Well, its been two months of hellish writers block for me and anxious anticipation for you. (I hope.) But here it is: The Elementary Years: Second Grade
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Eight year old Temperance Brennan stood looking over her abysmal clothes closet. She picked up her favorite shirt from last year and held it up to her frame. Too small. Most of her school clothes, which had been packed away for the summer, were all suddenly too small.
"I need to go shopping." She muttered to her self. School started in one week and poor little Tempe had nothing to wear. Tempe had gone through her first growth spurt over the summer and now she was about even in height with her best friend Seeley Booth.
Booth. Just thinking the name brought back memories. First grade had certainly been an adventure. Tempe and her best girlfriend Angela Montenegro had been quiet little girls, until the Booths moved in across the street.
What had started out as a game of cops and robbers had turned into a very strong friendship that, Tempe hoped, wouldn't ever be broken.
Booth had been just what Tempe needed to open up. Through him they had met Jack Hodgins and then a few months later Jacks family adopted a little boy named Zach Addy.
It was a messy affair that left both Jack and Zach more than a little shook up, but also it brought them closer than two brothers could ever hope to be.
Yes there had been some bad times too, like on Booth's first day, a 3rd grader named Tim "Sully" Sullivan had teased him and actually been the first one to call him Booth.
Sully and his friend Cam had been horrible to the whole group from that day on, until one snowy day around Christmas and Cam had a change of heart.
Cam was now a close friend and mentor of both Tempe and Angela, and Sully had changed Schools last May, so that saga of their lives had ended.
Since then the entire gang had grown, matured and moved on to second grade. Tempe was pulled out of her memories by the sound of the door bell ringing down stairs.
"Mail's here!" Russ called up the stairs. He had started to distance himself from her now that he was going into 4th grade and little sisters were not cool anymore.
Tempe rushed down and rifled through the pile on the counter. Near the bottom she found what she had been looking for, a post card from Booth.
Dear Tempe,
Hi! It's been so long since I've seen you! I miss you and everyone else too. This cruse is really fun, my dad taught me how to dive in the pool, and I met a lot of his work friends. I can't wait to get back and for school to start. See you soon.
Booth
For the last 3 weeks Booth had been away with his family on an annual FBI vacation cruse. His father and all other senior agents had been given free staterooms for the month long cruse and Booth had been very excited to see a real cruse ship.
He had promised to write to her once a week and she had the other two post cards tacked up in her room.
The last one had a picture of Booth and his father having a water gun fight. This one showed Booth in between his father and another man Tempe had never seen. There was a note scrawled on the bottom.
'This is Don Eppes; he's my dad's friend from the academy. Him and his brother teamed up and use math to solve crimes. I think you would like him.'
Tempe studied the man and decided that she would like to meet him some time. She then placed the post card next to the other ones on her bulletin board. Tempe then ventured to the kitchen and found her mother, Christine Brennan, baking cookies.
"Yum." Tempe reached for one only to have her mother swat her hand away. "These are for the new family down the street."
"New family?" Tempe asked now attempting to lick the spoon, which her mother reluctantly relinquished.
"Yes the old Houser place sold last week and the family are moving in today. I thought it would be nice to welcome them. Who knows you might make another little friend." She said referring to how Tempe met Booth.
"Do they have kids?" Tempe asked
"I think so." Christine answered firmly pulling the spoon away from her daughter who now had cookie dough all over her face. "Two girls and a little boy, I think he's going into first grade. The girls are twins in high school. Wipe your face." Tempe stuck out her tongue and giggled. She skipped away to wash up.
Half an hour later she had dressed her self in one of the few outfits she still had that fit reasonably well and was following her mother to the ancient stone house that sat across the street and 4 houses down from her own.
The large front porch was barren except for a few card board boxes and Tempe began to get the strangest feeling of déjà vu.
"Hello?" Mrs. Brennan called knocking on the open front door.
"Hello!" came a call from behind them. Tempe turned to see a small boy and a man who she presumed was his father. They both had dark hair and the boy had adorable little dimples.
"Oh hello." Mrs. Brennan walked up to them and Tempe followed, her eyes never leaving the boy. "I'm Christine Brennan, we live up the street." She extended her hand.
The man shook it and answered. "Nice to meet you. I'm Anthony Sweets and this little shy guy is Lance. Lance is starting second grade next week." Mr. Sweets smiled but Lance looked positively terrified that the conversation had turned to him.
"So is Temperance." Mrs. Brennan said giving Tempe a little push.
"Hi." She waved shyly.
Lance nodded but said nothing.
Just then a green explorer pulled into the drive way and three blonde women stepped out.
The two younger ones began unloading the car pulling out bags of groceries to be brought inside. The older woman walked up and introduced herself.
"Hello, I'm Abigail Sweets."
"Honey this is Christine Brennan and her daughter Temperance. They live up the road." Anthony introduced his family. "This is my wife and these," He said gesturing to the two girls walking up, are my daughters." They both smiled and held out hands politely.
"Hi, I'm Heather." Said the taller of the two.
"I'm Lea, Nice to meet you." Said the shorter one. She turned to her brother. "Lance did anyone call?"
Tempe heard Lance speak for the first time. "Yes, there was a call for you. Someone named Jeremy something" He shrugged.
Lea squealed and ran inside. Heather laughed and followed.
"Our daughters were not happy to move. They both left boyfriends behind. But we hope they both change their minds soon." Abigail smiled. "Won't you come in for lunch?"
"Oh that reminds me, here these are for you. Welcome to the neighborhood."
She handed the platter of cookies to Mrs. Sweets. "I'm sorry to have to decline your invitation, Tempe needs school clothes." Mrs. Brennan smiled. "It was wonderful meeting you all, and I'm sure Tempe will be happy to show Lance around and introduce him at school. Right sweetie?"
"Sure Mommy." She smiled at Lance. "I'll see you at school.
"Bye then. And thanks for the cookies." Mrs. Sweets waved as Tempe and her mother turned and began walking back home.
"So, how do you like Lance?" Mrs. Brennan asked.
"Oh, I don't know. He's nice but he seems really shy." Tempe shrugged.
"Well he's new, I'm sure he'll open up. Lets go shopping." Christine laughed.
"OK!" Tempe exclaimed.
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Ok so now we meet sweets and his two sisters who I have no idea if they really exist, but I think he acts like he is the youngest and only boy. I don't think Heather and Lea will be big characters but who knows. I really will try to update on a regular basis and make my chapters longer, so read and review.