"Alex!" Mom called from the living room. "Your Aunt Jade sent you another package. Come get it!"
"Hooray!" I exclaimed. I put down the book I was slaving over trying to read. I'm dyslexic and ADHD so it's somewhat hard for me to read anything. Especially since, I was trying to read a young adult novel. Very hard with the smaller font and so many words on one page. If I remember correctly, it was a novel about vampires that a bunch of people were claiming was the best book ever written. I was just curious.
I ran to my door, threw it open, and almost ran over my Mom trying to get to the box in her hands. I should probably explain the significance of this box before I resume my story.
Have you studied your Ancient Greek mythology yet? Well, that is all quite important for many reasons. But right now, the most important piece is family history. For generations, my mother's family has worshiped the god Poseidon, god of the sea, storm bringer and earth shaker. And, for all this time, they have maintained a nearly 100% Greek bloodline.
My aunt Jade, and her twin J.D, have always been the coolest people in the world. Aside from my mom, of course! See, the three of us have this tradition. All three of us have a charm bracelet each, and we often add to each other's. Both of them travel a lot, so they always send the other two of us a souvenir or two and a charm. The only rule is, the charms have to have something to do with the sea.
I hauled the box into the kitchen and set it down on the counter. I pulled open the drawer and took out my bronze letter opener. I ran it under warm water for a minute and then dried it off, before sliding it under the wax seal of a trident and a sword in balance with a stallion head behind them. I like to keep the seals in a collection of mine. And then I hauled the box back to my bedroom.
I pull out the letter and try to read it. Without much luck, might I add?
After a while, I put down the letter and pried open the box with my letter opener. Inside I find two more boxes and a small lavender Chinese coin purse. I picked up the bigger of the two first and cut the tape. I pulled back the cardboard flaps to reveal a small, beautiful Chinese porcelain doll. She was pale-skinned, and she had long, black hair. Big painted green eyes and a small smile stared up at me from her painted container. As I pulled her out of her box, her dress expanded to full size. A long blue-green dress from old England, with foamy white lace bunched at the edges and sleeves.
She was beautiful, and I gasped when I saw her all at once. She even looked a little like me. I smiled and silently promised that I would e-mail aunt Jade that night. And thank her a lot for the doll and whatever else she had sent me. So I peeked into the third box.
Inside, was a large shell. It was beautiful and big. The coloration was amazing, pinks and creams, peaches and ivories, and a touch of orange. I placed it and my new doll on my treasure shelf, where I kept all my special things and treasures. Then I picked up the last thing from the box. The purse.
I knew what was inside of it, I always knew. But it never ceased to take my breath away, this tiny moment of anticipation. I pinched it open and poured the contents onto my bed. Inside, were three metal Chinese coins, and a small charm. For my bracelet. The charm this time was a small silver mermaid with blue enamel and glitter. I placed it next to the three shells, a starfish and a little pink salmon, that was already on my bracelet, and smiled.
I carefully placed the other treasures on my bookshelf of novelties and then patted the doll on the head. I think she was my favorite gift so far.
"What did your aunt send you?" I heard mom call from the kitchen.
"A China doll, that looks like me!" I yelled, "And a blue mermaid!" I danced out of my bedroom and through the living room, into the kitchen again and sat down on one of the little chairs next to the table. "See?" I held the bracelet out so the mermaid was in full view.
"Very pretty!" Mom commented, taking a quick look and then turning back to the salad she was tossing. "Now get ready for school, don't want to be late, do you?"
"No mom." I agreed, and then grabbed my backpack off the coffee table. On my way out the door, I stumbled on a transformers doll and nearly tripped over a plastic light-saber in the short hallway. "Can you get the boys to clean up when they finally wake up?" I called over my shoulder as I hesitated in the doorway.
"Sure, love. See you this afternoon!" She called as I pulled the door shut behind me, and proceeded to get into the elevator.