Bonnie and Anna

*Let’s see if I can continue to write from the perspective of a six year old’s language level and thought processes……..

Bonnie

For me it didn’t really matter whether it was summer or not.  Every day was all the same for me.  The only difference is the warmer weather which means we can play outside more and swim in the ocean.

My life isn’t boring.  I’ve gotten really good at playing by myself. Anna used to play with me, but lately learning has become more important to her. It’s okay cause I have all kinds of stories in my head I like to act out, and sometimes I play the same stories over, just change the endings.  But then Alexander came to me one day and asked if he could play.

I didn’t really know Alexander till that day.  He is always with his animals and never really talks.  He’s always quiet at the dinner table or off my himself.  I did learn that he is a lot of fun and his imagination is as big as mine.  Once I started playing with him, Anna started playing with us too and then my summer became a lot more fun.

But even I like time alone and I feel it is also important to help mom around the house.  There is a lot of people she has to take care of and she never gets any time to have fun.

  So I started helping her with the laundry, and cleaning and she is teaching me how to cook!  She said soon I can start cooking on the big stove!

I’ve also begun learning how to play the guitar.I wanted to learn so I could play with Alexander when he is on the piano or the violin.  His violin skill is really coming along and I think the guitar will sound really good with it.  I have found the guitar to be really easy to master (that is dad’s word) and according to him I am zipping right through it.  He thinks I should learn the piano next, but looking at all those keys makes me dizzy so no way.

My summer was going really well………..until those people on the beach showed up!  I wish they hadn’t come because now they have ruined my perfect summer.  Everyone is in a bad mood, especially dad and we can’t go outside to play.  I’m worried something is really wrong and I don’t understand why people keep trying to get on the island to take pictures of us.  I hate seeing my dad so angry and getting into fights with trespassers.That is what he calls them.  He says it means someone is on our island and they don’t have permission to be there.  So now I am very nervous too.

Anna

**Just a reminder, Anna has the genius trait.

The moment summer began, everything went wrong.  Mom and dad declared the summer a “no learning” time;  a time to have fun and enjoy the warm weather and sun.  I hate summer.  I WANT to keep learning thank you very much and I don’t need to take a break and have “fun”.

Well, there is always one way or another around a problem, or in this case a problem rule.  I would wait until mom and dad were busy with something, and then sneak out to the skills room to try and catch up with some work.I will admit, a few times I got caught and no amount of pleading swayed her into letting me stay.

“Shoo!”  she would say and when I begged she became more firm, “GO!”  After that mom has been more diligent in keeping track of me and well they also locked the door.  So I decided to play along and make her think I was being good.  But really all I am doing is biding my time till I can implement a better plan.  Regardless I am certain it’s going to be a very long summer!

However, I did find a book club offer on the tv and quickly wrote down the details for dad.  It’s for adults mind you, but I am hoping to be able to get my hands on some university level books.  Dad is so distracted with everything going on, that he allowed me to get it, no questions asked. Didn’t even bat an eye at the cost!  So at least I can be productive by reading.  Crossing my fingers I get something good! 

One day I was reading an astronomy book when mom interrupted me to ask if I could come outside with her.  I couldn’t help it but my first thought was, really?  Do I have to?  With a sigh, I stuck my book mark into the spine and jumped down off my bed to follow her.  She took me to the swing set and said we needed to talk.  I tried to listen I really did, but I started swinging and then only listened with half an ear.

She didn’t like me being alone all the time, blah blah blah.  She felt it would be good for me to play with my sisters and brother, yada yada.    She knew I was upset about the no learning thing, but family time was important too and we all wanted to have a good summer.  I stopped swinging then.  Mom had a point and now I could formulate new plans.

“Okay mom,” I said.  “I will try,” then flashed her a smile.

“Oh, Oh…kay,” she replied with a confused look.  I’m sure she thought I wouldn’t be so compliant and I’m sure she had a whole speech ready as well.  I had thrown her off balance and she was now trying to figure out what was going on in my mind.  If only she knew!

So I played along to make her and dad happy.  I played with Alexander and Bonnie in anything they wanted to do.Don’t get me wrong though, it was fun, but in the back of my mind I’m always thinking of things I wish I was learning or trying out.  I always feel this drive to be doing more, accomplishing more than just regular kid stuff.

So when the whole trespasser thing happened, I was really happy!  Until I found out I couldn’t go to the skills lab.

“It’s ten feet away from the back of the house!”  I yelled at my father.  “What will happen to me in that amount of steps?”

“Anna, there is plenty of things to do in the house,” he replied.

“Like what,” I shot back at him.  “Stand for hours watching them play their instruments or sit on the couch staring mindlessly at a tv?”

“You could try learning an instrument yourself .  I hear that is great for the logical processes of the brain.”

“I DON’T WANT TO LEARN MUSIC!” I said with a stomp of my foot. “I want to go to the skills lab and work on botanical specimens!”

“Which can wait till things calm down.  How about we play chess?”

I huffed and puffed.  “Fine!”

A few weeks passed and we were lucky not to have any more “visitors” on the island, which led to dad relaxing the rules just a bit.  I of course took full advantage of that, but I still hadn’t found the key for the skills lab door.  So early in the morning while mom and dad were playing some sort of loud game in their bedroom, Bonnie, Alexander and I tip-toed out of the house and ran up to the lighthouse.  It felt so good to be free!  We sat down on the other side, so we couldn’t be seen from the house.

Bonnie was the first to fold of course.

“I don’t know if this is such a good idea.  Maybe we should go back.”

“We will, but let’s just hang out first for a while,” I said trying to calm her.

“Maybe she is right,” Alexander chimed in.  “What if we get caught?”

“Look, mom and dad will be in their bedroom for at least another hour.  That is usually how long it takes them when they are doing, whatever they are doing,” I replied.

“It sounds kinda weird when they do that.  Almost like mom is in pain,” said Bonnie.  Alexander nodded his head with wide eyes.

“Forget it, okay.  Let’s talk about something else.”

After a moment of silence Alexander finally said “I’m worried.  Something is going on that we don’t know about.  There is a secret in the house. “

“He is right.  I’m worried too,” Bonnie replied.

“I think it has something to do with Auntie Jade.  I’ve heard dad say her name a few times during one of his angry phone calls,” I told them.

“Daddy is mad at Auntie Jade?” Bonnie cried.

“No not at her, but she is definitely involved,” I replied.

“We should get back,” Alexander said.  “I don’t want to push it.”

“We have plenty of time,” I said in frustration.  It’s so good to be out of the house!”

“I want to go back too,” said the eternal follower Bonnie always was.

Turns out we were too late anyway.  Just as we were sneaking through the back door, mom and dad were exiting their bedroom.They did not look too pleased, although I am not sure what emotion dad was exactly conveying at the moment.

I began to stutter, trying to come up with a good excuse why we were all outside.

“Busted!” was all mom said to us.  Then dad seemed to come out of his state and yelled, “Go to your room.”

As we were running up the stairs dad added, “And Anna, since you were probably the ring leader in this, you get to think the longest.  I expect a good explanation when I call you down.”

Well crap!

Sitting on my bed not thinking about my explanation, but considering life as it is now, Bonnie and Alexander came to mind.My time with them this summer has done one thing for sure; I have a better understanding for two of my siblings.  Bonnie for example is very sweet, but she isn’t very smart and lives in her own fantasy world pretty much most of the time.I try to talk to her about the stuff I am learning but she doesn’t understand what I am saying.  Not that I expect anyone in the house will understand really.  Well, maybe Alexander.  He is a sports guy and he loves his animals, but I found out he is pretty smart.  Almost beat me at chess a few times and that says something for sure.  I was thinking that maybe someday he would make a good veterinarian.

Bella?  She is a completely different story.  But I will let her speak for herself and you can decide.  If you figure her out, can you let me in on the secret?

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I enjoyed writing this chapter simply because the pics I managed to grab were so fun!  Like Sun and Jin coming out of the bedroom and the kids getting caught coming back in the house.  All great EA reactions I managed to catch with a pic!  Jin keeps telling off the papps and honestly I don’t blame him as they are starting to annoy me a lot as well.

Next chapter we hear from Travis.  I feel it’s about time he had a voice again.  See you soon!