I already knew I was going to enjoy second grade. My teacher was nice and Noah was in my class! I decided that I would be home early enough from Noah's house so Momma wouldn't even know I was gone. She stayed at her friend's house until eight o'clock every night until the twins got home from their extracurricular activities. Yes, she wouldn't find out. I held Noah's hand, waiting on his mom's black suburban. When it pulled up, I looked from left to right to make sure my momma wasn't watching. Joseph stood beside us and leaped in the car first. I followed, deciding nobody at home would know.
"Hi, babies. How was your day?" Mrs. Winters' voice enveloped me in a warm hug as Noah wrapped his arms around her head from the back seat. "Mom, our day was awesome! We're in the same class and our teacher's name is Mrs. Puth. She yelled at Eden's bully and it was awesome! I didn't even get in trouble when I shoved him at recess!"
"Noah, dear, don't shove people. I'm so glad you both are in the same class! Joseph, what about you, honey?" Joseph leaped to the third row of seats and I buckled up beside Noah in the middle.
"My day was great, Mom. My teacher's name is Mrs. Lacey. She's awesome so far! Landry was sick today and can't come over, but he can come when he's better, right?" Mrs. Winters agreed, drove into the middle school parking lot, and pulled into the line of cars. I could see Isaiah standing next to a boy dressed in blue jeans and a polo shirt. They were talking animatedly and when the car parked in front of them, they both walked to it.
Noah jumped to the third row, leaving me alone in the middle so that there was more room. I glared at him for not being next to me and protecting me from the new kid I didn't know. He pouted, "It's only until my house, Edith. And Daniel is really nice. He's Isaiah's best friend. He won't say anything to hurt your feelings, and he won't touch you or I'll kick him in the nuts."
"Noah! Heavens, child, you will be the death of me. I know you mean well, but you cannot kick people! Especially not there!" Joseph looked like he was trying to hold in a laugh as Isaiah and Daniel buckled in and we began driving to the high school.
"Daniel, this is Eden. She's my best friend and she doesn't like to be touched. So don't touch her, or talk to her, or look at her, got it?" I glared harder at Noah. Daniel smiled and said. "Alright, Noah, but please tell her I said 'it's nice to meet you.'"
"Edith, Daniel said it's nice to meet you." I nodded at my best friend and watched the people in the car smile. We pulled up to the high school and I saw Ezekiel with his lips all over that brown haired girl's mouth! Noah groaned and I watched him cover his eyes while the rest of the car laughed at his reaction. "All girls but my Edith are icky!"
Noah was really handsome. Easily the best looking in second grade, his blonde hair and blue eyes complimented his every feature and he was so incredibly kind that all of the girls in my class giggled at everything he said. But Noah didn't like those girls. He always said girls were icky.
I felt honored that even though Noah thought girls were gross, he still chose me for a best friend. I was picked on for being the smallest in the class. Not only was I almost a year younger than everyone, I had to wear clothing sizes that fit five-year-olds and my shoe size was very small because my body had a hard time growing like normal kids my age. Momma always got my clothes from thrift stores a size up because she hated wasting money on me. My best dress that I was wearing had a few holes, but it was very pretty and red and I loved it. The girls at school laughed at me because I didn't look like them. Maybe I'd laugh, too, if I could see me.
When Ezekiel jumped in the car with the brown haired girl, I decided to move to the back with Joseph and Noah. Noah grabbed my hand and we rode in silence after he introduced me to Ezekiel's girlfriend, Jenna. She was beautiful and had an amazing smile. When we arrived in front of a beautiful two-story, brick house, everyone stepped out while I looked on in awe.
My house was small. It was old and broken down and had been for as long as I could remember. This house was nothing like mine. Even the windows looked clean and the yard was mowed.
The inside of the house was even better. The living room was the first room after the small entryway hall. The high ceiling and cream colored walls felt inviting yet regal. The L-shaped couch took up most of the room and looked big enough to hold 10 people. Two large windows draped with sheer curtains looked out onto the street. On top of the beautiful, white brick fireplace was a tv that took up most of the wall. Throughout the room were hanging pictures of Noah and his family and muted decorations with inspiring messages painted on them. The immaculate, white carpet made me cringe when the group walked on it with their shoes.
Beyond the living room was a large staircase with beautiful, mahogany banisters. I imagined that was where the boy's rooms would be. To the left of the living room was an entry to the kitchen. When I walked into the room with the rest of the group, I gasped in awe. It was the most beautiful kitchen I'd ever seen. Silver colored appliances glittered the room adorned with black cabinets and countertops. There were peculiar farm animal decorations in the space above the cabinets that made me giggle.
The dining room beyond the kitchen was very cozy. A light brown adorned the walls and a dark brown colored the curtains that were long and swept the ground. The dining room table had to be three times as big as the one my family had at home. It was a dark, almond color. Up against the wall was a china case the same shade as the table adorned with all kinds of plates and cutlery. I'd imagine this was a great place for nice dinners.
Noah led me through each room in the house. There was the guest bedroom adorned with creams and browns, the ocean-themed guest bathroom, his parent's room with muted gray tones and their bathroom with the biggest bathtub I had ever seen, an exercise room and an even an office! He had a story for each room and I listened closely, enjoying how full of life this home was, compared to ours.
The upstairs bedrooms belonged to the boys. I could have probably guessed which room belonged to each boy based on what I'd seen from them so far, without Noah even telling me. Joseph's room was composed mostly of the color red, with white and black accents tucked in and a desk full of incomplete art and tiny figurines. Connected to his room with a bathroom was Isaiah's bedroom, filled to the brim with different shades of green and various band posters.
The next room on the other side of the hall was Ezekiel's room, but Noah said we weren't allowed to go in there because he and his girlfriend liked to wrestle and we weren't allowed to see who won. I hoped they wouldn't get hurt.
Noah's room was my favorite room in the entire house. It was white mostly, with blue curtains, bed linen, and a shelving system that covered the entirety of one wall. His bed could probably fit five of me with room left over and was covered in soft pillows and stuffed animals. He had a desk and a side table painted black with blue nicknacks. His closet and door were painted the same black as the desk. I wanted to stay in this house forever.
My new chores at my own house were to clean, make dinner, and do the dishes. I'd imagine not even feeling inconvenienced by working around this house.
When Mrs. Winters brought out the cookies later that afternoon, my mouth watered. She had set up the dining room table with milk for each of us and four chocolate chip cookies each. Momma never gave me cookies. All of us were gathered around the table and everyone was laughing and talking. I think Ezekiel won the wrestling match because Jenna's hair looked a little messy and her lips were a bit swollen.
Joseph sat to the left of me and Noah to the right. When Noah grabbed my hand and Joseph reached to offer me his, I became extremely confused. Looking around, everyone was waiting for me, their hands clasped in the others. When I hesitantly took Joseph's hand, everyone bowed their heads and closed their eyes as Ezekiel began to speak. "Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for a great first day of school and these wonderful people we get to share it with. We welcome Eden to our home and thank you for bringing her to Noah. We appreciate Daniel and the friendship he provides Isaiah and we thank you for my girlfriend, Jenna, and for giving me my best friend. We pray for Joseph's friend and hope he feels better soon. Thank you for our mother who does all she can for us and others. And our father who works hard to provide for us. In your name, we pray, amen."
Did their father leave them, too? What made him heavenly? I never heard mom and the twins talking to Daddy at the dinner table with their hands clasped. I didn't understand what had just happened and looked to Noah to explain.
"Edith, that was a prayer! Doesn't your mom ever bring you to church?" I shook my head. "Do you wanna go with us? Mom, can she go with us?" I wanted to go anywhere Noah did, so I nodded my head.
"Of course, dear, but we have to ask permission from her parents." I looked at my lap. Momma would say no and I'd surely get in trouble.
A huge man walked into the room with a satchel after I had finished my first cookie. He looked like a bigger version of Ezekiel. His brown hair had specks of gray in it and his kind, brown eyes had wrinkles towards the edges. He was so tall! His hands were very big as well. I imagined he could hit harder than Momma could and it would hurt more because of his big muscles. He walked to Mrs. Winters and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Daddy!" Noah leaped out of the chair and into the man's arms. The man caught him with a chuckle and brought him in for a hug that I instantly envied. This man was Noah's father. He made his rounds around the dinner table greeting his sons and their friends joyfully with kisses on every one of their heads. When he came to me, he knelt down beside me. Even on his knees, he was impossibly tall. "Hello darling, what's your name?" His voice held the same accent but was so deep it startled me.
"Daddy, that's my best friend, Eden. She doesn't talk but I know exactly what she wants to say! She says 'hello, my name is Eden.' Aren't I right, Edith?" Noah looked proud of himself and the man guffawed.
"Well hello, Eden, nice to meet you. I'm glad you're here." He stood back up and kissed the top of my head like he did everybody else. He made me think of my daddy when he used to kiss my head at night time. Nobody kissed my head anymore and it felt good. I felt loved and the man didn't even know me.
Momma would say it was good he didn't know me.
When we finished our cookies, Noah took me to his room to play. After what seemed like a few minutes, I looked at the clock and read six o'clock. I gasped and pointed to the clock when Noah's head shot up to look at me. He saw my panic and, even though he didn't understand why it was so urgent, he immediately ran downstairs holding my hand. "Mommy, Eden has to go home right now!"
I was shifting from side to side preparing myself for what would happen. I mentally named all of the chores I had yet to do. I had to cook dinner, clean the house, do the dishes and bathe all before Momma came home. "Alright, we'll leave right now, honey, don't worry."
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