Part 1 of 5; Spring Break pt. 2
Random Facts: Milk Duds were first created and sold in 1926 by S. Lee Noble.
Random Facts 2: Amarillo, Texas was founded in 1892.
Disclaimers: I do not own CM or the characters. This includes Rosaline and Sandy Jareau, and Elizabeth Prentiss. I do own all other characters, including Emily and JJ's extended families.
Spoilers: None.
Rating: Low T, also high K+.
Words in bold, underline, and italics are words signed and spoken.
Words in bold and italic are words being signed.
Notes: Here is the second and last part to the drive. Next will be their destination. I do not own the rights to the book Goodnight, Moon. All rights belong to the author, Margaret Wise Brown.
Trigger Warning: I do not condone this kind of behavior, but this chapter has a TW for harsh and derogatory language in reference to an Autistic child. I will have it marked.
Approx. 16 ½ hours into the drive
Friday, March 18th, 1983
Big kids: 12-16 years old
Little kids: 4-7 years old
*Around 5:30 p.m. (Tulsa, Oklahoma)*
It's not until just before 5:30 in the afternoon, that the Prentiss and Knight clan make their final stop for the day.
They are now entering Tulsa Oklahoma, and since leaving the Gateway Arch in Missouri, the kids have opened two more goody bags.
They are going to attend one of the Prentiss family member's birthday parties. It is the birthday party of James's sister, Jacquelyn, and brother-in-law, Thomas Johnston's newly turned 2-year-old daughter, Dianna.
James' sister and brother-in-law (Julia & Bruce Colt, with David and Daniella), and Elizabeth's sister and brother-in-law (Jonathan & Eloise, with Ashtynn, Lyndsey, and Hannah) are also attending. Emily is not the only one that is dreading seeing her uncle Jon.
Emily really hopes her uncle Jon will not do anything to make David have a meltdown or be mean to JJ like she has caught him doing. He likes to say things, mean things and does not seem to care that he hurts anyone's feelings. It's always about him. Jonathan this and Jonathan that.
It is very irritating. He says or does things that will make any of the kids cry, and it wasn't until meeting JJ that Emily realized just how mean he was, – he called her a baby for not being able to speak clearly, mocked her when she did sign language, and laughed when she got upset and then could not speak at all.
Anyway, James and Kathryn pull into the driveway. Benson and Emily are practically buzzing with excitement, – they love going to their cousins' birthdays, – while Nellie is excited to meet new people.
JJ is the one they are uncertain about. Emily signed and told her all about how she will see Davie again and that they are going to celebrate Dianna's second birthday with cake, ice cream, presents, and a bounce house.
They pull into the driveway and park. Everyone gets out and goes straight to the door. Jacquelyn greets them with a big smile and welcomes them inside. The adults head to the kitchen while the kids immediately go to find Dawn, Dakota, and Dianna.
"Dee-Dee!" Emily calls to the little girl playing with a new toy in her and the twins' playroom. "Happy Birthday!"
"Em!" Dianna shrieks in excitement at seeing her cousins and jumps up, running to them as fast as her little legs will carry her.
Emily lifts her up, holding her in the air and making her giggle. "Dee, we have some new people for you to meet, okay?"
Dianna nods excitedly as she looks around. She already knows JJ as "Emmy's friend" from when "Santa came." The only one she does not know is Nellie.
"Dee, this is our friend, Nellie. Can you say 'hi' to her?"
"Hi!" Dianna gives a big wave, which Nellie returns enthusiastically.
"Dee-Dee, why don't you show Nell what a good reader you are." Ben suggests, knowing that the toddler absolutely loves surprising people with how well she can read.
"'Kay!" Dianna pulls everyone to the reading corner in the room. She picks out a book. "Dis book is Goodnight Moon," Dianna says before beginning to read.
"In the great green room, there was a telephone, and a red balloon, and a picture of – The cow jumping over the moon."
Everyone already knew that Dianna could read, everyone, that is, except for Nellie. She is absolutely amazed that a child as young as Dianna can read a book that even she, herself, cannot read yet.
"Wow! That is so cool. How do you do that?" Emily smiles at the young girl's astonishment. It's always fun to see other people's reaction to a 2-year-old reading a book all on her own. She looks over at JJ. The little girl is sitting beside Dianna, looking intently at the book in her lap.
She seems to be ok for right now, and Emily hopes her weird behavior from earlier is over with, and that she will get back to being Emily's little bundle of excitement and giggles.
Dianna lets JJ turn the pages as she continues to read. Then, JJ points to Nellie, letting the older girl turn the page, and Dianna continues to read until the end of the book, where everyone claps and cheers for her.
The group heads downstairs. As they get to the first floor, they see their other cousins, Davie and Daniella, and Ash, Lynnie, and Hannah.
Emily says hi to her cousin and then asks JJ if she wants to "go bounce". She holds her hands out for JJ and the little girl immediately responds by holding hers up also. As Emily lifts her up, JJ nods her head and signs, 'bounce house,' just as Emily taught her when she was teaching "birthday" signs to Jenny and her cousins.
The two see Emily's cousin, Davie, and Em asks if he remembers JJ to which David nods. He gives a big smile and waves towards JJ who ducks her head and hides her face in Emily's neck. Emily lets David lead them outside, – he's having a good day, which means he loves to give out high fives and hugs today.
Emily and JJ climb into one of the bounce house with David while the other kids play in the second one. The kids play for a while. A couple of times, Kathryn and Billy have to remind Annie to take breaks, because too much running around will cause her asthma to act up.
But other than that, the kids play for a good hour and 20 minutes, before it is time to eat, – hamburgers and hot dogs, both Dianna's favorite, and two of the foods David will eat.
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****you can skip this part if you want
However, it is not until after everyone sits down, that David's mom, Julia, realizes her biggest mistake out of the entire day.
She did not pack David's favorite, – preferred and only, – red plate. She looks around and sees David sitting in the grass while he looks at his photos. He is always the last one to get his food, as waiting in a line is overwhelming for him.
Bruce notices the look on his wife's face and hurries over. After asking what is wrong, Bruce takes a deep breath and suggests that they just give David his hot dog, – plain, with nothing else on the plate, – on a paper plate, even though they have tried this numerous times and it always turns out to be an issue.
"Davie, time to eat, Bud," Bruce calls out to his son, who hops up happily and comes bouncing over. Julia hands Bruce the plate and he hands it to David.
It happens almost immediately.
David's face falls and he begins to frown. Deciding to ignore the fact that it is not his preferred plate, Bruce says, "Bud, look what Mommy has for you. A very yummy hot dog, just the way you like."
But David is having none of it. "Want red." He signs letting them know he wants his plate and only his plate.
"I know that you like the red plate, but Mommy forgot it. Why don't you take this plate and go sit by your cousins?"
By now, David's parents can see his anxiety rising and his insistence on having his plate will soon turn into a meltdown.
He repeats, "Want red. Want red. Want red." Before he becomes too upset to sign anything.
Julia is beating herself up, wondering how she could be so stupid as to leave the one plate her son will eat off of at their house, a more-than 10-hour drive from here.
Although, she does realize it is not her entire fault, – she was fighting with Dani to get her shoes on while Bruce was washing the plate. She had to call Bruce to come and help her. He probably left the plate in a sink full of water, which means it was not in plain sight for her to pack.
Knowing this does not make it easier though, because she can see what would have been a near perfect trip, is about to go downhill very quickly.
"Davie, sweetie, mommy forgot your plate. It is at home. But, your hot dog is just the way you like it. Can you eat the hot dog on a paper plate just this once, and then you can have your red plate when we get home?" Julia tries even though she knows David is beyond listening now. His face is screwed up and he has his hands over his ears.
Bruce and Julia are at a loss as what to do. Do they go home? No, that would mean driving 10+ hours and doing it over one simple plate seems silly. Do they take him inside before he goes into full-on meltdown mode?
This seems like the smart option and Bruce quickly picks David up and the three head inside. Everyone is left wondering what will happen. They have seen David get upset before. Sometimes it's not a big deal, and he can be calmed quickly. But other times he is left kicking and screaming and throwing things and harming himself or anyone who tries to touch him during that time.
***trigger warning begins here
Jon scoffs. The others just collectively hold their breaths. Nothing that comes out of his mouth will, in any way, be a good thing.
"That right there is just plain fucking ridiculous." Jonathan spats. "Throwing a fit over some stupid plate. If he were my child, I would whip his ass. He'd either eat or starve to death," Then, directing his next sentence to his daughters, "Girls, get your things. We are going home. I am not going to let my family get infected by that child and his retardedness."
At that statement, Thomas has had enough. He has sat back and done nothing of Jonathan's behavior. He always lets his wife handle it, but not anymore. It is time he steps up and speaks up for those that can't speak for their own selves.
"Jonathan, you are completely right," Thomas stands up. "I want you to get your things and leave. You are no longer welcome here. I have sat by as you continued with this behavior, but not anymore. That child in there, the one you think is a "spoiled brat" who needs his "ass whooped" is a child with autism. His brain works differently from other children."
"That red plate, the one that upset him and you call "just plain fucking ridiculous," it is one constant in his life. The one thing he can count on to be the exact same day after day. He is not a spoiled brat. He will not infect anyone with his so-called "retardedness." He is having difficulty processing why he has to use a different plate. He does not understand why the red plate cannot just magically appear."
"You are a disgrace to this family, Jonathan. You bring these kids into the world, adopt these two beautiful little girls. And then you raise them to have the same disgusting attitude as you do about a child who is different. That is what is ridiculous. And that is why you are shame to this family."*** TW ends here
Taking a deep breath, Thomas looks around. Everyone is staring at him, even the youngest two girls, Dani and Dianna. The reactions are mix of confusion from the youngest two, to admiration from the older kids, and a 'thatta boy' from the adults.
"You need to get your things and leave. I will not have you ruining what is supposed to be a happy, wonderful day for my daughter with your incapability to accept those around you who are different."
Then, turning to Eloise, he says, "Elle, you and the children are more than welcome to stay. If you would like, you could spend the night and I will drive you home tomorrow or whenever you want. I don't want you to think you are not welcome because of your husband's behavior."****
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Knocking herself out of shock, Emily looks around at her aunts, uncles, and cousins. She can't believe, – no, she does believe, she just hoped for an alternative, – that her uncle Jon, once again, ruined a family gathering by being disrespectable about her cousin David.
She could tell that the new kids, Nellie and JJ, were alarmed and a little scared. Neither of them have been around a child who has had a meltdown before. JJ is in a highchair and she motions for Emily to take her, reaching out for the older girl.
"Come here, Love," Emily says, taking the tray off the chair and unbuckling JJ. JJ snuggles into her lap, looking around at all the people. She really wants to sign to Emily to ask what is going on.
But, she decides not to. She doesn't want Emmy, or her daddy, or Miss Liz, and all the other grownups to be mad at her for using her hands. Her mommy and daddy say she looks dumb, so she decides not to say anything at all.
"I know it's a little scary, Love," Emily is saying. "But Davie is just really upset. And his brain can't make his body calm, so he has to yell and cry like this. But, it will be ok soon. How about we eat now, huh? Would you like a hot dog?"
But, JJ is still looking around. That man over there, the one Emmy calls Uncle Something or Other, is looking right at her. He has a scary look on his face. It makes her tummy feel bad. Like when her Uncle Jack looks at her.
The rule at home is, when she is in trouble, she is not allowed to eat. She knows she is in trouble whenever someone looks at her with a mean face. Just like Emmy's uncle is doing right now.
So, JJ shakes her head. She is hungry. She does want a hot dog. Emmy's aunt makes really good hot dogs, – she's had them before! – but she is in trouble for something and until she can figure out what and apologize and make it better like a "good girl," then she is not allowed one bite to eat.
"Are you sure, Love?" Emmy says. JJ nods again, very slow and minuscule. Emily sighs. She was sure JJ would want some of the hot dogs to eat. She guesses it's a good thing they brought some of her Pediasure with them. Her parents brought it in case JJ had decided to be fussy about eating.
"Ok, how about a milkshake instead?" JJ looks around, making sure to be very subtle about it. She doesn't see anyone looking at them now so she nods her head yes.
Across the way, Emily hears her uncle scoff again as she stands up and moves JJ to her hip. She was not speaking very softly so it was easy for anyone to hear her. She wishes just once he would do the right thing and keep his mouth shut.
However, she does not pay him any attention as she goes to find her mom and notices Benson and Nellie following her. Inside, she finds her mom and dad with Julia, Bruce, David, and Daniella.
"Hey, Em, what's the matter?"
"Jen doesn't want any of the food that Aunt Jaqc made, so I was thinking she could just have her milkshake?" This is what they call JJ's Pedisure since obviously JJ is not going to understand that is called "Pediasure" and it helps her to get the calories, nutrients, and other things needed to grow and gain weight.
"Ok, sure," Elizabeth digs out a sippy cup from JJ's diaper bag and gets her Pediasure from the fridge. "Which one do you want, Jenny?"
JJ just hides her face, not answering Elizabeth. So, Emily asks her with sign language, saying that she can have "chocolate" or a "vanilla" drink.
This doesn't change anything. JJ is still hiding her face and refusing to answer. Emily tries not to get annoyed with her. She is around a lot of people who are new, and she does not like strangers at all, so it makes sense that she is acting the way she is.
However, that does not make it any easier for Emily to be patient. She is on edge because of her uncle and even more so since JJ didn't want to actually eat, which would be have been easier than giving her Pediasure.
Trying to stay calm, Emily sighs. She has also been in a car all day, she's hungry, and JJ is usually at least a little more cooperative than right now.
Seeing an looming meltdown of her own variety, Elizabeth jumps in before Emily gets too worn out with JJ's behavior.
"Okay, alright, you two. I think before we go any further we just need to take a breath. We have been stuck in the car for nearly 24 hours except for a few hours here and there, and none of us has gotten a decent amount of sleep."
Making Emily sit down, Elizabeth take JJ from her and lets the little girl stand on the kitchen counter and then motions for Ben to put Nellie up there too. The two take advantage of this since there is an obvious "no standing on the counters or climbing on the furniture" rule at their houses.
Elizabeth talks with Emily a little bit. She suggests that Em goes to eat and then goes upstairs with the older kids to just rest and decompress after being stuck in a car all night and all day. She tells her that she and James will take JJ to the Farmer's Market to get some fruits for smoothies.
Nodding, Emily follows along as she thinks this over. Elizabeth tells her that after getting the stuff for smoothies, she and James will come home, make a smoothie for Jenny and then they can do cake, ice cream, and presents, and an early bedtime.
After agreeing, Emily goes to Jenny who bends down from her standing position and motions for Emily to take her. Em picks up the younger girl and sets her on the counter. She whines because she was meaning for Emily to hold her, but goes quiet when Emily gives her 'the look'.
Emily explains to her that Elizabeth and James are going to take her to the Farmer's Market and also, that Emily is not going to be coming along for this trip.
She hopes that Jen will not put up a fight. She knows their "separation time" (previously, 40 minutes) was set back since Emily was gone for two weeks. However, the older girl is hoping Jen does not pick now to be against separating for probably an hour or longer right away (and without practicing from the now-10 minutes).
Emily pauses to ask if Jen understand before she continues speaking so she knows Jenny understands. JJ nods again, not signing. She asks if JJ understands that Emily is not coming with her.
Emily does not want to linger on it, she does not want to upset Jen if it is not necessary, but she does want to know that JJ understands what she is saying.
Again, JJ nods so Emily sets her down. Elizabeth takes Jenny's hand and goes upstairs, to change the little girl into a fresh outfit since she has been in pajama-type clothes all day.
Nellie asks Emily why they are going to the Farmer's Market, and why can't Jenny just eat a hot dog or hamburger like the rest of the kids? Emily says that sometimes JJ is very particular about what she will or will not eat. It is best not to push her as that usually ends in her becoming upset.
Nellie then decides she wants to go and pick out some fruit, just to try some of the smoothies that JJ drinks. So, Elizabeth and James load up with Nellie, Jenny, and Ashtynn, who decided she wants to go as well. And believe or not, her dad (Jon) actually left when he was told, so it is just Ash, Lynnie, and Hannah here with their mother.
*Later*
Later, after they pick out several fruits and veggies, Elizabeth, James, and the kids return.
Jenny has four new pacifiers with her and a little pink stuffed doggy from a bin of toys left over from Valentine's Day. Nellie has some Milk Duds, her favorite candy, and a The Orb Puzzle. And Ashtynn has a little notepad, a small box of crayons, and a Disney Match-Em's.
These are their rewards for being good in the grocery store, the place James and Liz went after they behaved so well at the Farmer's Market. James and Liz went there to pick up a couple of things for Dianna's presents.
When they get home, the kids run inside to show off their toys. Liz goes to rest for a while and James wraps the gifts they bought for Dianna. JJ goes to Benny to show off her "new Nee-Nees " and Nellie shows him the toy she got.
After everybody gets some rest, and Jaqc makes the smoothies, the families gather back into the living room to watch Dianna open her presents. Dianna gets lots of toys this year; she is now old enough to properly play with most of them.
She gets a stuffed cat and a Bye, Bye, Diapers Doll from Elizabeth and James. Julia, Bruce, and David get her some letter, number, and color puzzles. They also got her an adorable little outfit, a pink shirt, a pair of overalls, and sparkly shoes.
And Dianna's older cousins, Cal and Benson, used their allowance money to buy Dee some stuffed animals - a zebra, an orange tiger, and a pig.
Dianna squeals in happiness as she rips open a package and finds a box of four new books. She eagerly shows them to Jaqc. Jacqueline smiles at her daughter's happiness. She has no idea how Dianna learned through self-teaching to read at just 18 months, but she is certainly not going to complain.
From Jacqueline and Thomas, Dianna gets the big toys - a playhouse, a rocking house she can ride since she is now big enough for one, and play makeup, a few princesse dress up outfits, and some MyFirst pencils, so she can start to learn to write if she wants.
The miscellaneous items are stuff the kids, like Emily, Ash, Hannie, Lynnie, etc., have gotten Dianna from the Dollar Tree, things they used their allowance on - rings and necklaces, stick-on earrings, dress up shoes, play doh with cutters, markers and a coloring book, magnet letters and numbers, etc.
Dianna is in heaven with all of her toys. She carefully goes through every shirt, pair of shorts, socks, etc. and folds each one. She stacks all of her books, organizes the smaller items, and lines all of her new and old "stuffies" up. She now has a three cats, three dogs, two horses, a pig, a tiger, a lion, zebra, a monkey, two teddy bears, and several other animals.
Next is ice cream and cake. Dianna's cake matches her party decorations, – Sesame Street with Big Bird, Elmo, and the Cookie Monster, – and it is chocolate, Dianna's favorite, and then strawberry ice cream with sprinkles is served.
After, it is time for a movie because it is getting late and the littles need to start winding down for bed. After the movie, it is bedtime for the kids under eight. The older kids get to stay up until 10 o'clock.
Saturday, March 19th, 1983
Tulsa, Oklahoma
*The next morning*
Despite not wanting to, James and Liz wake up just after four in the morning. The kids have an alarm set for 4:45 a.m. on the dot. While they wait, they meet Kathryn and Billy downstairs and decide to make breakfast, since Thomas has to work early and it would be a nice 'thank you' to Thomas and Jaqc for being so generous as to open their house to them.
Upstairs, Jenny wakes up before the rest of the kids. She sits up in bed and looks around. In the room is the bed she and Emily are on. There are also two blow-up mattresses on the floor. One has Benson and Calvin, the other has Nellie.
It's dark in the room but there is nightlight for Jenny that is giving off enough light to see stuff.
She looks to Emmy and remembers the night before. How Emmy did not come with her and "mama" and "papa," – what she calls Emily's parents, for an unknown reason, – to the Farmer's Market to get things for the smoothies.
She remembers how Emily made her stay with Nellie for a long time, – at least, a long time to her, – and how she made her walk or sit instead of holding her.
Jenny wonders and worries that she did a "wrong" and upset Emmy. That Emmy is mad at her. She didn't eat ice cream or cake last night, because she thought she was in trouble. This means, she got two smoothies before bed.
She wonders right now if Emmy would still be mad at her. Would she smile at her and tickle her? Would she call her "Love" or just "Jen" and "Jennifer?" Would Emmy let her sit in her lap, hold her when walking, or play with or read to her?
Or would she still be in trouble and have to stay away, with Nellie and Ash and Emmy's other younger cousins.
Jenny is not sure of any of this, so to not get in any more trouble she decides to quietly play in bed. She uses the step stool to get down from the "big bed" and goes across the room to get her bag of toys. She grabs her baby doll and the bottle, putting it on the bed and then she climbs back in bed with all her things.
*** The italics are going to be Jen's thoughts/imagination. :)
Taking her teddy bear, Jenny holds it like Emily has shown her how to hold a baby.
Oh, no! My baby is crying. I should do something to make him better. I hold Teddy just like a baby, 'cause he is my baby, ya know! I rock him back and forth, just like Emmy did with her new cousins, um… uh, I can't remember their names, but Emmy holded them like this.
After rocking teddy, he is still crying. Oh, I know! Maybe he is hungry!
I lay Teddy down and pick up his bottle. Then, I put some milk in his bottle. I have to make sure the milk is not too cold (she means hot), so I put some on my wrists like I see'ed Emmy's mommy, Miss Liz, do.
It's not too cold! So I pick Teddy up. I have to hold his head up. I put the bottle to his mouth. Teddy drinks the milk! He thinks it is yummy!
Next, I have to burp Teddy. Then, it's time to change his diaper! (She sorta of puts the diaper on, but has trouble with the tapes).
Then we get ready to go to the park. Teddy likes the park! He likes the swings and the slide. He loves going on the money bars! (she means monkey bars)
Jenny keeps playing with her teddy bear. She talks to him and he "talks" back to her. She pretends to feed him "yummy pa'etti," or "spaghetti," and then she rocks him to sleep. Jenny then puts the teddy bear under the blankets beside Emily.
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After a while, JJ is getting restless. She is hungry and bored, and she also needs to go potty. She knows she has a diaper on, – Elizabeth put her in one, just in case, last night, – but she does not like using it if she "knows" she is going to do it in the diaper. She is very self-conscious about it.
So, Jen does what any child does when they have to potty but don't want to/can't go. She wiggles around on the bed. She tries to play with Teddy to distract herself. She tries to pretend like she is the mommy, and that she needs to care for Teddy.
The clock says 4:36 and trying to distract herself only works for so long before she becomes distressed and starts to cry. She really needs to go to the bathroom, but she is not allowed to leave the room unless she is given permission, – something her mommy and daddy have drilled into her head.
Lost in her cries, Jen does not notice that the noise is waking people up. Benson is in the floor. He jumps up once he realizes the noise he is hearing is not coming from a dream, but from JJ up on the bed.
"Hey, JJ!" He smiles at to try to cheer her up. "What's up, huh? Why are you so sad?" Jenny just signs to him that she needs to go to the bathroom. Maybe that won't count as asking and Benson will be nice and let her go.
Benson looks at the clock and notices they have less than six minutes before it goes off. So he wakes Emily up. She takes Jenny from Benson and the two go to the bathroom.
Emily praises the little girl for "staying dry all night, just like a big girl!" She asks JJ if she wants to give up her Nee-Nee for a sticker but JJ says no, so Emily just lets her keep it. They head downstairs to find the adults already down there.
"Good morning," Elizabeth greets.
"'Mornin' Mama," Emily says back as she puts Jen down. James gets up to get Emily a plate of eggs, bacon, and sausage. Since JJ is super picky, to the point of only having a few handfuls of things she will eat, James lets Emily decide what JJ can eat.
After asking, JJ requests "pancakes with chocolate" meaning chocolate chip pancakes and that is exactly what James makes. He makes the pancakes into the shapes of Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
He even uses a cookie cutter and makes one into a dog-shape, calling it Pluto. He and Liz are dropping hints of the name of their destination to the kids.
Elizabeth is in her second trimester and she could not be happier about it. This means she can now enjoy her own bacon and sausage because the smell of them made her sick a few months ago.
By now, the alarm has gone off. Everyone gets dressed and heads downstairs. JJ seems to be much more cooperative today. Whatever was going on yesterday evening seems to have been maybe a normal 4-year-old's attitude about being cooperative.
Emily helps JJ get dressed and once Nellie is also, she gives Nellie one French braid and JJ two braids. Then, she throws on a sweatshirt and matching sweatpants and Liz gives Emily a fishtail French braid.
Just as they are getting ready to leave, Thomas comes downstairs. He has work in an hour, so he says goodbye to everyone, thanks them for the breakfast, and sees them off.
*Around 10:45 a.m.* (Amarillo, Texas)
It's just before 11 in the morning when James and Billy make a surprise stop along their drive. No one but the two male adults knows where they are stopping, – not Liz, Kathryn, nor the kids.
They drive to just outside of Amarillo Texas and come upon 10 cars, – Cadillacs to be exact, – buried nose-down in the ground. This place is called the "Cadillac Ranch".
The Cadillacs are painted a solid white, and that is why James and Billy have made this one of the stops, because the cars are a blank canvas for the kids to paint, draw, and write on.
James turns to the kids in his car. He had told them to close their eyes because their next stop was a surprise. He and Billy pull up to a parking space and nod to each other before each turning around and telling their kids to open their eyes.
"Woah! Look at the cars, they're buried in the ground!" Nellie says eyes wide as she looks at the row of ten white and pristine Cadillacs sticking up out of the ground.
"This is so awesome!" Even Benson can't help but be intrigued by it especially as he watches his uncle James get a bag of several different colored spray paint cans and sharpies from the little trailer that has their suitcases, ice chests, and other things in it.
"Look, Mamma!" Annie points to the cars as she is helped out of the van by Calvin. "Look at da cars!"
"I see them. They look cool, don't they?"
"Uh-huh!"
The kids get out and gather around the adults. They are told they can paint with the spray cans or draw with the sharpies. Nellie, Annie, and JJ take the most delight in this. For once, they can draw on something they are usually told not to.
Nellie writes her name. She has been practicing early for when she goes to kindergarten in August. Annie writes her name, although it is just "Annie" because she is still learning how to form the letters of 'Annabeth' and 'Grace.' And JJ "draws" with the Sharpies.
"That's a pretty picture, Jenny!" Nellie tells the little girl as she draws a stick figure of some people. "Is that you right there?" Penelope points to a drawing done in blue ink.
Nodding, JJ switches colors and gets another marker. She is using the fat Sharpie markers because they are easier to use with the way she holds them (with a fist, like a 2-year-old, instead of with her thumb and finer, as a 4-year-old should).
"Who is that person right there?" Nellie points to someone drawn in purple ink. Instead of signing the answer, though, Jenny just turns and points to Emily who is standing beside Benson and watching as he writes something with the spray paint.
"Oh, it's Emmy?" JJ nods. "That's cool! It is a very pretty picture." Nellie wonders why JJ won't talk to her. Usually, JJ uses signs to speak to Nellie and sometimes she uses words, although it is difficult for Nell to understand her since she has trouble speaking and pronouncing things correctly.
JJ switches colors again and gets a green marker. She begins drawing another figure and makes their hair yellow and their eyes brown.
Tapping Nellie on the arm, JJ points to the picture and then points to Nellie.
"That's me?" Nellie asks, hoping she guessed correctly because it is very easy for JJ to get upset when others do not understand her. Nell grins when JJ nods. The younger girl switches to yet another color. This time, it is red. She draws a figure and gives them short, spikey brown hair and blue eyes.
Instead of Nell asking, Emily comes over then, and looks at the pictures.
"Hey, Love! I see you have some very pretty pictures here. I see there is you, *points to a small figure with yellow hair and blue eyes*, there is Nellie *yellow hair, brown eyes*, and me *brown hair, brown eyes*. And who is this person right here?" She points to the red figure.
JJ looks at Nellie and then glances around. She wants to tell Emmy but she does not want to get in trouble for using her hands.
Glancing around and seeing that everyone is occupied, JJ turns so her back is to Nellie. She leans against Emily, as the older girl has bent down beside her, and signs, "Benny!"
"It's Benny? Well, I think you captured his likeness very well!" And Emily means it. JJ had drawn clothes to go over each figure, and used red and black for Ben. He has a red shirt on with a pair of black shorts, and his brown hair is spiked up from where he used hair gel earlier today.
The kids finish drawing or writing their names. They spray paint their names, the date, and their age. Benson puts his and his girlfriend's – Charlotte – names in a heart and takes a picture of it so he can show her.
Everyone gathers around to their own pictures taken and then they load up to leave. They pull out of their parking spaces and make their way into the nearest town. And the grownups get milkshakes and ice cream to tide them over until they have a late lunch at one in the afternoon.
*Anaheim, California*
At nearly 4:30 in the morning on Sunday, the Prentiss and Knight families pull into the hotel that will be their home for the next seven days. They have finally arrived at their destination.
The grownups feel like little kids. They are practically buzzing with excitement as Kathryn unloads their suitcases onto a couple of trolleys and Liz wakes the older kids, while James picks JJ up out of her carseat and Billy gets Nellie out of her booster seat.
They usher everyone inside to the lobby and check into their rooms. They have two rooms, one for the kids, and one for the adults. Nellie gets the choice later today of staying with them or going to the room where her parents and siblings are staying.
The kids are already in their pajamas – they changed earlier during a stop for gas – so the adults quickly change, getting the kids set on the beds, and then go to sleep themselves.
They cannot wait to reveal the name of the place they will be visiting for the rest of Spring Break.
Here it is. Can you guess on where they are? I left clues throughout the chapters. Also, who can guess what nellie's actual name is?
Please review and let me know what you thought! If you would, please let me know what you thought of and how I did with the part about Emily's cousin David. Next chapter is in two weeks on Tuesday (27th). And to those that celebrate, Happy early Thanksgiving! :)
Fun Facts: Did you know it is illegal to have sex with a porcupine in the state of Florida? Yes, I am serious. No, it's not a joke. Yes, two people actually tried to have sex with a porcupine. I'm sure every one of ya'll can guess about how well that did not go.
What kind of Fun Facts can you think of?
Next Up: Part 2 of 5; Spring Break
A reminder of who's who.
Emily's parents are Elizabeth and James Prentiss. Benson, Calvin, and Annie Knight are Emily's cousin. Billy and Kathryn Knight are their parents. All other children mentioned, aside from JJ and Nellie, are their cousins. Julia and Bruce Colt (James's sister and brother-in-law) are David and Daniella Colt's parents - David is autistic.
Dianna Johnston - the birthday girl's - parents are Jacqueline and Thomas Johnston. Elizabeth's sister and brother-in-law are Jonathan & Eloise. Jon is the one who made the derogatory statements. His wife is Eloise, their children are Hannah, Lyndsey, and Ashtynn aka Hannie, Lynnie, and Ash. Hannah and Lyndsey are twins and also referred to as being adopted.