Chapter 13
The next day, I woke up to the sun’s rays beaming in my room. Who opened the blinds? I got up and looked in the mirror. Gosh, I hate bed hair. I looked at the clock beside my bed and noticed it was 7:30. I never wake up this early. I usually wake up at eight or nine. May as well go on and get dressed. I grabbed my towel and wash cloth and went out to the hallway. Curiously, I tapped on Shayla’s door. After not hearing her respond, I opened the door to find that she wasn’t in her bed. I heard her shower going. She must be in the shower. I shut the door and made my way to the bathroom. What is she doing up this early? I know she said she was an early riser, but I didn’t expect her to be up this early! After my shower, I got out and wrapped my towel around my waist and walked back to my room.
“Dancin’, dancin’, dancin’! Duh, duh, dum! I’m a dancin’ machine!” I heard Shayla sing. I couldn’t help but laugh as I walked back to my room and shut the door. I put on my boxers, blue jeans and a red shirt. After getting dressed, I made my bed. This will be the first time in a long time since I’ve actually taken the time to make my bed. I walked out and shut the door just as Shayla was walking out of her room. “Oh! Good morning, Michael!” She smiled.
“Good morning. You’re an early riser. I didn’t expect you tobe up this early though.” I laughed.
“I told you I like an early start.”
“You did indeed.” I nodded.
“Is your mom up?”
“Maybe. I’m not sure. I haven’t checked.”
“Well… Do you have any cereal? Like, any cookie crisp or anything?”
“Um, last time I checked, we have Fruit Loops, Graham Crackero’s and oatmeal.”
“Ooo! Graham Crackero’s are my favorite! May I have some?”
“Of course! Make yourself at home.” I followed her downstairs to the kitchen. I made myself a bowl of oatmeal as she fixed her cereal.
“Can we go out somewhere this morning?” She asked as we sat down at the breakfast nook.
“Sure. Where do you want to go?” I asked her as I put sugar in my oatmeal.
“Can we go to a park?”
“This early?”
“Well, yeah. It’s best to go to the park early in the morning. Have you ever smelled the dew on the grass? And the way the sun begins to shine is the best. I love going to the park early in the morning. As a child, my dad took my brothers and I all the time. I don’t know if he takes Mariah since he’s getting older.” She shrugged.
“Sure, we can go. I’ll be glad to take you.”
“Great! Is there a specific park that has the best view of the sun?”
“Well, there’s Angel’s Gate.”
“That sounds pretty.”
“It is. I love walking around there. We’ll go after breakfast.” I promised. “Do you want any juice?”
“Sure. I’ll take orange juice if you have it.” I got her and I a cup and poured the juice. I handed her the cup, “here you go. I noticed you’re wearing the red shorts from the photo you sent me.”
“Yeah, I am, huh?” She laughed as she looked at her shorts. “These are my favorite. Did you notice I’m wearing another Minnie Mouse shirt too?”
“Yep. You love Minnie Mouse, don’t you?”
“I really do! She’s my favorite right next to Winnie the Pooh.”
“Winnie the Pooh is cool and all, but Peter Pan never gets old.” I smirked.
“Yeah, but Winnie the Pooh is way cuter than Peter Pan.”
“Peter Pan has Never Never Land.”
“Winnie has Piglet!”
“What?” I laughed.
“I know. I had to say something.” She laughed. “I couldn’t think of anything.”
“I can tell.” I said as I got up to wash my bowl. She came over to wash her dish as well. “I’ll wash it.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. Your mom didn’t let me wash the dishes last night, so I have to do it when she’s not watching me.” She said as she rinsedher bowl and put it on the dish rack.
I put mine on the rack and washed my hands, “ready?”
“Yes, siree!”
“Let me go get my keys and I’ll be back.” I ran back up to my room to get my car keys. LaToya opened her door. Apparently, she just woke up. “Mornin’, Toy.”
“Mornin, Mike. What are you doing up so early?” She rubbed her eyes.
“Shayla and I are going to the park.”
“This early?” She made a face.
“Yup.”
“Oh, well, I hope you all have fun. Did y’all eat?”
“Just got finished.”
“That’s good. Well, I guess I’ll see you all later then, huh?”
“Yep. See you later!” I kissed her cheek before I went back downstairs to Shayla. “Shayla?”
“I’m in here!” She called from the living room. I made my way to her to find her looking at the pictures on the walls. “Your parents sure do take a lot of pictures.” She said as she looked a picture of my brothers and me.
“Don’t all parents?” I laughed.
“Yeah… My dad takes tons of pictures. We have boxes and boxes of pictures in the attic. He hasn’t even developed some pictures.”
“Well, he’s got my parents beat. All of our photos are developed.” I laughed.
“Yeah. We have an okay amount on the walls. My parents send a lot of photos to my aunts and uncles.”
“My parents send photos as well.”
“Michael, you grew up so fast! I remember watching you on the Ed Sullivan Show! My favorite part was when you sand ‘Who’s Lovin’ You?’ and you were like, ‘I gave her my cookies!’ That was too cute! How old were you then? I had to be at least nine or ten.”
“Um, around ten or eleven. I practiced that line a lot.” I looked at the photo of me singing on the Ed Sullivan Show as well. Wow, that was about nine and ten years ago. Time sure does fly.
“My mother said you did way better than Smokey Robinson.”
“Now, you’re yankin’ my chain!” I laughed. “No, but a lot of people have told me that. Even Smokey himself. But are you ready to head out?”
“Yeah. Hopefully, we can still catch the morning dew on the grass.” She said as I opened the front door for her. I locked the door and led her to my car. Once we got in, all Shayla could do was compliment my car. “This car is nice!” She said as she looked in the back. She’s so curious just like me. I love it.