Pb & J : Six

Jules runs errands with Zoe.

- Six -
Times Moon broke his leg from skateboarding.

 

Today’s the last day of school.

 

In a week we’ll all be back dreading the fact.

 

I wait on the grass hill at lunch for Addie and Moon to exchange gifts.

 

I got Addie two books.

 

One:
Guidance to Magic.

 

Two:
25 Ghost Stories to Die for.

 

I got Moon a comic book and stickers for his board.

 

Moon walks over with two red bags in his hand.

 

“Here you go.”

 

He hands me one.

 

“Merry Christmas Moon.”

 

I smile handing him his gift in a bag labeled ‘Comic Kids.’

 

He lifts the bag to his face.

 

“I wonder what’s in here.”

 

He says jokingly pointing to the label.

 

I giggle noticing Addie run to us with a bag and a rapped box.

 

“Hey!”

 

She yells to us out of breath.

 

We both wave to her.

 

“Merry Christmas.”

 

I say handing her a wrapped shoebox.

 

“Merry, merry Christmas!”

 

She says handing us ours.

 

Bag:
Mine

 

Box:
Moon’s

 

“Here’s yours.”

 

Moon says handing her the other red bag that looked identical to mine.

 

“Thank you.”

 

She saqys and we all sit down to un-bag and unwrap our gifts.

 

Moon gave:
Me a pink scarf with purple stripes.
Addie a purple scarf with pink stripes.

 

Addie gave:
Me an art set with markers, pastels, and paints.
Moon a helmet with sculls and elbow and knee pads with flames.

 

I wait for mom after school thankful for my friends and gifts this Christmas.

 

Zoë rolls past me in her car gradually and stops in front of me.

 

“Mom’s at Aunt Carla’s. Hop in.”

 

I open the car door and put my stuff in the back.

 

“Oh, come on slow poke. I have errands to run.”

 

She pushes.

 

I get in the car and she takes off so fast that I choke on the air I try to breath.

 

“Where do you have to go?”

 

I ask rolling my window up.

 

“Places.”

 

She says almost hitting the curb as she makes a right hand turn.

 

I quickly put my seatbelt on.

 

She notices and laughs.

 

“What’s wrong? You don’t trust me?”

 

“No.”

 

I say gripping on to the strap of my seatbelt.

 

She slows down and pulls up next to a small building.

 

“Stay here.”

 

She says walking out of her car.

 

I look at the odd building and she looks at me before she walks in.

 

“Don’t get any suspicions.”

 

She walks in and I wait.

 

And wait.
And wait.
And wait.

 

Lets just say that by the time she comes back out it's night fall.

 

“Mom’s going to ask questions.”

 

I warn her when we drive off.

 

“And you’ll tell her we went out for a bite.”

 

She says putting her lip gloss on at a red-light.

 

“But I can’t walk in hungry if we went out to eat already.”

 

I say hearing my stomach growl.

 

She sighs annoyed and pulls into a drive through.

 

“God, you can be so needy.”

 

“Sorry.”

 

I whisper.

 

“Welcome to Burger World! May I help you?”

 

An over excited voice says from the speaker.

 

“What do you want?”

Zoë asks me.

 

I look at the over sized menu.

 

“Cheeseburger with no pickles or unions or tomatoes with a coke.”

 

She rolled her eyes.

 

“Cheeseburger with a coke.”

 

She says and drives up to a small window.

 

“I said no pickles or-”

 

“Use your fingers.”

 

She acts like she is picking off the ingredients off of her hand.

 

“And your brain.”

 

She adds.

 

A fat young teenage boy hands Zoë a bag and a soda.

 

She hands it to me.

 

“How much?”

 

She asks him.

 

“Four seventy-five.”

 

He smiles with a mouth full of metal.

 

Zoë notices.

 

“Eww.”

 

She says almost silent but he hears her and covers his mouth with his hand.

 

She looks at me with wide eyes and shake her head.

 

“Oh, I don’t have any money.”

 

I say slowly letting her know.

 

“Oh, so you thought I was going to pay for it?”

 

She asks.

 

I lift my shoulders and she digs in her purse.

 

“Mom is so paying me back.”

 

She mumbles.

 

“Here.”

 

She hands the boy a five.

 

“Keep the change.”

 

“As a tip?”

 

He asks.

 

“You want a real tip? Take those railroad tracks off and lay off of the burgers.”

 

She says and drives off.

 

She made me eat in the car on the way home.

 

I walk in behind her and find Jonas and mom decorating the tree.

 

“I got it for free.”

 

Mom says dusting off the angle for the top of the tree.

 

“How?”

 

I ask her sitting on the couch.

 

“Well, the guy that worked there asked me on a date and-”

 

“Aww, mom you flirted your way into it?”

 

Zoë asks disgusted.

 

“Well, yeah.”

 

Mom smiles.

 

I giggle.

 

“Do you guys like it?”

 

Mom stands up and looks at it.

 

“Wendi has a twelve foot in her family room.”

 

Zoë says sipping on a soda in the kitchen.

 

“Well, this one is about six.”

 

“And I’m about bored.”

 

Zoë walks to her room.

 

“You don’t want to help with the tree Zoë?”

 

Mom follows her to her room.

 

“I rather pull out my hair.”

 

She says and closes her door in mom’s face.

 

Mom sighs and wipes her eyes.

 

“You okay mom?”

 

I ask standing up from the couch.

 

“Yeah, I just got some dust from the ornaments in my eye.”

 

She lies.

 

“Well, I could help you and Jonas.”

 

I pick up an ornament that Jonas made in school last year.

 

She nods.

 

“Okay.”

 

Jonas looks at me with big eyes.

 

“Hey, Jules if I’m missing tomorrow I’m not in the tree okay?”

 

“Okay.”

 

I smile.

Author's Note

:) Enjoy.