"I'm too nervous to open the e-mail" she said to Dodie. "Wait, then I'll come over and we can open it together. Gosh Ginger, this is soooo exciting." She replied and hung up.
"Yeah...REAL exciting... How much will my life change because of this?"She hung up and returned to her bed. She pulled out her diary and started scribbling as fast as she could.
"Dear diary, The most unexpected thing happend. Mom could be on her way to a pre-paid one year vacation thanks to MY writing piece. I could've won! Now how could that be?--Ginger.."
Just then she realized, where would they live if her mother left? Who would cook? And what about Carl.
"GINGER?" Dodie's voice echoed through the halls of Ginger's house.
"DODIE! OHMYGOSH. If my mother leaves..what about us? How could I have been so dumb to enter that contest..." she said whining. "Oh Ginger, be quiet!" Dodie said, she walked over to the open computer and clicked on the e-mail.
Dodies shreiked and started to laugh hysterically. "What?" Ginger asked raising one eyebrow. "Yo--yo--y-u-you you...w--wo--ww--won. Your mom gets to go to Europe and Africa, and then Japan, then Chile and then Mexico and Hawaii and then London! PREPAID!"
Ginger covered her mouth not sure what to think or say. She took Dodie to the kitchen and poured her a cup of water. "Come on, let's go." she said.
"Where?" Dodie questioned. Ginger grabbed her coat although it was warm outside. "To the hospital. I don't know how but we will. I have to see my mother."
center ---------- /center
They got off the Sheltered Shrubs Night-time bus just outside of the hospital. They found Lois labeling medical records.
"Mom!" Ginger called catching her breath. "What is it kiddo? Is there something wrong?" she asked. Ginger coughed and finally said. "You..have won a vacation!"
Lois led Ginger and Dodie into the waiting room and asked for a break. "Okay, so what's going on." Ginger couldn't talk, so she nudged Dodie.
Dodie got up and started pacing. "Well, Ginger entered this contest by writing a story about you and she won. The prize was a year vacation around the world that you get to go on. But now she's confused about you and her and Carl and..."
Lois stopped Dodie. "Is this right Ginger?" Ginger nodded. "Ginger, you know I could never go on the vacation--"
"WHAT? WHY NOT? YOU DESERVE IT!" Ginger said.
"Because, who would take care of you?"
Ginger was annnoyed now, without thinking she said. "Dad could take care of us. We could live with him for the year." Just then she realized her dad lived in Heathered Hills.