The next day, it was only two days left until the winners will be announced to perform their winning essays. How am I feeling about this? I feel very nervous especially to perform my own essay in front of the crowd. What I'm glad about is that all of my friends would be with me since the whole History class is going to London, England, so none of the eighth graders would be at school all next week. I'd be happy if a few of my friends would be performing with me if they win, too. If it does happen, I won't have to worry about being nervous, I'd feel better.
The history teacher passed the permission slips around.
"Wow! We're going to my hometown!" exclaimed Meredith.
"Cool," said Kristy.
"You could show us around there if you want to," I said.
"I like that idea," said Meredith.
"I can't wait," said Kristy.
"Me, either," I said.
After school, at home, I did some of my homework. I only had math and science vocabulary. I did the vocabulary first since it's very easy; I always do it in ABC order according to the glossary. After I did that, I went onto math; it was only order of operations. PEMDAS is an easy way for me to do it in order; I always remember that you would have to multiplication and division left to right same with addition and subtraction.
I know I began doing that in fourth grade and I've been getting all the problems correct ever since. When I first learned doing it, I remembered right off the bat. Don't ask me how, but I think I was the first who always get them right and you know what, I get to help the others who get confused with order of operations. Thanks to me, they all had been getting those problems correct. I also showed Claudia when she first learned about it.
After I finished my homework, I put it away. After that, I read a book for a book report for English. It was due in two weeks, but I want to get it done early. I might do it in London, England or in the train to get it done. All I have to do is read and write the book report as a summary in my own words. I started reading it in the library. I borrowed this neat book of Gone with the Wind. I've seen that movie before and it's pretty good. I was only in chapter five when I started reading during study hall. It has ten chapters in all. But I remembered I have to get ready to leave to go sit a client shortly.
"Don't you have a sitting job in ten minutes?" asked Dawn.
"I know, I'm getting ready to leave now," I told her putting the book on my variety.
I left to go to sit for the Arnold twins, Carolyn and Marilyn. I was sitting for them for most of the evening until almost eleven tonight because their parents were going out for dinner and a play in Stamford. When I got there, Mrs. Arnold gave me a few instructions like to feed them dinner at around six and putting them to bed at nine-thirty.
We had a fun time. The twins' been coloring, they wanted to put on a puppet show for me, and we had a picnic in their den. We kept having fun until it was time for them to go to bed.
On Friday, it was the day of the winners that would be announced and I could feel butterflies in my stomach. I pray my friends would be with me on stage, but the thing is that Kristy's in my class, so it'd be me or her.
In History, the teacher announced the winners were now posted at the principal's office and added, "You can go see it now or during lunchtime."
"Come on, Mary Anne, you and I can go together," smiled Kristy.
That's what we did. We went to the office and checked to see who won to perform in London. When we looked, Kristy looked at me happily.
"How come you're looking at me?" I asked.
"Look on the winner list," replied Kristy.
I noticed and my mouth dropped open when I noticed I was one of the winners with a highest score in my history, A+. Then I was in luck when I noticed Stacey, Logan, and Dawn would be on stage with me. Meredith arrived a little too late for the easy, but she doesn't mind going back to London for the trip.
"At least they'll be on stage with me," I said.
"It also says a parent can be with a winner," said Kristy.
"Sharon would since Dad's on business trip until the week after we return," I told her.
"Oh," said Kristy.
"Poor Stacey would be have with her mother and you know what happens; she worries too much of diabetes," I said.
"I know," said Kristy.
At lunch, I told Stacey about it.
"I know, I saw it, too. If she does come, I'm going to tell her I'd be just fine. She knows I never go anywhere without my injection kit and she knows I watch out what I eat," said Stacey.
"True," said Kristy.
"I agree," I said.
"Isn't it great that you and I are both performing besides Stacey and Logan?" asked my sister.
"Thank goodness," I replied. "I'd feel comfortable if I perform it without looking up otherwise I'd feel too nervous."
After school, at home, I was still reading the book after I did my other homework. I was almost done reading it anyway. I continued to read it during study hall and was in chapter seven. I finished the book by the time dinner was served.
"Mom brought home pizza," said Dawn who came up to let me know.
"Okay," I said. "I'm going to start writing the summary right after dinner, so would you mind cleaning the kitchen on your own tonight?"
"I don't mind," replied Dawn.
"I figured I'd tell you ahead of time in case I forget to do so," I told her.
"That's fine," said Dawn.
"Thanks," I smiled.
"Not a problem," my sister smiled back.
At dinner, Dawn and I told Sharon that we're the two winners to perform the essays.
"Good for you both," said Sharon.
"I can't wait to tell Dad when he calls," I smiled.
"I bet, he'll be so proud of you," smiled Sharon.
"Meredith said she's going to show us around in London," I said.
"That's very good," said my stepmother.
"I know. I already told Dawn I'll be starting to write the summary after dinner, so I asked her to do the kitchen on her own tonight and she said she won't mind doing so," I said.
"That's fine," said Sharon.
After I ate, I said, "May I please be excused to start my summary?"
"Yes, of course, dear," smiled Sharon.
I got up to clear my spot and headed up to my room to start the summary. The summary wasn't even hard to do, but it took me thirty minutes since I decided to do a summary for each chapter. I like book reports. Dawn was already done with the kitchen by the time I finished the book report. It only had ten chapters like I already mentioned.
I was done after that and got undressed.
"Are you done already?" asked Dawn.
"Yes, it was simple. I wrote summaries separately by doing it for each chapter by putting 'Chapter 1' before a summary and so on," I replied.
"Cool idea," said Dawn. "I just finished cleaning the kitchen."
"That's good," I said. "You didn't have too much because we only had pizza."
"That's true," agreed Dawn.
"I think I'll go call Dad on his cell, he should be back at the hotel from his meeting by now," I said.
"How did you remember all that?" asked Dawn.
"Before he left, he gave me his meeting schedule, so I'll know when to call him, like before or after he returns from the meeting. It's at a hotel near where he's staying," I said.
"That was a good idea," said Dawn.
"I know," I said. "He also had his laptop, so he said I also can talk to him on a webcam he owns."
"Cool!" exclaimed Dawn excitedly.
"I'll go try his cell phone first," I said. "I can't wait to tell him about doing the winning essay."
I went to get the portable phone and dialed his cell phone number. It was ringing, but no answer and the voice mail didn't come on. That's odd, when I checked the schedule, it was supposed to end five minutes ago. I hung up and will try again later.
"Did you get him?" asked Dawn.
"No answer. His meeting was supposed to end a few minutes ago and that hotel is three minutes from his hotel," I replied.
"That's odd," said Dawn.
"I know," I agreed. "I'm getting worried there. I hope nothing happened to him."
"Maybe his meeting is still on," answered Dawn.
"Maybe," I shrugged.
Two hours later, the phone rang as I answered the portable phone I kept hoping it was Dad.
"Hello," I said. "Hi, Randy. No, this is Mary Anne. Is everything okay? He didn't answer his cell phone."
"That's why I'm calling, he had a heart attack and collapsed during the meeting," said Randy.
"What! Is he alright?" I asked.
"He'll be okay. He's in the hospital. I figured I'd let you guys know so you'll know where he is," replied Randy.
"Does he have his cell phone with him?" I asked.
"Yes, you can call him, he knew you called and didn't get to call you back because he was in the emergency room," said Randy.
"Okay," I said.
At least he's okay. After we hung up, I called Dad on the cell phone right away as he answered.
"Hello," said Dad.
"Hi, Dad," I said.
"Hi, honey," said Dad.
"Randy just called here to tell me you had a heart attack during the meeting," I said trying not to cry.
"The meeting was ending when it happened," said Dad.
"I was getting worried when you didn't answer your cell phone five minutes after the meeting," I said.
"I knew you called," said Dad.
"Randy told me," I said while the tears were starting to roll down my cheeks. "Dawn thought the meeting was still on."
"I'll be alright, sweetheart, I just have to take a Bayer's Aspirin for awhile until I get better," replied Dad.
"I'm glad you'll be fine," I said wiping the tears.
"Did the winners for London got posted yet?" asked Dad.
"Yes, Dawn and I are two of the winners. Stacey and Logan are the other two winners. We'll be leaving Sunday morning," I told him.
"That's good," said Dad. "I'm happy for you."
"Thanks," I said trying to smile a bit. "That's why I was calling you. Sharon's going to London with us."
After we talked five minutes later, I still had tears rolling down as I wiped them.
"Mary Anne," said Meredith as she came in to be with me. "Are you okay?"
"My dad had a heart attack during a meeting and is in the hospital. His boss, Randy, called awhile ago to tell me that," I was still trying not to cry.
"Is he going okay?" asked Dawn, who joined in.
"Yes, thank god. He just needs to take Bayer's Aspirin until he gets recovered," I replied. "I just wanted to talk to him alone."
"At least going to London would keep your mind off worrying about him," said Meredith.
"I guess so," I said. "I'll just have to pretend he's with me when I perform my winning essay."
"That's a good idea," agreed Dawn.