ONE:
"Hi Aunt Laura!" Molly exclaimed when she leapt out of the car. She allowed her stiff legs a quick stretch after being crammed into a Lexus, with two siblings in the back seat along with her, for a three-hour drive, before running to see Fletcher. In a hurry, she greeted her Aunt Laura, and cousins, Emilie and John, and was off, sprinting into the house. Molly loved spending time with her Aunt Laura because she adored Indianapolis, where her Aunt lived. She admired her little house, and the friendly neighbors, but most of all, the people who lived in the little house. Laura was such a fun Aunt! She always took her kids and niece to do fun things such as rock-climbing and horseback riding. Molly loved to play with her cousin John. John was only about one week younger than Molly, so they liked the same kind of activities. They usually flipped on beds, or rode bikes. Emilie was five years older, so she tended to play with Grace, rather than Molly. Molly enjoyed spying on them and listening to their conversations. Before the swift shut of the screen door, Molly heard her mother say, "She has been so excited to see Fletcher again," and three friendly giggles.
Through the family room, then the dining room, and lastly, the kitchen, Molly ran. She recognized the squeaky hard wood floors, and the ding of "high C" on the piano as her feet stomped past it. She noticed rearranged furniture, and new artwork hanging on the walls. All of the small details went through her brain and back out in a flash, for she was so focused on seeing Fletcher. She grabbed her pink sweater and slipped it on, remembering the Indiana weather was much like the Chicago weather she was used to. Soon, she was racing through the backyard, and noticed Fletcher, who was also racing towards her. They collided and both fell to the ground. Molly's heart was laughing as she stood back up and skipped to the dog, and toppled over him. She rubbed his belly and laid beside him in the slippery, cold grass. Fifteen minutes of petting, greeting, and loving had passed before her sister, Grace, came out into the yard. Grace was seven years older than Molly, so she was fourteen at the time. Grace and Molly typically got along well, but often joked around with each other, in a loving sort-of way. Grace smiled when she saw her little sister with the golden retriever she adored. While greeting Fletcher, Grace told Molly, "Aunt Laura is going to bring us to see the new puppy her neighbor has! He was just born two weeks ago. Hurry up and get inside. Mom said you have to wear your winter jacket instead of that flimsy-old-sweater." With a snicker, Grace pulled herself up, offered her hand to help Molly, but Molly politely refused. Grace shrugged and went in the house. But, Molly remained in the grass with Fletcher. She gave him a huge hug and kiss and went inside, only stepping in the footprints Grace had left in the wet grass. SWISH! SWOSH!
SLAM! The back door shut loudly, causing everyone in the kitchen to stare. Molly timidly forced a smile and a small "oops". Her Aunt shouted, "Goodness Gracious Molly! I haven't seen you for months and you fly right by me to go see my silly dog? Come give me a hug!" Molly now had a real smile from ear to ear on her face, and charged into her Aunt's welcoming arms. "Wow Laura. The house looks beautiful! I love the new paint color," said Molly's mom, Annie. Annie and Laura were two sisters who loved to decorate. They would always call each other on the telephone when they had another vision of how to redecorate a room, hoping for positive feedback and constructive criticism. It was no surprise Annie noticed the redone kitchen and was the first to comment on it. "Thank you Annie. I just had the best time painting it too! Well, by the look on Molly's face I can see we have done enough chatting. Go hop in the car and we will go see Crazy Carol's puppy." Immediately, Molly's face lit up. She was ecstatic with the thought she may be getting another dog! That is, if her parents would allow it. Molly hadn't exactly told them she wanted another dog yet. She was waiting for the perfect time, but didn't expect the day to come so quickly. Molly prayed for a miracle and before she left, she remembered to grab some dog treats out of the glass jar in the pantry, to feed the puppies. Laura, Annie, and Grace went outside and jumped in the car. Within minutes Molly heard the car horn honk furiously. She yelled for her brother and cousins to come along and was out the door.
