Chapter 4, The Planets
It was freakishly warm on this particular December day the following year, when everybody was gathered at the Wehrenberg's apartment for the annual Christmas party. Zack and Kimi however, were enjoying another one of the Christmas presents that was sent to Zack by his maternal grandparents from Wheeling, West Virginia. This year, he received a telescope, and it was reported on the news that on this particular night, if he looked out his window at just the right time, one could see all of the other planets of the solar system. Zack, while he was only four-years-old, and the youngest child to be in kindergarten, found stuff like this fascinating, and he planned to use his telescope every single night, just to see what he could see. He even tried to count every star in the sky back when the gang was in preschool, and got Tommy to go along with his plan. Sadly though, this plan didn't succeed, even though Zack came up with a system for counting the stars, after watching an episode of Curious George, when George tried to do the same thing.
"Kimi, I wanna show you something." Said Zack, as he beckoned her to come over to his telescope.
"What is it Zachary?" Kimi asked.
She was wearing a red short sleeve t-shirt and blue shorts, as it was very hot in Yucaipa, California, way to warm to wear traditional warm Christmas sweat shirt attire.
"Look out there." Said Zack, as he positioned his five-year-old's friend's face into the viewfinder of the telescope.
Kimi looked through the eye piece, and saw the night sky before her.
"Wow Zack, that's so pretty! But, what is it?" Kimi asked.
"That's our universe Kimi. The known universe where our planet lives. And see the red ball out there? That's Mars." Explained Zack, as he pointed out at different things he wanted Kimi to see.
She just thought everything was pretty. Unlike Zack, who was a child genius, Kimi was nowhere that level of intelligence, but she loved being friends with a guy who could teach her a lot of great things. Thanks to Zack, as soon as everybody started preschool two years ago, he worked hard with them on their letters and numbers, and in turn, it helped Dil to be more prepared when he started preschool the following year, as everyone found out later that Tommy would go home in the afternoons and show him everything he learned that day. Now, it was a case of the planets and stars out in the night sky that Zack wanted Kimi to pay attention to.
Once Kimi had had enough looking through the telescope, she turned towards her blond friend with a question.
"Hey Zachary, can I ask you something?" Kimi asked.
"Sure Kimi, what is it?" Zack replied.
Zack was also wearing festive summer clothes on this particularly warm Christmas Eve. He had on a dark green t-shirt and kacky shorts, along with a pair of blue flip flops.
"Zack, will we always be together at Christmas?" Kimi asked.
Zack just looked at her and smiled. Then, he approached Kimi, put the five-year-old's face into his hands, and gazed passionately into her eyes.
Kimi was thankful that nobody else was in the room at that moment, or else she might have been embarrassed by his jesture. They were playing in Zack's room with his telescope, while everybody else was out in the living room and kitchen, snacking on food and enjoying one another's company. It would soon be time for the kids to sit down together and take part in another annual Christmas tradition, watching a Christmas movie together on DVD, and this year, Zack picked out the movie. Since he enjoyed reading A Christmas Carol every year, he thought everyone might enjoy watching the Disney version of the same movie. Realizing they didn't have a copy of the movie on DVD, his aunt asked Peter if he had it, and sure enough, he did, so he brought it with him to the party.
"As long as the planets in our solar system continue to revolve around the sun, we'll always be together for Christmas." Said Zack, as he smiled and gazed into Kimi's eyes.
Kimi just silently smiled, and gazed back at Zack, glad to know this.
No sooner were they enjoying their little moment together, when their names were called.
"Zack? Kimi? Are you coming? We're about to start the movie now." Said Tommy.
They turned and saw Tommy in the doorway of Zack's room. The purple haired five-year-old boy was wearing a red and green shirt with Reptar on the front, a pair of navy blue shorts, and once he arrived at the Wehrenberg's, he took his shoes off, as it was too hot to be walking around with them on. He'd rather be barefooted on this warm day.
"Oh, yeah, we're coming Tommy." Said Zack, as he smiled, and he and Kimi followed Tommy out to the living room, where the rest of the gang was curled up on the couch, and Peter was about to put on the movie.
Unfortunately, while Peter meant to pick up the Disney version of A Christmas Carol, he picked up Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas instead.
"I have good news and bad news kids. I brought a Disney Christmas movie, but I brought the wrong one. Would you settle for Mickey's, Once Upon a Christmas?" Peter asked the group.
Everyone nodded and smiled, even Zack. Peter was surprised by this reaction.
"Are you sure it's ok Zack? I know you were really looking forward to the other movie." Said Peter.
"It's cool." Said Zack, as he turned to Kimi, who was sitting to his immediate left, and smiled.
He could be watching The Nightmare Before Christmas, and he'd be happy. As long as Kimi was by his side, that's all that mattered. Soon, the movie was in the DVD player and started, and everybody dug into their containers of chocolate covered popcorn and Christmas candy, while enjoying this holiday movie together.
And this, ends chapter 4. I know this chapter was a little bit shorter than the other ones posted thus far, but I was suffering from a bit of Writer's Block when trying to come up with an idea for this chapter. Hope you liked what did appear for the year Zack's family hosted the Christmas party, and, another chapter will be up tomorrow.