Chapter 14: The Right to be a Child!
LATER IN THE EVENING!
While Jeanette helps the boys get ready for bed, Simon took the opportunity to talk to Mary-Anne about her 'Angels'. He lightly knocks on the door to the children's bedroom before opening it. Mary is found sitting on her bed sulking about her first experience with school. She is already dressed in her pajamas and has brushed her teeth. The only thing she is waiting for is to be tucked in.
"Mary?" Simon quietly said as he walked in.
"Yes, daddy?" Mary replied.
"Honey, I'm sorry for what happened today."
"They were very mean to me, daddy." Mary whined.
"Yea, kids can be pretty mean sometimes." Simon said knowingly. "Some people just don't understand the concept of 'Angels'."
"You believe me, don't you, daddy?" Mary looked up at Simon with big pleading eyes.
"Well, Sweetie, there would have been a time that even I wouldn't believe that 'Angels' could talk to us." Simon openly admitted. "But you know what?"
"What?"
"For the last couple of years I have experienced many things that couldn't be fully explained. The experience has given me reason to believe in Angels."
"Really?" Mary looked up eagerly in finding more to her daddy's story.
"Yes. For example, you once told me that an Angel told you that I had to stop the car while I was driving, a bad thing would happen."
"Yea?"
"Yup. After that I figured there were some sense to the Angels you see."
"So, you do believe me?"
"Yes, Mary, I do..."
"Thanks daddy!" Mary leapt into Simon's arms and gave him a big hug of appreciation.
"Awe, your welcome, Sweetie. But to be on the safe side, perhaps it would be best not to 'share' the knowledge of your Angels. And from now on, maybe ask them to not bother you during class-time, ok?"
Mary glances to her right for a moment. She then smiles, and turns to her father. "Ok." She replies.
Simon pulls back the covers on her bed, and allowed Mary-Anne to lie down on her pillow. He then places the covers on top of his daughter and gives her a kiss on the forehead. The door opens and Vincent, Tom, and Jeanette walk in. Simon realizes that Vincent is packing a fully loaded water pistil.
"Vincent, what's that water pistil for?" Simon asked.
"It's for anyone who dares call my sister 'stupid' again." Vincent answers angrily.
"Oh?" Simon raised his eyebrow.
He briefly looks up at Jeanette as if she could explain Vincent's motives. She simply shrugged her shoulders.
"Yea... They all made fun of her because she was talking to the Angels during reading time."
"Oh, really?" Simon inquired.
"Dad! When I bug my sister, it's different...but when others start bugging her...well, that is just not right!" Vincent spoke out.
"Awe, thanks Vincent." Mary-Anne smiles knowing that her brother does care.
"I see." Simon says with a hint of pride.
He could help it; his son was showing compassion for his siblings. Simon looked up at Jeanette and saw she too was smiling over Vincent's protective instinct over his sister. With a smile still on his face, Simon walks up to Vincent and begins to tuck him in.
"Well, I'm proud of you for wanting to stick up for your siblings, but I don't think they will allow loaded water pistils in the classroom." Simon announced as he removes they toy from his son's hand.
"Awe..." Vince complains.
"Come now, you know I disapprove of violence...Especially when there are more discreet ways to seek revenge on someone." Simon added with a wink.
Both father and son shared a mischievous smile as Simon pulled the covers over him. Simon looked over to Jeanette as she is saying goodnight to Mary. Jeanette looked at him with a raised eyebrow. She could sense that her husband and eldest son are up to something.
Simon got up and walked over to Tom, whom is slowly crawling up onto his bed. "How about you, Champ, feeling better?"
"Yea, a bit." He replies honestly.
"You think you will be alright for school tomorrow?" Simon asked as he pulled the covers over his son.
"Ah, I think so."
"Ok, good."
After Simon and Jeanette tuck in their children Simon walks over the bookshelf. "Alright, what story should we read tonight?"
"Dr. Seuss!!" The little chipmunks cried out at once.
LATER IN THE EVENING!
While Jeanette helps the boys get ready for bed, Simon took the opportunity to talk to Mary-Anne about her 'Angels'. He lightly knocks on the door to the children's bedroom before opening it. Mary is found sitting on her bed sulking about her first experience with school. She is already dressed in her pajamas and has brushed her teeth. The only thing she is waiting for is to be tucked in.
"Mary?" Simon quietly said as he walked in.
"Yes, daddy?" Mary replied.
"Honey, I'm sorry for what happened today."
"They were very mean to me, daddy." Mary whined.
"Yea, kids can be pretty mean sometimes." Simon said knowingly. "Some people just don't understand the concept of 'Angels'."
"You believe me, don't you, daddy?" Mary looked up at Simon with big pleading eyes.
"Well, Sweetie, there would have been a time that even I wouldn't believe that 'Angels' could talk to us." Simon openly admitted. "But you know what?"
"What?"
"For the last couple of years I have experienced many things that couldn't be fully explained. The experience has given me reason to believe in Angels."
"Really?" Mary looked up eagerly in finding more to her daddy's story.
"Yes. For example, you once told me that an Angel told you that I had to stop the car while I was driving, a bad thing would happen."
"Yea?"
"Yup. After that I figured there were some sense to the Angels you see."
"So, you do believe me?"
"Yes, Mary, I do..."
"Thanks daddy!" Mary leapt into Simon's arms and gave him a big hug of appreciation.
"Awe, your welcome, Sweetie. But to be on the safe side, perhaps it would be best not to 'share' the knowledge of your Angels. And from now on, maybe ask them to not bother you during class-time, ok?"
Mary glances to her right for a moment. She then smiles, and turns to her father. "Ok." She replies.
Simon pulls back the covers on her bed, and allowed Mary-Anne to lie down on her pillow. He then places the covers on top of his daughter and gives her a kiss on the forehead. The door opens and Vincent, Tom, and Jeanette walk in. Simon realizes that Vincent is packing a fully loaded water pistil.
"Vincent, what's that water pistil for?" Simon asked.
"It's for anyone who dares call my sister 'stupid' again." Vincent answers angrily.
"Oh?" Simon raised his eyebrow.
He briefly looks up at Jeanette as if she could explain Vincent's motives. She simply shrugged her shoulders.
"Yea... They all made fun of her because she was talking to the Angels during reading time."
"Oh, really?" Simon inquired.
"Dad! When I bug my sister, it's different...but when others start bugging her...well, that is just not right!" Vincent spoke out.
"Awe, thanks Vincent." Mary-Anne smiles knowing that her brother does care.
"I see." Simon says with a hint of pride.
He could help it; his son was showing compassion for his siblings. Simon looked up at Jeanette and saw she too was smiling over Vincent's protective instinct over his sister. With a smile still on his face, Simon walks up to Vincent and begins to tuck him in.
"Well, I'm proud of you for wanting to stick up for your siblings, but I don't think they will allow loaded water pistils in the classroom." Simon announced as he removes they toy from his son's hand.
"Awe..." Vince complains.
"Come now, you know I disapprove of violence...Especially when there are more discreet ways to seek revenge on someone." Simon added with a wink.
Both father and son shared a mischievous smile as Simon pulled the covers over him. Simon looked over to Jeanette as she is saying goodnight to Mary. Jeanette looked at him with a raised eyebrow. She could sense that her husband and eldest son are up to something.
Simon got up and walked over to Tom, whom is slowly crawling up onto his bed. "How about you, Champ, feeling better?"
"Yea, a bit." He replies honestly.
"You think you will be alright for school tomorrow?" Simon asked as he pulled the covers over his son.
"Ah, I think so."
"Ok, good."
After Simon and Jeanette tuck in their children Simon walks over the bookshelf. "Alright, what story should we read tonight?"
"Dr. Seuss!!" The little chipmunks cried out at once.