`Disclaimer: I do not own the "as told by ginger" crew; they are the sole
properties of Emily Kapnek (the best writer in the whole world) also please
notes that all illustrations in this fic were drawn by me.
"Dodie! Get a move on, I have too many things to do today without you styling your hair." Shouted my mom from downstairs. I could tell by her voice that she was in a worse mood than normal. (I'm sure Hoodsy had something to do with that no doubt) "I'll be done in a minute mom." I said as I finished putting on my last scrunchy. Today I decided to go for the cool look, something fashionable yet weather appropriate. I was wearing a blue t-shirt with the flower on it and my beige cargo shorts. After doing a quick mirror check, I ran downstairs only to find the front door open and my mom and brother already in the car. My mom can be so impatient some times, but you get use to it.
"No Robert Joseph! Carl Foutley can not live in our rumpus room." Said my mom as she pulled out of our driveway. The drive to school was starting off just like any other, Hoodsy asking questions and my mom saying no to them. As we pulled up to the school I could see Macie and Ginger waving at me as they walked toward our car. "Hi Mrs. Bishop, hi Dodie." Said Ginger as Hoodsy and I got out of the car. "Good morning Mrs. Bishop, nice weather we're having today." Said Macie in her congested voice. "Alright Dodie I'll pick you and Macie up after school ok dear." Said my mother as she began to pull away from the curb. "Ok mom, bye!" I said as I put my book bag on my shoulders, and joined my friends. "So Dodie, what do think of my new outfit?" said ginger, turning around to give me a full view. She was wearing a shorter than normal black pleated skirt with a red short sleeved top. "Oh my gosh Ginger, you look like an eleventh grader!" I said as I walked around her, still not believing my eyes. "Uh, isn't that skirt just a tad bit short Ginger? How on earth did you get your mom to let you wear this?" "Actually Dodie, Mrs. Foutley doesn't know what Ginger's wearing." Answered Macie, looking somewhat disappointed. "Is that true Ginger, your mom doesn't know?" I said looking her straight in her eyes. "Yeah Dodie, it's true." Said ginger sheepishly. "I changed clothes in the school bathroom after she dropped me off." Said Ginger in a half whisper as she sat down on the school steps, burying her head in her hands. "My mom and I had a huge fight about my outfit last night. She told me I was too young to wear something. so short. Then she said if she caught me in it my social life would be over. She just doesn't realize if I don't start wearing more mature clothes my social life will be over." "I don't mean to be a stickler for time, but were going to be late if we dilly dally any longer." Said Macie in her congested voice "Ok, Macie's right, we'll talk later ok you guys?" and with those words Ginger stood, wiped what appeared to be the start of a river of tears from her face and ran inside the school.
After walking Macie to homeroom I headed for my own, running all the way. I got there a little before the bell rang. (Thank heavens, Mr. Kelly would've bitten my head off if I we're tardy again) I walked slowly through the classroom (last row next to the window) and sat down easily at my desk. As Mr. Kelly took attendance I thoughtfully chewed on my pencil still thinking about Ginger. I can't believe that she would wear that outfit behind her mothers back. I mean ginger almost flipped out when we tried to get her to shave her legs. This is so not like Ginger. I wish I could talk to her now, something's not right I can feel it. Well I guess I'll have to wait until next period when we have gym together.
After homeroom I headed for the locker room to change for gym. Ginger and Macie we're already there and had changed their clothes.
"Ginger we need to talk." I said as I sat down beside her. "Look Dodie! I don't wanna talk about it ok, just forget it!" said Ginger, angrily running out of the locker room. "Ginger wait!" I said, as I was about to run after her, but suddenly the locker room door opened. It was Mrs. Fleming the principal's secretary. "Dodie I need you to gather your things right away. Your mother is here to pick you up for an early dismissal; she's waiting for you outside." She said looking rather sad. As I left the locker room my mind couldn't help but wonder. Why on earth was my mom was here to get me?
Mrs. Fleming walked with me to the exit doors and waited for me to get into my mother's car. "Mom is there something wrong?" I asked as I buckled my seatbelt. "Dodie dear, I'll tell both you and your brother everything once we get home." She said not turning to look at me. During the drive home she didn't say another word, she just sat there with misty eyes glaring at the road ahead.
When we arrived home, our mother sat us down and told us the full version of today's events. She said that Mrs. Foutley died of a heart attack this morning. It struck her a little after she dropped Ginger and Carl off at school. Apparently she was able to call 911 before she collapsed. Soon after that the paramedics arrived on the scene and pronounced her dead. My mom later received a call from the hospital, giving her the grim news. At around 11:30 a.m. my mother pulled Robert Joseph (or Hoodsy as he prefers to be called.) and me out of school.
By the time my mom had finished speaking, my eyes were so full of tears that they overflowed into rivers pouring down my cheeks. I tried to speak but my words were choked back by sobs. Suddenly I felt a hand clench my own, I then turned to see my brother's face. His eyes red and swollen with tears, he sat next to me sobbing openly. Like myself he was also still in shock from the news.
My mother had been silent since breaking the news. She sat in her chair uneasily still trying to regain her composure. After a moment she rose from her seat and standing between us, she placed a hand on each of our shoulders. She then lowered her head and locked her teary eyes on us and began to speak. "Robert Joseph. Deidra Hortense I'm sure that you know this will be a hard time for both Ginger and Carl. Which is why I think it would be best if they heard the news from the people closest to them." "You mean. Ginger doesn't. know yet?" As I spoke I could feel my eyes once again well up with tears. Just hearing that Ginger doesn't know, and the fact that I have to be the one to tell her. just isn't right. I know it sounds selfish, but I don't want to see Gingers heart crumble. "Dodie, I know you don't agree with this but it was Mrs. Foutley's dying wish, and I will not be the one to deny her of it. Do you understand Dodie?"
"Dodie! Get a move on, I have too many things to do today without you styling your hair." Shouted my mom from downstairs. I could tell by her voice that she was in a worse mood than normal. (I'm sure Hoodsy had something to do with that no doubt) "I'll be done in a minute mom." I said as I finished putting on my last scrunchy. Today I decided to go for the cool look, something fashionable yet weather appropriate. I was wearing a blue t-shirt with the flower on it and my beige cargo shorts. After doing a quick mirror check, I ran downstairs only to find the front door open and my mom and brother already in the car. My mom can be so impatient some times, but you get use to it.
"No Robert Joseph! Carl Foutley can not live in our rumpus room." Said my mom as she pulled out of our driveway. The drive to school was starting off just like any other, Hoodsy asking questions and my mom saying no to them. As we pulled up to the school I could see Macie and Ginger waving at me as they walked toward our car. "Hi Mrs. Bishop, hi Dodie." Said Ginger as Hoodsy and I got out of the car. "Good morning Mrs. Bishop, nice weather we're having today." Said Macie in her congested voice. "Alright Dodie I'll pick you and Macie up after school ok dear." Said my mother as she began to pull away from the curb. "Ok mom, bye!" I said as I put my book bag on my shoulders, and joined my friends. "So Dodie, what do think of my new outfit?" said ginger, turning around to give me a full view. She was wearing a shorter than normal black pleated skirt with a red short sleeved top. "Oh my gosh Ginger, you look like an eleventh grader!" I said as I walked around her, still not believing my eyes. "Uh, isn't that skirt just a tad bit short Ginger? How on earth did you get your mom to let you wear this?" "Actually Dodie, Mrs. Foutley doesn't know what Ginger's wearing." Answered Macie, looking somewhat disappointed. "Is that true Ginger, your mom doesn't know?" I said looking her straight in her eyes. "Yeah Dodie, it's true." Said ginger sheepishly. "I changed clothes in the school bathroom after she dropped me off." Said Ginger in a half whisper as she sat down on the school steps, burying her head in her hands. "My mom and I had a huge fight about my outfit last night. She told me I was too young to wear something. so short. Then she said if she caught me in it my social life would be over. She just doesn't realize if I don't start wearing more mature clothes my social life will be over." "I don't mean to be a stickler for time, but were going to be late if we dilly dally any longer." Said Macie in her congested voice "Ok, Macie's right, we'll talk later ok you guys?" and with those words Ginger stood, wiped what appeared to be the start of a river of tears from her face and ran inside the school.
After walking Macie to homeroom I headed for my own, running all the way. I got there a little before the bell rang. (Thank heavens, Mr. Kelly would've bitten my head off if I we're tardy again) I walked slowly through the classroom (last row next to the window) and sat down easily at my desk. As Mr. Kelly took attendance I thoughtfully chewed on my pencil still thinking about Ginger. I can't believe that she would wear that outfit behind her mothers back. I mean ginger almost flipped out when we tried to get her to shave her legs. This is so not like Ginger. I wish I could talk to her now, something's not right I can feel it. Well I guess I'll have to wait until next period when we have gym together.
After homeroom I headed for the locker room to change for gym. Ginger and Macie we're already there and had changed their clothes.
"Ginger we need to talk." I said as I sat down beside her. "Look Dodie! I don't wanna talk about it ok, just forget it!" said Ginger, angrily running out of the locker room. "Ginger wait!" I said, as I was about to run after her, but suddenly the locker room door opened. It was Mrs. Fleming the principal's secretary. "Dodie I need you to gather your things right away. Your mother is here to pick you up for an early dismissal; she's waiting for you outside." She said looking rather sad. As I left the locker room my mind couldn't help but wonder. Why on earth was my mom was here to get me?
Mrs. Fleming walked with me to the exit doors and waited for me to get into my mother's car. "Mom is there something wrong?" I asked as I buckled my seatbelt. "Dodie dear, I'll tell both you and your brother everything once we get home." She said not turning to look at me. During the drive home she didn't say another word, she just sat there with misty eyes glaring at the road ahead.
When we arrived home, our mother sat us down and told us the full version of today's events. She said that Mrs. Foutley died of a heart attack this morning. It struck her a little after she dropped Ginger and Carl off at school. Apparently she was able to call 911 before she collapsed. Soon after that the paramedics arrived on the scene and pronounced her dead. My mom later received a call from the hospital, giving her the grim news. At around 11:30 a.m. my mother pulled Robert Joseph (or Hoodsy as he prefers to be called.) and me out of school.
By the time my mom had finished speaking, my eyes were so full of tears that they overflowed into rivers pouring down my cheeks. I tried to speak but my words were choked back by sobs. Suddenly I felt a hand clench my own, I then turned to see my brother's face. His eyes red and swollen with tears, he sat next to me sobbing openly. Like myself he was also still in shock from the news.
My mother had been silent since breaking the news. She sat in her chair uneasily still trying to regain her composure. After a moment she rose from her seat and standing between us, she placed a hand on each of our shoulders. She then lowered her head and locked her teary eyes on us and began to speak. "Robert Joseph. Deidra Hortense I'm sure that you know this will be a hard time for both Ginger and Carl. Which is why I think it would be best if they heard the news from the people closest to them." "You mean. Ginger doesn't. know yet?" As I spoke I could feel my eyes once again well up with tears. Just hearing that Ginger doesn't know, and the fact that I have to be the one to tell her. just isn't right. I know it sounds selfish, but I don't want to see Gingers heart crumble. "Dodie, I know you don't agree with this but it was Mrs. Foutley's dying wish, and I will not be the one to deny her of it. Do you understand Dodie?"