I finished painting and sat up. "Done," I put the cap on the bottle of nail polish.
Addison held her hand up in front of her face. "You're good at that," she said admiringly.
"Thanks," I said.
The door opened and Aubrey came in with her hands full of stuff. She had a bag of potato chips, a package of gummy bears, and three cans of soda. She set everything on the bed and opened one of the Cokes.
"Go ahead," she said to me, "I brought you a soda too."
"Oh, you're allowed to have soda?" I asked.
Aubrey laughed. "Allowed? Yeah, of course. Why, are you not allowed?"
"Well, I, uh, my Uncle Sam wants me to eat healthy, and we don't have lots of junk food and stuff, and I have to ask if I can have a snack."
Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Yeah, it's not like that here. We eat what we want, when we want. Parents shouldn't be limiting your food y'know?" she tossed her head.
Aubrey was 11, and she acted like she knew everything. She had lots of opinions about everything and wasn't afraid to say them.
Daddy had worked on Aubrey's Daddy's car, and they had introduced themselves and talked, and Daddy felt comfortable with letting me go to Addison's house now.
Addison and Aubrey each had their own room, filled with toys and games and stuff. Their mom seemed nice, but like she was always busy and running around trying to do everything.
"Want Charlie to paint your nails, Aub?" Addison asked.
"No thanks. Hey Charlie, want to do make-up?" Aubrey asked.
"Um, what do you mean?" I asked nervously.
"Yeah, let's do a make-over!" Addison laughed and clapped her hands.
"I'll do your make-up, okay? I'm getting really good at it," Aubrey said with confidence.
"Well, uh, I guess," I said hesitantly.
Aubrey left the room and was back in a couple of minutes with a little quilted bag. She set it down and unzipped it, and started to take things out.
"Wow, you have a lot of stuff," I commented, looking into the bag.
"Yeah, I buy make-up every week just about, when I get my allowance. Sit here," Aubrey patted the end of the bed.
I sat down and crossed my legs. "You get an allowance?"
"Yeah, don't you?" Addison asked.
"No," I said shortly.
Aubrey pulled a chair over and sat down. She leaned forward and looked at my face. "I think...I want to try this purple eye shadow, it'll really bring out the green of your eyes."
Addison stood next to Aubrey and made comments as Aubrey applied the makeup to my face. I had trouble when she was putting eyeliner on me, because it felt like she was trying to poke my eye, and then when she tried to put mascara on, I let out a little shriek because she did poke my eye.
"Don't rub!" she exclaimed, as I put my hand up, "You'll wreck your eye shadow!"
"It feels weird, and my eye is tearing! I gotta rub it!" I said, and I rubbed.
Addison handed me a tissue, and I wiped my eye.
"Okay, I'll just do that eye again," Aubrey said. She re-applied the eye shadow, swept blush onto my cheeks with a big puffy brush, and then put bright red lipstick on me.
There was a knock on the door, and Addison's mom poked her head in. "Charlie, your Dad just called, and he wants you to go home for dinner. Oh, are you girls doing make-up?"
"Well, duh, Mom," Aubrey said in a snotty tone, rolling her eyes.
"Looks good," her mom said, acting like Aubrey hadn't been rude. She closed the door.
I started to get off the bed.
"Where are you going?" Addison asked.
"I gotta go home now," I said.
"You don't have to leave right away," Addison said.
I gave her a look. "Yeah I do. When Daddy tells me to do something, I gotta do it. Isn't it like that with your parents?"
The girls looked at each other and laughed. "Yeah kinda...when we have to do something, we just...take our own sweet time doing it," Aubrey said with a smirk, "If we have to clean, then we take a really long time getting out the vacuum or whatever, and eventually Mom just gets frustrated and does it herself."
"I don't think my Daddy would like that," I told her, "So I gotta go. Thanks for everything."
"Okay, seeya!" Addison called as I left the room.
I skipped up the sidewalk to our house and went in the front door. Daddy came into the living room from the kitchen. "There you a- what is on your face?" he stared at me with a confused look.
I started to blush. "We did nails, and Aubrey did a make-over on me," I held my hand up to show him my painted fingernails.
"I'll say she did, that kid's got a heavy hand," Daddy retorted.
Uncle Sam came in behind Dean, and raised his eyebrows when he saw me. "Well. That's...a different look," he said, chuckling.
Grandpa John came up the hall from his room. "There she is!" he said, like always, and I turned to him. "Oh-" he said with surprise when he saw my face.
I glared up at all of them. "What's the matter, haven't you ever seen make-up before?"
"Yes, honey, but your friend—she used a lot on you-" Uncle Sam explained.
I stomped my foot. "She was just trying it, y'know!"
"Okay, you don't have to get angry, Charlie," Daddy came over to me and pulled to into his arms for a hug, "We're not used to seeing you like this—with make-up on, it's different, and- well, it makes me realize that there's probably going to be a day when you want to start wearing make-up," he let me go, "I just hope that that day isn't too soon. I want you to stay my little girl for as long as possible."
"I'm not little," I huffed, "I'm almost 9!"
Daddy laughed. "All right, go wash that stuff off your face and then come and set the table."
I started to go upstairs to the bathroom, and thought I heard Daddy saying, "Should we make a rule about make-up?"
While we ate, I told them about Addison and Aubrey's house. "They each have their own room, Aubrey's is decorated with horses, and Addison's is decorated with kittens and puppies. They both have a little t.v. in their rooms, and Aubrey has a desk and a stereo and her own laptop! And Addison has this giant house for her Barbie dolls with a camper-van thingy too, and like a hundred dolls and clothes for all of them!"
"A hundred, huh?" Uncle Sam smiled.
"Well, I don't know...she has a lot! And oh..." I looked down at my plate, "they both have a 3DS with this new game, can I—can I have my 3DS so I can take it to their house and play with them?"
I looked up at Daddy, hoping that I was looking pitiful.
Daddy glanced at Uncle Sam. "No, Charlie, you can't."
"But why not?" I frowned.
"Why did it get taken away?" Uncle Sam asked.
I felt my face get a little red. "Because I ordered stuff online without asking an' went online in secret."
"Right, and you're being punished right now. You'll get it back when two weeks is up," Uncle Sam said reasonably.
"But- my 3DS didn't have anything to do with the Kindle, why'd it get taken away too?"
"Because it did," Daddy said firmly.
"It's not fair!" I threw my fork down and crossed my arms.
"Charlie!" Daddy scolded, frowning at me, "Do you want to leave the table?"
"Fine! I'm not hungry anyways!" I started to get out of my chair.
Uncle Sam put his hand out. "Sit back down and eat your dinner."
"I said I'm not hungry!" I got up, and ran up to my room, throwing myself down on the bed and pouting. My tummy was hurting a little bit.
Several minutes later there was a knock on the door and Daddy came in. He walked over and stood next to the bed. "I was ready for after-dinner snuggles, and you weren't there," he said.
"Oh," I sat up, and looked at him.
He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled me onto his lap. "What's going on, hm?" he asked, "You got upset awfully quick."
"I dunno," I said, "Their house is just so different...and they do things different too."
Daddy rested his chin on my head. "Yeah, everyone is different."
I looked up at him. "Addison and her sister get an allowance. Can I start getting one too?"
Daddy chuckled. "Hmm, I'll have to think about that one...I'll let you know," he smoothed my hair back from my face, "How are you doing on the bike? Think you're ready to try it without the training wheels?"
"Maybe," I said nervously, "I'll be scared to try it."
"Well, if you try it and you have a lot of trouble we can always put them back on."
"Can we go downstairs? That new cooking contest show comes on tonight," I hugged Daddy.
"All right," he agreed, and I got off of his lap.
We went downstairs and watched the show together. Then Daddy went to take a shower, and Uncle Sam went to Grandpa John's room to talk about some old books. I was getting hungry, so I got out an apple and some crackers and took them up to my room. I sat in front of my shelf and played with my Hello Kitty figurines while I ate my snack.
There was a knock on the door, and Uncle Sam leaned in. "Charlie, tomorrow I want to- what are you doing?" he came over to me and looked down at me.
"I—I got hungry, so I was havin' a snack."
"Well, you should have eaten when it was dinner time."
"But I wasn't hungry then, I'm hungry now!" I protested.
"Did you ask?" he raised his eyebrows at me.
"Why do I gotta ask all the time!" I huffed.
"Excuse me?" Uncle Sam put his hands on his hips, "Because you do. And you are not allowed to have food in your room either."
Daddy came to the door and looked at Uncle Sam and then me. "What's going on? Charlie, why do you have food?"
"'Cause I got hungry, is that a crime?" I snapped.
Uncle Sam and Daddy looked at each other. "Charlie, I don't want you to have food in your room," Daddy told me.
"That's what I said," Uncle Sam chimed in.
"I- I didn't know that! You never made a rule about it!" I stood up and stomped my foot.
"Well, now there is. And I've had enough of the foot stomping tonight, little girl," Daddy said sternly.
"And she has to ask to get a snack," Uncle Sam added.
"How come?" I stomped my foot again and crossed my arms.
"All right, bedtime for you," Daddy said.
"What? Why?" I exclaimed.
"Because I've had enough. Get ready for bed, now," Daddy said firmly.
I stared at him.
He snapped his fingers and said, "Charlie, NOW," When I still didn't move he said, "You want to be going to bed with a sore butt? Because that's where you're headed," he stepped towards me, and I ran out of the room to the bathroom.
Daddy was the last one to give me a hug and a kiss. He let me go and stood up. "You're throwing around an awful lot of attitude these days, Charlie," he said seriously, "You need to watch it," he pulled the covers up and tucked them around my shoulders, "You hear me?"
"Yeeess," I said.
"Excuse me?" his voice got stern.
"Okay, Daddy." I rolled onto my side, and he left the room.
The next afternoon, I rode my bike with Addison. She had on her roller skates and skated next to me as I went up and down the sidewalk a few times.
"Let's go in and get somethin' to eat, I'm hungry," she said.
"Okay," I got off my bike and pulled my pads off, and then took off the helmet. I followed her into the kitchen.
Aubrey was standing in front of the microwave, watching a bag of popcorn. "Hey Addi, there's a new episode of 'Love and High School' on," she said.
"I'll watch it later," Addison walked over to a drawer and opened it, taking out a couple of chocolate bars and a bag of Cheetos. Then she got 2 cans of soda out of the refrigerator.
Their mom was standing at the stove, stirring a pot. "Don't eat too much," she said over her shoulder.
"But I'm hungry now," Addison whined.
"I don't want you to spoil your appetite for dinner."
"Who cares? It's probably gross anyway," Aubrey snapped, and I was shocked that she said that. Her mom didn't say anything.
I followed Addison up to her room, and we laid on her bed and ate while she told me about some of her friends at school. Some of the things she told me about sounded kindof mean, but I didn't say anything. After we finished eating, we played with her Barbies. I loved picking out outfits for them to wear and dressing them.
There was a knock on the door, and Addison's mom leaned her head in. "Charlie, your Dad called, it's dinner time for you. Addi, you need to do your homework."
"I will, Mom, leave me alone, gosh," Addison stood up and stomped over to her bed.
"Bye, Addison, see you," I said, "Thanks for the snack."
By the time I had walked home, my tummy was feeling upset. I slumped on the sofa and curled up in a ball.
Daddy came into the room, and then came over to me. "What's wrong?" he asked with concern.
"I don't feel good," I murmured.
He put his hand on my forehead. "You're not warm. Do you have a sore throat?"
I shook my head. "Uh-uh, my tummy hurts."
"Has it been hurting all day?"
"No," I closed my eyes.
I felt Daddy smoothing my hair back from my face. "You just rest here, then," he said gently.
I heard footsteps, and then Grandpa John's voice asked, "Is she okay?"
"Her stomach's bothering her," Daddy told him.
I listened to the sounds of them eating dinner and talking. My stomach started to feel better, and I sat up and reached for the remote. Daddy appeared in the doorway. "You feeling better?"
I nodded, flipping the channels.
"You want to come eat?"
"I'm not hungry," I told him.
When they were finished eating, he came and sat next to me. "Bath for you tonight, Charlie," he said.
"Okay, after I watch this," I curled up next to Daddy and he put his arm around me.
When the show was over, he patted my leg and said, "Okay, time for your bath."
"Wait, I wanna watch the next episode," I said, whining a little bit. It was a half-hour show about how foods were made in factories.
"If you watch this, and then take a bath, it'll be past your bedtime, so no," Daddy leaned over and picked up the remote.
"Stoooop," I whined, trying to grab the remote from him.
He held it up, away from me, and gave me a look. "Charlie, what did I say?" he asked sternly.
"It's just one show!" I argued.
"And I said no," his voice was still stern. He turned the t.v. off, and lean forward to set the remote on the table. I reached out to grab it, and he took my wrist.
"Little girl, I don't know what's going on with you, but it stops now," he pulled me across his lap, and I yelped and tried to push myself up.
"No more sassing or arguing," he said, smacking my bottom once.
"Ow! Dad-dyyy!" I protested.
"No more attitude," his hand fell again.
"Okaaaay!"
"What?" he swatted me once, "What was that?" he swatted me a second time.
"Okay! I mean yes! Yes, Daddy!"
"You gonna quit it with the mouth, and do what you're told without arguing?"
"Yes, Daddy," I said quickly.
He gave me one final swat and let me up. "Let's go upstairs and I'll run your bath," he stood up and held out his hand. I took it and we walked upstairs together.
When they were tucking me into bed that night, I asked, "Can I get some nail polish?"
Daddy glanced at Uncle Sam. "Um, I guess...why do you want some?"
"Cause it's pretty! And fun!" I held my hand up and wiggled my fingers, making my glittery nails sparkle.
"Well, all right. Next time you go to the store, you can get some," Daddy said.
"Do they sell nail polish at grocery stores?" Uncle Sam asked.
"I don't know...I guess you'll have to figure that out," Daddy leaned down and kissed my forehead, "Good night."
"Night," I murmured, rolling over.
I went to the library with Grandpa John and Uncle Sam, and Uncle Sam signed me up for my own library card. He let me get three books out, and I sat and read one while he and Grandpa John looked stuff up.
When we left, Grandpa John said, "I have a surprise for you, Charlie."
He drove us to an ice cream shop, but then when we went inside, he pointed at the rigth side of the store. The wall was lined with bins of all different kinds of candy.
"Are you gonna let me fill up on candy?" I asked gleefully.
"Well, maybe not fill up," Uncle Sam said.
"You can pick what kind of candy you want and how much you want and put it in a bag," Grandpa John told me.
"How many can I pick? Can I get lots? I want gummy bears and caramels and chocolate covered peanuts and oh, look! They also have gummy worms! Can I get them too?" I ran over to the shelves, and they followed me, chuckling.
"No, you're not getting all that," Uncle Sam said.
"Aww...can I get five things?" I looked up at him.
"No, just a couple."
"Four things? Three things?"
"I think three sounds good," Grandpa John said.
"All right, three," Uncle Sam agreed, "But you're not eating everything all at once, you'll get a stomach ache."
"Okay!" I pulled a bag off of the rack. Grandpa John showed me how to scoop the candy into the bag and then take it over to a scale and weigh it. Then you had to write how much it weighed on a sticker and put it on the bag. I picked gummy bears, chocolate covered caramel bits, and little pieces of different flavored taffy.
Grandpa John took them to the counter and paid for them. He handed me the bag as we walked out of the store.
"Thanks, Grandpa John!" I said happily, "Can I have some now?"
"Of course, little one," Grandpa John ruffled my hair and laughed. Uncle Sam rolled his eyes. "Not too much, though."
I ate a handful of gummy bears, and then a couple pieces of taffy.
By the time we got home, the school kids were home, and I ran to Addison's house to hang out with her.
She and her sister were sitting in front of the t.v. watching a show about a group of teenagers in high school who were all dating each other. It seemed kind of boring, but Addison would explain what was going on with all the different characters.
Aubrey made microwave popcorn again, and opened a bag of gummies that were shaped like fruits. I ate some, but my stomach started to feel really yucky.
"Um, I'm gonna go home," I told them, "I don't feel good."
I walked home slowly. Daddy was just pulling up to the curb as I walked up the steps.
"Hey, Charlie," he picked me up, and it made my tummy do a flip.
"My tummy doesn't feel good," I told him, and he put me down.
"I wonder if we should take you to the doctor," he said, "your stomach hasn't been feeling good for the past couple of days."
Uncle Sam came into the living room. "Well, she had some candy earlier."
"Oh, she did?" Daddy raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah, Dad found a candy store and took us there to buy her some candy."
"Did you save me any?" Daddy tickled the side of my neck.
"Yeah, I didn't eat it all," I rubbed my tongue over my front teeth.
"What are you doing?" Daddy asked, watching me.
"I got popcorn bits stuck in my teeth," I said.
"When did you have popcorn?" Uncle Sam asked.
"Oh, uh, when I go to Addison's house, we have a snack."
"What kind of snack?" Uncle Sam was looking at me.
I ducked my head. "Well, uh, stuff like chips an' soda...an' stuff."
"Hmm, you've been coming home with an upset stomach for the past couple of days and not eating any dinner...how much of this stuff are you eating?" I saw Daddy and Uncle Sam glance at each other.
"Uh, I dunno."
"What are you eating at her house?" Daddy asked, "you had popcorn today, what else?"
"Um, Coke, and, and...some gummy fruits."
"So you're eating junk food and candy at your friend's house," Uncle Sam put his hands on his hips, "and then coming home and not eating a healthy meal," he shook his head.
I looked up at him. "I—I didn't break any rules!"
"You're not in trouble, Charlie, but...we're going to have to have a talk about what you eat at other people's houses."
"But—that's what they gave me!" I protested.
"Yes, but you didn't have to eat it, you could have refused, or only eaten a little bit. Instead, you come home feeling sick. That tells me you're eating a lot of junk," Uncle Sam said, "And it needs to stop."
"That—that's not fair!" I exclaimed, and I ran up to my room. I slammed the door and threw myself down on my bed. They were just being mean, I should be allowed to eat what I want when I go to other people's houses!