The Wish List
"So, Grace, tell me what did you do in school today?" Rachel Edwards asked her ten year old daughter on the way home after picking her up from school.
"Well, Mrs. Bette gave us an assignment that I have to do for tomorrow called The Wish List. I have to write a list of things I wish for. I've already got it started so it shouldn't take too long to finish. If I get it done quickly, can we go to the beach so I can practice surfing?" Grace asked hopefully.
Rachel sighed. "No, we can't go this afternoon because Charlie has to go to the doctor for an appointment. I thought I'd just drop you off at the house and you can stay there with Nanny Alana while I take him to his checkup. Oh and from there I have to stop by the mall to get him some new clothes. He's just growing so fast."
Rachel saw Grace make a sour face in the rear view mirror, but as soon as Grace noticed her mom watching her, she smiled. "That's alright mom. Maybe Danno and I can go to Uncle Steve's house to practice on Saturday instead?"
"Now Grace, you know he said he might have to work depending on if they solve that case they are working on. I just don't want you to be disappointed if he has to work on Saturday and Sunday." Rachel hoped that wouldn't happen since she knew how much Grace loved and missed her father. There were times she felt guilty about not giving Danny more time with his daughter, but Rachel was always afraid that somebody who had it out for the governor's high profile 5-O task force might try to hurt Grace when she was around Danny. "Alright, why don't you read off what you have listed so far."
Grace opened her notebook and looked down at the paper on which she'd neatly written a few lines. "Well… I don't have it entirely completed yet, but here's what I've thought of so far.
My Wish List
By Grace Williams
1. I wish I could surf better.
2. I wish I could go ice skating.
3. I wish Hawaii had snow at Christmas.
That's all I have so far." Grace said. "Sometimes it's kind of hard to think of things."
Rachel smiled in the mirror at her daughter as she pulled in the driveway and stopped the car. "Alright, you go on in the house and work on it. And please tell Alana to bring Charlie outside."
Grace did as requested and stood in the doorway listening to her mother croon to Charlie as the baby was strapped into the car seat. Once Rachel had pulled out of the driveway, she stopped by the kitchen to get a carrot for her rabbit, Mister Hoppy. With notebook and carrot in hand, she walked slowly upstairs to her room. After putting the carrot in the rabbit's cage, she flopped down on the bed, opened the notebook and looked at what she had listed. Then turning the page, she grabbed her pencil and started to write again this time on her real wish list.
1. I wish my parents weren't divorced.
2. I wish I could spend more time with Danno.
3. I wish it could be daddy and mom and me when we are all together instead of Gabby, even though I do like her.
4. I wish that my father and Uncle Steve could always be protected and never get hurt by the bad guys.
5. I wish mom and Step Stan would pay as much attention to me as they do to Charlie.
6. I wish my mom wouldn't look so sad when daddy is leaving after he drops me off.
7. I wish Step Stan and mom didn't have to go to so many events and leave me with Nanny Alana.
8. I wish that bad cop hadn't taken me, cause I am still afraid sometimes.
9. I wish I could live with daddy.
10. I wish daddy could be happy again.
Grace laid there listening to Mister Hoppy crunch his treat after re-reading her paper. Finally, carefully ripping the page out, she neatly folded it in half and hid it in one of the books she kept in her nightstand. Then hearing her mother's car pull into the drive, she picked up her pencil and started to write.
4. I wish Mister Hoppy could have babies.
5...
End