checked the clock it was 10 minutes past 8 so I decided to eat my breakfast.

Janet chatted away with Antonia as she came out of her car. You see Antonia loves eating in our house, anytime she comes over for an outing.

"So you didn't wait for me before having breakfast, I am going back home to have my breakfast, I think you did not want to eat with me that is why you are giving an excuse. I am not going to the park again."

Antonia said to Janet while faking to be angry at her, she then turns to leave but Janet who does not want to miss out on the fun of going for the outing quickly ran up to her and held her right hand pleading with her

"Please don't be annoyed, you see, Tonia, big sis prepared a new meal that I have not tasted before and it smelled delicious. I waited ten minutes for you to come but I didn't see you and I was hungry so I ate my breakfast. I will buy you ice cream when we get to the park, please don't go."

Janet tearfully begged her not to go. I stood there watching both of them as they spoke and Antonia winked at me which made me chuckle.

"If you go you won't get to taste the new menu I came across online and decided to prepare as a special thank meal for you."

"Hope you are not saying that to make me change my mind about going to my house because I am seriously angry now."

Antonia continues in the act of taunting my poor sister who is now on the verge of losing hope of going to the park. She loves so sad that I feel sorry for her but I know Tonia was only pulling her legs

"Have I ever deceived you? Why not come inside and give it a try?"

I told her as I try to be a peacemaker between both of them.

"Yes come in and try the food, it is very delicious."

Janet said while dragging Antonia by the hand to come in.

Okay let me give it a try to see if it's good like you said and maybe it might change my mind about going home

I went in and gave Antonia some serving of the food and stood aside to see her reaction.

"So what is the name of this special meal of us that you speak so highly of?"

Antonia asked me as she sat down to eat.

"Avocado and Bacon Omelette, spinach mushroom Strata, French toast with banana and maple syrup. I can across it on tv."

"My mouth is already salivating, let me dig into it."

"Taste it and you will understand why I couldn't wait for you to come," Jenny says like a good host

Antonia took a few tastes of the food and the next second all I heard coming from Antonia was very funny and I couldn't help but laugh at her show of enjoyment for the food she was eating.

"Hmmmmmm! This is indeed heavenly" I heard her say

She sighed as she continues to try out the meals, she closed her eyes as she savours the flavour of the food in front of her and did not know when she moans in the enjoyment of the meal before her.

"Girl you rock, thank you for all of this."

Antonia hummed as she was busy chewing, Janet and I couldn't help but laugh at her show of satisfaction with the food.

After every one of us has had our breakfast, we step out for the zoo first as we planned to visit the zoo first because it won't be too stressful.

Antonia led the way into the entrance of the zoo when we got out of her car.

There were so many people here and everyone was going from one place to another, there are souvenirs and food stalls on the side which the entrance even busier and like the Jenny! I know buying new things is her hobby. Immediately she sighted the souvenirs stall, she rushes over and the call out to me.

" Sis, come over, can I have that cap, the comic book and that animal bag over there?" She demanded.

" Jenny, you are only going to get the cap, nothing else and that is it or nothing," I say to her because I know I have to be strict with her.

" But sis I like that bag and the comic book." She pouts at me but that is not going to work on me today because I won't let her make me spend more and I don't have to give in to her every demand.

" Do you still want to visit the park or we spend all the money on me for everything you want?" I asked her and I can see that it worked. Antonia stood aside and watch the drama between my sister and me and didn't say anything because she knows how it is with my sister.

" I still want to go, Sis, I will buy only the cap then." She says in agreement.

" That is good to hear, pick the pink cap and let's go inside," I said as I paid for the cap and we head inside.

We first went to see the zebra and I can see that Jenny was very fascinated with the animals, to add to the fun I took a handful of grass and gave it to Jenny to feed the zebras, she look up at me and smiled.

" So I get to feed them? This is so exciting, thank you, sis." She says and I can see that she was truly happy. I also gave some to Tonia who has already started patting the zebras on their heads, she collected the grass and fed them.

" Wow!, sis, this is fun, it's eating it," Jenny says as she fed another zebra. We continue for a few minutes before we went to see the tigers and lions. I watched as Jenny's eyes were fixed on the wild animals as if watching every moves the animals were making, she held the grills as her eyes were on the tiger cubs that were running and playing around their mother.

" The tiger cubs are so cute," she mumbles, "how I wish I can have one as a pet." Antonia and I could not hold back our laughter at her show of affection. But we made her understand that it required a lot of things for someone to keep a wild animal as a pet.

Our tour took.us to the snakes where various snakes were on display, we also saw the phyton and some other poisonous snakes too like the black amber. We went to the bird's cage too where we also saw various birds, like the patriot, pigeon, Eagles, hawks and so on.

We spent two hours at the zoo before we head for the parks.

When we the park we went to get the tickets for all the rides and then head forward to enjoy the ride.

My eyes popped out when I saw the kind of ride she was excited to get in line for, I was shocked she appointing at the roller coaster, swing rides, pendulum ride, gravity ride, jungle log jam, carouse ride, flying fiesta and other extreme rides that can give a person a heart attack. These are rides I never expect she will be interested in. I never knew my sister too would be interested in such a ride but I was surprised to see her standing behind Antonia waiting in excitement while on the other hand, I was already pissing in my pants, you see I am afraid of heights.

"Hey, hey wait for a minute!"

I shouted to get their attention but Antonia was not giving me room for that

"Wait what?!"

She turns to see my pale face, she couldn't stop herself from bursting into a suppressed giggle and I glare at her.

"What's wrong? Are you a scared baby? See your sister is eager to try it while you are shaking already like a scared cat.

Antonia mocked me while Janet burst into a laugh.

"Can't we try something.....less extreme? I know both of you like adventure but please consider me for a bit. I am not as strong-hearted as you both who like an adventure. Do you want me to start with a ride going painstakingly slow up to deep down forty-metre height?

I exclaimed to her, I believe every exercise should start with proper stretching.

"There is no way you are getting out of this today?" I heard her say to me. I know I am not going to get out of this safe