The Next Chapter by A. P. Merrill

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Giddy
Chapter 2: Go Time
Chapter 3: Tradition
Chapter 4: Poppin' Friends
Chapter 5: Crash & Burn


CHAPTER ONE: Giddy

It's 7:20 a.m. and 10 minutes before the alarm should go off when The boys dart through their mom's bedroom door. Both of them are giddy with anticipation. It's the first day of school. Each of them are already dressed in their carefully picked out "first day of school clothes." Luke is wearing a Diary of a Wimpy Kid t-shirt, cargo jeans, gym shoes, a sporty Swiss backpack and a plaid lunch box. His excitement is more than he can bare and he can't stop giggling. First grade will never know what hit 'em!

Isaac is wearing what he thinks is an awesome solar t-shirt, tan cargo shorts that he still can't decide if he likes the color of, skater shoes, a non-digital watch (per teachers request) and a highly sought after Messenger Bag. He's feeling good about himself and can't wait to see what 3rd grade has in store for him.

While scarfing down his pancake Isaac asks, "Mom?"
"What Sweet Pea?
"You don't have to walk me to my class. I know where it's at," he confidently states.
Mom sadly replies, "Are you sure?"
And then thinking she's being sneaky she says, "Because I don't know where it's at and I don't know what your teacher looks like. I'd really like to check it all out."
"No, I'm sure. I want to go in by myself," he says.
And then thinking he's quite clever himself he adds, "Besides, you have to take Luke to his class, and his room is in a whole different building. I don't want you to have to walk all over the place with Maya and Rocky."
"That's sweet of you. I guess that's alright, if that's what you really want."


CHAPTER 2: GO TIME

8:40 has finally come (the soonest Mom would take the kids to school) and the boys are in the car ready to finally get the show on the road. Isaac's still blabbering on and on about not being walked to his class while Luke still can't stop his giggling. Mom finds a parking spot, takes a quick picture of her boys together before they separate, and then gives Isaac a hug and a good luck farewell. It is now GO TIME! But what's this? Mom senses a little hesitation in Isaac.

"Do you want me to walk you to the front doors?"
"Sure, Mom."

As the three of them get to the front doors Isaac turns to his moms and says, "I guess if you want to come see my classroom that's okay with me." Mom proudly smiles, gives a fist pump in her mind, and gladly walks into the 3-6 Elementary building accompanying her 3rd Grade, almost independent, son.

The next stop is the K-2 Building. At this point Luke can't control his giggling. Mom is loving every second of it. What she loves more than anything though, is the fact that her 1st grader still wants to hold her hand. She knows all too well how soon something as precious as that can disappear.

"Mom, I want to make a lot of friends this year," giggles Luke.
"That sounds great Lou Lou."
"Mom, I can't believe that I get to eat lunch at school," giggles Luke.
"Me either Big Guy."
"Mom, where am I suppose to meet Isaac after school," giggles Luke.
"By that stop sign Sweety."
"Mom, thanks for breakfast this morning," giggles Luke.
"It's my pleasure Bonesie."
"Mom, I'm going to meet Brooksie by the monkey bars at recess," giggles Luke.
"Good idea Brigade."
"Mom..."
"We're here Lou. Let's go find your desk."
(giggle, giggle, giggle goes Luke)

School is everything both of them hoped it would be. Isaac's favorite part is learning how to write his name in cursive and Luke's favorite part is eating lunch. Day one of school is now under their belt.


CHAPTER 3: TRADITION

As school ends Isaac and Luke meet at the designated stop sign and head to Grandma Mike's. Before too long they meet up with their cousins who also are headed that way. Ever since their Great Grandpa Poll passed away, they made a tradition of visiting their Grandma so she doesn't get lonely. Anyone within ear shot of Grandma Mike hears of how much she looks forward to and loves this tradition. This year Grandma Mike loses one grandkid to Jr. High, but gains 2 grandkids who had morning kindergarten last year.

After getting their traditional after school snacks from Grandma, all the kids race their way over to Grandpa Poll's house next door. It is here that they wait for the moms to pick them up. As Mom watches the kids squeeze in as much play as they can before it's time to go home, she can't help but shed a few tears. She hadn't cried all day long. She had seen many moms crying when they dropped their kids off at school, but this wasn't a sad thing to her. She was too happy from seeing the happiness of her kids from this exciting day. But seeing the bond of friendship this bunch of cousins has made, it brings her to tears.

CHAPTER 4: POPPIN' FRIENDS

When the boys walk through the door, their mouths move a mile a minute telling of all the fun they had that day. Mom takes it all in because she knows all too well that this much excitement about school doesn't last long.

"Who did you guys play with at recess," inquires Mom?"
"Of course I played with Kellan mom," Isaac says matter of factly.
"I couldn't believe that I actually found Brooks," says Luke excitedly!"
Mom asks, "So did you guys meet any new friends."
Both of them look at each other and reply, "No."

This gets the wheels turning in Mom's head. That night for FHE she plans a special lesson. She blew up 3 balloons, put faces on them, and wrote up a vague description of each of them. Balloon man #1 is shy and doesn't have many friends. Balloon man #2 doesn't do well in school and is always getting bad grades. And Balloon girl #3 talks too much so nobody really listens to her. But when the kids popped their balloon friends, inside was a deeper description of them. When you get to know each of them they are funny, or athletic, or lonely. Mom literally sees the light bulb go off in each of their heads. And each of them vow to make or get to know at least one new friend by the end of the week.


CHAPTER 5: CRASH AND BURN

There's a half an hour left until the new school time bed time. The boys, along with their soon to be preschool going sister, are on the trampoline enjoying the night. Mom is upstairs folding laundry when all of a sudden she hears a blood curdling scream coming from Maya. Mom knows immediately this isn't an everyday cry, it's a "something is seriously wrong" scream. She runs downstairs to see her daughter lying on the couch after Dad had to go get her from the tramp.

"What happened Precious?"
Scream, Cry, Sniff..... "Isaac jumped high and I fell," Maya barely whimpers out.
"Fell on the ground?!!"
"No, on my leg."
"I know you hurt your leg, but did you land on the ground?"
"No, I landed on the tramp."
"Show me where it hurts Sweety."
Maya points to her shin, then her ankle, then her calf, then her knee.
"Okay, just lay here and see if it starts to feel better."

After a long, restless night, Mom takes Maya to the doctor for an x-ray early the next morning. Nothing is found but a small "abnormality" around her ankle. The nurses put a splint on it, told Mom to carry Maya wherever she needs to go for the next 2 days, and sends them out the door with only the instructions to call in two days for more extensive radiology results.

Just when Mom thought the next chapter of her life was going to be smooth sailing, she is given a subtle message from The Divine that life is just not that way. Mom is realizing her reactions to the crash and burns are more important than the actual accident itself. A light bulb now above her own head goes off.