Rosa trying to be thoughtful

“You know what daddy, it’s nice when they think about me, without me having to remind them to think about me.”

George smiled behind the newspaper he was reading. Rosa had recently returned from school and was sitting next to him on a lounge chair with her eyes closed, soaking up some sun. It was quiet.

Melody and Herman the hermit crab, were fast asleep under the nest in the shade worn out by another marathon pickleball game. Sybil was inside the nest looking up something on the internet to do with the latest Paris fashion show. Timmy was in his room trying to clean up the disaster from his latest experiment resulting in pieces of his Lego set all over the ceiling and walls. Julia was where she always was at that time of the day, in the kitchen deciding what to make for dinner, while Brenda was fast asleep in her crib with Wicket the cricket perched on her pillow reading the label on Brenda’s diaper package. All in all, it was a nice quiet afternoon on North Topsail Beach in the middle of a very warm summer’s day.

George was going to reply to Rosa’s statement, but when he looked over at her he saw that she had her eyes closed, so he decided to wait believing she may have fallen asleep. Rosa, however, didn’t wait.

“Did you hear what I said daddy?”

“Yes, Rosa,” replied George kicking himself for allowing his brain to overrule his instincts. His instincts were always the better part of his personality. He paused for a second trying to decide whether to lecture Rosa about what happens when she thinks of others, or just to let it go at that. He finally chose a path. “Yes Rosa, I think it’s wonderful that you think that way as well. I think that if everyone thought about the other person, then things in life would go more smoothly.” George, as usual had miscalculated.

“No daddy,” Rosa sat up in the lounge chair and shaded her eyes. “No daddy, I’m talking about me and Julia, not about the world.”

“Oh, I see,” George desperately needed to get back to the article he was engrossed in, which was about the turtle sanctuary and their latest addition. “You mean when I asked you to ask Julia nicely if she could make you shrimp for dinner.”

“Ya,” she replied, “and she had already made it. See, it was nice of her to think of me, before I told her to think of me, and not just herself.”

Rosa rested her head back on the lounge chair and George picked up his newspaper again. The sliding glass door to the deck opened. It was Sybil. Rosa was sitting on her chair. Rosa opened one eye and turned her head to look at her mother. “Do you want to sit here mummy?” she asked.

“Well, yes, daughter, that is my chair.”

Suddenly, George became aware that the quiet afternoon was about to turn in a direction which would have meant he would eventually have to step in and be a referee. “Here, Rosa,” he said getting up from his lounge chair, “why don’t you sit here. I have to go inside for a second and I’ll get another chair. This one is beginning to hurt my back.” George jumped up. Rosa jumped up, and Sybil plonked herself onto the lounge chair, while Rosa did the same on George’s chair, as he opened the sliding glass door and disappeared into the nest.

“I wonder what your father wants to do in there?” asked Sybil. Rosa didn’t respond to her mother’s question. Sybil knew she wouldn’t. So just letting out a groan she closed her eyes. Just as Rosa was about to fall asleep, she heard the sliding glass door open again and as she peeked through her half closed eyes, she saw Julie walking out on to the deck.

“Why did ya’ll kick daddy out of his chair and send him inside? He’s bothering me in the kitchen.” Her southern accent was a little more pronounced than usual and Sybil cringed. “First of all, we didn’t kick your dad out. He left on his own accord and went inside because he said he had something to do.” Rosa didn’t respond.

“Well, tell him to leave me alone. He keeps asking me what I’m making for dinner.”

“And, what are you making for dinner?” asked Sybil, her eyes still closed.

Before she was able to answer, a scream went up and everyone jumped. “Sorry guys! I just stepped on Herman,” it was Melody, “I keep telling him not to fall asleep in the sand.”

“It’s ok,” replied Herman, “I was getting up anyway. I think it’s time for our afternoon match.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” said Julia rather loudly. “There’s a letter that came for you,” and with that she put her hand in the pocket of her blue jeans and pulled out a crumpled envelope. She threw it to Melody. “By the way, who ever sent you that letter please tell them our last name is spelt BLAU not BLOW.”

Melody picked up the envelope and even before opening it, she let out another loud scream. “What’s the matter?” shouted Rosa, Sybil and Julie together, believing that Melody had stepped on Herman again.

“This is our entry into the world championship pickleball games on North Topsail Beach. Our entry has been accepted!” she shouted as she pulled out the entry form.

“I guess we need to get uniforms,” said an elated Herman.

“No, we don’t,” replied Melody.

“Then how will they know us from them?” asked Herman.

“Well,” replied Melody not believing she had to explain to her partner that they would be on one side of the net, while their opponents will be on the other. Herman blushed and disappeared into his shell for a moment.

The sliding glass door opened and George came out again, but this time with Timmy. “Well,” began George, “our dear old son here managed to cover the walls and ceiling of his room with Legos.”

“Why did you do that?” asked Rosa who really didn’t care if Timmy answered. Sybil didn’t want to ask and Julia could care less.

“Mama!” the cry went up and Sybil jumped off her chair and went inside to grab Brenda. Rosa took that opportunity to slide on to her mother’s chair and George collapsed on his. “Timmy,” he said, “why don’t you get some more chairs from inside for all of us.” Timmy felt he had to because he had got into trouble. Sybil came out holding Brenda, while Wicket sat comfortably on Sybil’s shoulder and Julia went back inside.

“What’s for dinner?” asked Rosa as she was disappearing inside.

“Chicken!” she shouted and George smiled.

“That didn’t last long daddy. See, it only lasted a few days and now I’ve got to go back to reminding Julia to think of me sometimes.”

“Maybe we can sell sponsorships and make a lot of money,” said Herman. “You know, like they do on TV.” Melody groaned, George smiled, Sybil changed Brenda’s diaper while Wicket looked on wondering if she was following directions properly, and Timmy came out dragging three chairs behind him.

“I love living in our new nest,” George mumbled as he looked out at the ocean as the tide was coming in.