Auggie and Annie family and home part 5
Annie and Auggie strolled through the shopping centre. They needed to run some errands for the party the following weekend. It was Jeremy´s 6th birthday and shortly later, he would start school.
„Kids are growing up so fast" Annie said with a sigh. Auggie had taken her arm and kept his cane folded in the other hand.
„Yeah, Jeremy will go to school soon and 1,2,3, he will graduate and bring the first girl friend
home„ Auggie smiled.
„I wish he was not growing so fast, I enjoy seeing him learn something new every day" Annie said.
And then she stopped in front of the department store. She and Auggie strolled through the aisles.
„I hope we will find everything we need" Annie said „Have you got the shopping list?"
Auggie reached into his messenger bag and fished out a piece of paper. He slid his fingers across it and read „We need: ballons, napkins, plastic plates and cups, candles, cookies, chips, lemonade, orange juice and the ingredients for the birthday cake"
After a while the shopping cart was filled with all the articles Annie and Auggie needed. The only thing missing was the birthday present. Annie paid and she and Auggie stowed everything in the trunk of the car, before they went to the toy store. Again Auggie took Annie´s elbow but this time he opened his cane and swept it back and forth in a small arc whilst walking.
The toy store was a maze for Auggie. It offered anything a kid could want. From talking dolls and Barbie houses up to huge stuffed plush animals and motorbikes for kids.
Annie noticed the looks of some customers. Even after such a long time with Auggie, she was bothered by the pitiful looks of people, when they realized that her husband was blind. Often, she was glad that Auggie could not see these glances. But of course he knew that he was being watched and sometimes he asked „are we stared at?" and then Annie had to reply „yes we are".
Then a friendly shop assistant approached „Can I help you?" The young man asked.
„Yes, we are looking for a Playmobil Knight´s Castle for our son. It is his sixth birthday and he loves knights." Auggie answered.
„Then you have come to the right place" the shop assistant said „Please come with me"
Annie and Auggie followed and finally they reached the section with all kinds of Playmobil toys for boys and girls. The shop assistant took a huge carton from one of the shelves and showed it to Annie.
„Yes, that is what we have been looking for" Annie said. „Does the box only contain the castle?" Auggie asked.
„Yes, knights, horses etc. are not included. There are boxes with five knights and one princess and also additional boxes with 5 horses available " The shop assistant informed them.
„Okay, then we will take the castle, a box with knights and a second one with horses" Auggie said and Annie nodded.
„Excellent choice" The shop assistant said „Your son will surely be delighted"
Annie and Auggie walked to the checkout and when they had paid, the young lady asked them „Shall I wrap it up as a gift?"
„Yes, that would be great" Annie answered. The lady took a piece of paper with nice Disney pictures and wrapped the three boxes up. When she was done, she added a huge red bow.
„That looks fantastic" Annie said before she took the boxes out of the shop assistant´s hand.
Now, Annie needed both hands to carry the boxes and so Auggie walked next to her using his cane. When the reached the parking lot, Annie put the cartons into the trunk that was already filled with the other errands for Jeremy´s birthday party.
„I am glad we got everything we needed" Auggie said before they drove back home.
Five days later
Annie and Auggie were still in bed, when Auggie suddenly felt somebody crawling into bed, snuggling down between him and Annie.
Mum, Daddy...it is my birthday...I am gonna be six today...Jeremy was excited...
„Morning, champion" Auggie murmured with a still sleepy voice. He had no idea what time it was. Therefore he turned a bit towards the nightstand and touched the button of his alarm clock.
„It is 5:30 a.m." The voice announced.
In the meantime Annie had woken up, too. „Hey Jeremy, what are you doing here so early?"
„Mum...did you forget, today is my birthday" Jeremy replied.
„Yes, I know but it is still early. Why don´t you go back to bed? It is only 5:30 in the morning."
„May I stay here?" Jeremy asked.
„Okay" Auggie said and wrapped his right arm around his son. „You can stay here in our bed, if you let your Mum and me sleep for a little while longer. In two hours it is still early enough to get up. The day is still long, you won´t miss anything and Granny Gladys and Grandfather Dave will not be here before noon"
„Okay Daddy" Jeremy moved a bit closer to Auggie and within a few seconds, he was sound asleep again in his father´s arm.
After a quick breakfast Annie and Auggie started working in the kitchen. Annie prepared an apple cake and a number of chocolate muffins. Whilst Auggie peeled the potatoes for the potato salad. The morning passed with preparations and at a quarter past twelve, the doorbell rang. Auggie wiped his hands on the apron, he had wrapped around his waist and walked to the door.
„Hey Mum, hey Dad" he greeted when he opened the door.
„Hello son" Dave Anderson said and hugged Auggie.
„It is so good to see you again after such a long time" That was the voice of Gladys, Auggie´s mother.
„I am glad that you could make it, to be with us for Jeremy´s sixth birthay" Auggie smiled before he walked back to the kitchen where Annie was still preparing the muffins.
„Your beautiful wife seems to be very busy" Dave Anderson remarked, before he pulled Annie into a hug. Seconds later, the door on the first floor opened and Jeremy stormed down the stairs.
„Grandma, Granddad... he called and ran straight away into the open arms of his grandmother"
„Hey, you have really grown since our last visit" Gladys Anderson said.
„I am six already" Jeremy said proudly „And in August I will go to school with Ben, Tim and the others from Kindergarten"
„Yes, you have become a big boy" Dave Anderson said and lifted Jeremy up before he whirled him around.
Three hours later, the Anderson house was filled with sounds and the laughter of kids. Jeremy had been allowed to invite six of his Kindergarten friends for a party. Ben, Tim, Alicia, Sarah, Britney and Jason were now playing with Jeremy in the garden. The weather was hot and sunny and Auggie and Annie had filled a pool with water. Now the kids were playing in the water using the water slide and were splashing each other with the cool water.
Auggie loved being with kids, but having a handful of them at home was a challenge for him. Jeremy´s friends knew him, but they were not familiar with his blindness. He had to be extra careful not to stumble over stuff the kids had left on the terrace, the lawn or somewhere inside the house. One of the first things his own son had to learn when he was old enough to understand, was not to leave anything out of place or in the way.
„Hey anybody up for some hot chocolate and Muffins?" Annie called
Playing in the water had made the kids hungry and so one kid after the other came running back to the table where Annie had prepared everything. The huge apple cake in the middle had six burning candles and there were muffins, hazelnut cookies and Brownies as well.
Annie and Auggie helped the kids to dry themselves with towels before each of them pulled over a t-shirt and took a seat at the table.
„I think it is time now to blow out the birthday candles and to make a wish" Auggie said. Jeremy took a deep breath and while the other kids counted 1,2,3...he blew out the candles on his cake.
Soon one muffin after the other disappeared from the table and Annie had to walk back into the kitchen where Gladys was preparing another load of hot chocolate for the kids.
„Are you up for a story?" Auggie asked when all of the kids had finished their chocolate and their cake.
„Oh yes" the kids screamed
„Ok, then let me get the book and I ´ll be back in a minute"
„My dad is the best storyteller ever" Jeremy said and looked after Auggie, who was walking slowly towards the terrace door.
Annie had spread two huge blankets on the lawn and Auggie took a seat on a chair when he returned with the fairy tale book. The children, sitting to his feet, listened expectantly, when Auggie slid his fingertips across the Braille page and started reading..."Once there was a brave knight and he loved the beautiful Princess Lilly but the evil dragon Jaromir..."
The kids listened to Auggie´s story with excitement. Every now and then Annie heard "Oh" ..."Ah" or other sounds, that told her that Auggie´s story had really captured the kids.
„Auggie really has a way with kids" Gladys said with admiration in her voice, standing next to Annie on the threshold of the terrace door. She had never watched her son with other kids than his own son and she was proud. After Auggie´s accident she had given up hoping that her youngest son would be a husband and father one day. Seeing him like that, was more than she could take and she couldn´t help her eyes getting wet. She wiped away a tear with the sleeve of her blouse, before she and Annie went out onto the terrace to join the others.
When Auggie had finished the story, the kids pleaded „Mr. Anderson read to us one more story please..."
„I would love that, but I guess there is something more interesting waiting for you." Auggie said with a smile.
Annie had prepared a treasure hunt for the kids and soon the kids were busy with finding the objects that Annie had hidden in the cellar and in the garden.
At a quarter past six, Dave Anderson started with the barbecue. Auggie loved barbecues, but since he had gone blind, open fire was too dangerous for him and so he left the job of the barbecue master to his father. Annie and Auggie had bought charcoal, hamburgers and sausages and whilst Gladys laid the table with plates, cutlery and colourful Micky Mouse napkins, Annie seasoned the potato salad and got some ketchup from the fridge.
Half an hour later, the hungry kids stormed towards the table and one hamburger after the other found its way onto the kids´ plates.
„Mr. Anderson, Jeremy said that you cannot see, but how do you know where the food is on your plate?" Alicia asked and looked over to Auggie.
Auggie swallowed the last bite of his sausage, wiped his mouth with the Mickey Mouse napkin and turned his head a bit toward the girl´s voice.
„Can you already read the time on a clock?" Auggie asked
„Yes Mr. Anderson"
„Okay, this is how I remember where everything is on my plate. Today, Hamburger is at six ´o clock, potato salad at three and sausage at twelve"
„Wow, that is a funny idea" the girl said before she continued eating her potato salad and her Hamburger.
Two hour later, the kids had been picked up by their parents and Annie, Auggie and Auggie´s parents were cleaning up the kitchen and the terrace.
Jeremy was in his room. He had just unwrapped the huge knight´s castle and was now playing.
„Time to go to bed son" Auggie had entered the room and now slowly felt his way towards his son.
„Oh Daddy, just let me play a bit more with my new toys"
„There will still be enough time for that tomorrow" Auggie replied
„Oh Daddy, pleeeaaasseee..."
„No, Jeremy, it has been an exciting and long day for you. It is almost nine ´o clock and bedtime for kids of your age.
„But Daddy, I AM SIX NOW!"
„I know, and six year old boys who want to go to school soon need enough sleep"
And then Auggie grabbed his squeaking kid, threw Jeremy across his shoulder and carried him to the bathroom.
„Daddy, you are so mean" Jeremy said when Auggie finally set him down again, right in front of the wash basin.
„This is what I said to your grandfather when I was your age" Auggie grinned and grabbed the toothbrush from the shelf above the wash basin and held it out to his son.
Fifteen minutes later Jeremy was in his bed. He had discussed a bit longer with his father but Auggie had insisted on him going to bed.
As soon as Auggie had spread the blanket over him, Jeremy fell asleep. It had been a long day.