authors note at end of paper
DECEMBER 25
5 year old Roxanne sat up, and looked around, rubbing her eyes with her small fists, then she realized just what day it was. she jumped out of bed, her small feet scurrying across the carpet quietly, she grabbed her boulhorn she'd gotten for last christmas, and ran into the hallway of the large farmhouse she, and her family lived in. That currantly also included her relitives. she took a deep breath, and put the bullhorn to her mouth,
"WAKE UP! WAKE UP EVERYBODY! IT'S CHRISTMAS!"
she yelled. many grumbles, and stumbles were heard, and other kids who were just as excited, waking up, and comeing out of their rooms. this, was the Newberry, and smith family. a bunch of Blond, and brown headed Felinds. It's was a 50/50 on their occupations. one half was mostly famers, the other, navy all the way.
Roxanne was the daughter of Robert. in total, their was about 9 kids in the newberry family, and, 12 adults. That included grandparents from both sides of the family. The other 8 children beside Roxanne consisted of 3 boys, and 5 girls. Tom, John, and Keith. and Kendra, Maggie, Tammy, Caroline, and Agatha. Keith was 8, and John 10, Tom 11. Kendra was 7. Maggie, 9. Tammy. 11. Caroline. 13. and Agatha, 10. all the girls but Agatha were what was expected of them, girly, liked pink, sewing, and all those things.
But, Agatha, oh Agatha was different. to her mother, and aunts greats displeasure, she was a tomboy. she hated dresses sewing, inside, all the crap that was expected of woman, and girls. she wanted to be in the navy, like her Aunt Amelia. she hadn't seen Her aunt Amelia since she was 4, Amelia was a family outcast, since she was in the navy, and had taken that road, to a family. and never came to any family gatherings, at least, she hadn't yet.
"Yay! it's christmas!"
Agatha yelled, all the kids rushed downstairs, followed by the adults. the living room was decorated cheerily by lights, decorations, and the wonderfully bright christmas tree. The kids rushed to the tree, all taking a present with his, or her name on it, and sitting down on either a chair, couch, or the floor. As always, they resisted the temptation to open the presents until the adults got their coffee, and woke up enough to at least see their hands.
"Ok kids, you may open your presents now."
Said Victoria, Keith, and Caroline's mother.
"Boy's first this year!"
Sandy, John, Tom, and Tammy's mother quickly added. The girls groaned as Keith opened his present, which was a toy truck,
"Awesome!"
he said, and thanked G.G, and papa ed, the grandparents from the Newberry side. and started to play with it on the carpet. Tom opened his present, a swiss army knife.
"Whoa! thanks dad!"
he said to Camorn, the father smiled proudly. and lastly, John opened his gift, and found a book on science.
"Cool! thanks mama!"
sandy smiled. then came the girls, Caroline got a crosstitch set, to her great joy, Kendra, and Maggie got sewing sets, in rinestoned holding cases that they could decorate themselves. again, estatic for inside activities. Tammy, a romance novel.
'oh god, if i get anything like that, the fireplace will come in very handy.'
thought Agatha, looking down at the box she held. Roxanne hug attacked her parents when she opened up a fairy princess doll. she hugged it like it was her lifeline. Agatha took a deep breath, and opened her gift, her face fell.
inside was a bright pink dress, and a kniting kit, she didn't even know how to knit. "Um, thanks?" she said, not really hideing her dissapointment. her mother, Rebecca looked confused,
"do you not like it Agatha?" she asked,
'well, let me see, pink, hate, dresses, hate, kniting, can't do, and hate, any indoor stuff, gag me!'
Agatha sighed, "sorry but no, i don't like it. I don't like indoors, or pink, and everyone knows i HATE dresses."
She said, "well, it's about time you grew up from that, and be proper." her mother said,
"You don't want to be like-"
suddenly there was a knock at the door,
"I'll get it."
Victoria said, she knew who it was. the door was in an entirly seperate room, so nobody saw the fiery haird feline that was at the door, carrying a guitar case.
"Amelia! you made it! get in here and get those things off!"
Victoria whispered. Amelia grinned silently, and unbundled herself, hanging her things up on the coat rack.
"wait just outside the hallway, when i say that someone is here that hasn't been for awhile, come out."
Victoria whispered, Amelia smiled, "Ok, thanks again Victoria, i have been wanting to visit for awhile, outcasting kinda sucks sometimes."
Victoria laughed a little, and went out, everyone, including the children looked up,
"Everyone, there's someone here that hasn't been for awhile..."
Amelia appeared from the doorway, causing robert to choke on his coffee, and many of the other adults to sound like sputtering fish,
"Hello everyone! miss me?"
she said, "A-Amelia! what are you doing here?"
Robert asked, his face turning angry at the sight of his younger sister. he stood up,
"I told you never to come back!"
he growled low, Agatha's eyes widened, while the other girls stared in aw, Agatha walked up, only to be stopped by her fathers arm,
"Don't Agatha."
he said angerily, until Victoria stepped in,
"I invited her Robert." she said, everyone gasped,
"What!" he asked in disbelief.
"Enough is enough Robert, Amelia is a part of this family, and she's been outcasted just as soon as she decided not to marry that Doppler fellow, and continue with spaceing. we all need to put that behind us."
"But Vic-"
"It's been 6 years Robert."
She said, gentilly putting a hand on his shoulder, with a slightly pleeding tone. she looked at everyone else, no one else really looked angry, more curious at what was going to happen. Robert huffed, and looked at Amelia, who showed no emotion, Robert bit his lip, and looked down at Agatha, who was looking up at him with a 'don't be an ass, and let her stay, she is your sister' look.
he looked at his sister once more, and sighed, holding out his hand to shake, causing Amelia's ears to rise, along with an eyebrow,
"well, 6 years is a long time, and you are my baby sister."
Amelia shook his hand, "I'm not a baby anymore Robert, Heck, I'm a inch taller then you!"
she chuckled, everyone else was alright with this for the most part, they had outcasted her, but most of them hadn't met her, just stories, and the navy record just gave her a bad reputation. all but Rebecca, who seemed angrier then possible. she jumped up,
"WHAT! Robert! you can't be serious! your letting her stay! she's a outcast! she is a woman in the navy! she is a bad influence on the girls! she's just bad! why? get out of here!"
Rebecca demanded, putting her hands on her hips. Amelia smirked,
"Rebecca, I'm not a killer. I'm just Me. Deal with it."
Amelia said, crossing her arms and keeping the smirk on her face. Agatha's eyes widened, no one ever tested her mother, not even her dad. Rebecca looked shocked to say the least,
"well I-I... The..."
"breath, breath!"
Amelia said sarcasticlly, motioning with her hands. Everyone laughed, including Robert, Rebecca huffed, and stomped up the stairs. Amelia crossed her arms, and watched her,
"You married that?"
Amelia asked, pointing. "oh, she is better, normally."
Amelia then began to say hi to everyone she hadn't seen in so long, including the children, while she was sitting on a chair, she noticed Agatha looking at her, and blinked, then smiled.
"Why, i remember you!"
she said smiling, agatha walked over,
"You do?"
she asked, she didn't think her aunt would take the time to remember the girl she hadn't seen for 6 years.
"Oh yes, very well. your little Aggie! you ran at my heels wherever i went! and your also the one who'd keep babbling until someone gave you something shiney to stare at."
Agatha laughed, she liked Aggie so much better. she sat cross legged in front of Amelia,
"so, whats it like being a captian?"
she asked, "Robert told you about that?"
"No, you were yoused as an example of not what to be." Amelia chuckled,
"you really hated me that much?"
Amelia asked, turning to her brother, who shook his head,
"No, Rebecca did. she just fueld my anger. thats why i got so angry at you when you first came. I'll be talking to her later."
Suddenly, Roxanne walked over, clutching her doll.
"H-hi."
She said shyly, Amelia had tried unsuccessfully to talk to her. Amelia smiled,
"Hello there Roxanne. Thats a nice doll you have."
Roxanne smiled, "I named her Hanna."
She said, Amelia smiled, "Thats a pretty name." She said.
"Hey, Aunt Amelia, can you tell me about your voyages, and what it's like to be a captian?"
Amelia nodded, smiling. "Sure." She answered, Roxanne's eyes widened,
"Me to! please!" Amelia nodded.
"Can i sit on your lap?"
Roxanne asked, Amelia nodded, and Roxanne hopped on her lap. Amelia held her there by her tiny waist.
"Start with how you became a captian." Agatha said,
"Alright Aggie. when i was young..."
she continued on, telling stories to Agatha, and Roxanne for who knows how long, until she was done. Robert elbowed her,
"Hey sis, why don't you sing a little something for the kids?"
Amelia blushed, Agatha's ears perked. "You sing?"
she asked, Amelia twireld a lock of shoulder length hair,
"Well... a little."
"Just sing sis."
Robert said, handing her her guitar. Roxanne hopped off Amelia's lap, and she took the guitar. Now, everyone was watching.
"Oh, wonderful! we haven't heard that pretty litle voice in a long while!"
G.G commented. Amelia rolled her eyes, and started to play her guitar as she sang,
It's Christmas day
And the snow is coming down
Church bells sway
They're ringing awake the town
Preacher Kline recites his lines
The pews'll be full today
Mr. Howe cranks up his plow
His baldes'll clear the way
It's Christmas day
And the pecan pies are baking
Mothers say it's the giving not the taking
My brother's brand new bicycle is out jangling in the street
I watch him through the icicles
With that wood box beneath my feet
Chorus:
All I got was this little wood guitar
What it brought was neon lights and crowded bars
Like all the kings with all thier gold
Went chasing down your star I'm told
Every highway takes me where you are
With this little wood guitar
It's Christmas day
Funny how the years can shape us
Much has changed
I'm a musician not a waitress
Chicago's a winter wonderland
[ From: . ]
At my brother's and his wife's
Passing around thier dinner plates
And dissecting my life
Chorus
I never stopped believing
I just kept on singing
Now people come to hear from miles around
And I don't mind confessing
That I still count my blessings
I just never thought I'd settle down
It's Christmas day
And the little one's are waking
I hear them play
I can hear the presents shaking
The boy's outside on his new bike
Jangling in the street
That little girl, she's watching him
With that wood box beneath her feet
All she got was this little wood guitar
What I thought is it might take her pretty far
Like all the kings with all their gold
Went chasing down your star I'm told
Every highway takes me where you are
With this little wood guitar
Little wood guitar
she finished with many applause. "That was awesome!" Agatha exclaimed.
Amelia looked Agatha over. Then stood up, "Can i talk to you privetly Aggie?"
She asked, Agatha looked confused, but nodded, and followed Amelia into the kitchen. Amelia bent down on one knee, so that she could be the same height as Agatha.
"Do you know how to play the guitar?"
She asked, Agatha nodded no,
"Would you like to learn?" Agatha nodded. And, to her astonishment, Amelia handed the guitar to her.
"What? but it's yours aunt Amelia."
Amelia held up her hand, "correction, it was mine."
Agatha looked confused. Amelia put her hands on Agatha's shoulders.
"Aggie. You have promise. Your a lot like me when i was your age. Tomboy. No dresses, hates sewing, kniting. All that crap. And, the thing that let me live through it all, was this guitar. I became a captain, but muisic can help you with that. Express yourself through it. It has no expections. It has no rules. Do whatever the hell you want with it. Just know three things."
Amelia held up three fingers, putting one down after nameing each thing,
"To become a captain, you need Wit, and plenty of it. Patience, without it, you can kiss being a captain goodbye. And most importantly. Ambition, to follow your dreams, stick to it, no matter what. If you have those, you damn well a captain right now!"
Agatha smiled, and hugged Amelia, "Thank you aunt Amelia." She whispered.
They walked out of the kitchen, Rebecca had returned, and looked over at Agatha, then scowled,
"Agatha, i know that Guitar is Amelia's, give it back. I will not permit you to touch anything that woman has handeld."
Agatha smirked, "Not on your life. She gave it to me. And i intened to keep it."
rebecca's eyes widened, "You see, bad influence!"
She said, pointing at Amelia while looking at everyone else. Amelia rolled her eyes,
"Oh, don't get your tail in a twist. I'm leaving right now anyway."
Rebecca looked happy, everyone else, quite sad.
"Must you? You have been quite the party guest."
Sandy said, everyone, children included, backed her up.
"Yes, I'm afraid so." She said, throwing her coat on,
"Unlike you lot, I have to get up at 4 in the morning tomorrow. Another voyage has come my way. And i can't miss it."
Everyone sighed, and wished her goodbye as she walked out the door. Rebecca grinned,
"Good ridence." She said,
"Agatha, again, guitar, gone." Robert shook his head.
"No, Rebecca. It's a guitar, she can keep it if she wants to. no argument."
Rebecca looked astonished, then left upstairs. While everyone else was talking, Agatha sat on a stool by the window. The woodbox beneith her feet.
The guitar would take her pretty far, then she would pass it down to her niece, and then her niece would pass it down to her niece, and so on, and so forth. This little wood guitar would take her, and many others, Pretty far.
Authors note- k, the moral of the story. Don't get pushed in with the crowd. Do what you want to do, it might take you pretty far. If you need a little help, there are many ways to give you a boost, including a little wood guitar. rate&review!