Author's Note: My apologies for getting a couple of days behind on this story. Between suffering from some writer's block, along with all of the other crazy stuff that's kept me away, well, it effected this story, and the promise, to release one chapter a day. No worries, I'm gonna make it up to all of you this morning with three chapters, and I'd like to thank Emma Pickles for inspiring the events of this upcoming chapter, as it was her latest Christmas story that gave me the idea for this chapter, and had I not have to leave for school after reading her latest story on Monday, this chapter would have been released two days ago. No matter, here it is now and I hope all of my readers can forgive me for being absent.
Chapter 7, Caroling and the Scrape
Another year had gone by, and the dynamic duo of Zack and Kimi were now in third grade. Of course, being the child prodejy he was, Zack was seven-years-old and in third grade, while Kimi was eight-years-old, and the usual age to attend the grade with the rest of her peers. Over the past year, a lot had happened, including taking up various after school activities, one of which for Zack, was joining Cub Scouts.
The Cub Scouts would do a lot of activities together, but one of the best things they could ever do, was show generosity by volunteering around their community doing various tasks. Whether it was picking up litter in the park, shoveling someone's walkway after a freak snowstorm, or spreading a little bit of Christmas cheer around the neighborhood by singing Christmas carols, the Cub Scouts were there. However, while Zack enjoyed this group, it was one of the few activities that he did alone, as none of his other guy friends were interested in joining. And because it was for boys only, Kimi couldn't join. Ordinarily, she was ok with this, until it came time for Zack to go caroling. She was disappointed on that Saturday in mid December, when she had to stay behind at the Java Lava, and help hang Christmas decorations, while Zack got to go sing Christmas carols around the neighborhood.
Later that day after caroling was finished, and the two kids were sitting at a table sipping on some hot chocolate, Kimi got a brilliant idea.
"Hey Zachary." Said Kimi.
"Yeah?" Zack asked, as he took another sip of his hot chocolate.
"I know you went caroling with the Cub Scouts, but do you think we could go caroling together? Maybe we could even get all of our friends to join in!" Suggested Kimi with a beaming smile on her face.
Zack thought about it for a minute. He did have fun caroling, but the more he thought about it, the more he was sorry Kimi couldn't go with him and the other Cub Scouts, so he looked Kimi straight in the eye and smiled.
"Sure Kimi, I'd love to go caroling with you! We could do that while Phil and Lil's parents get things ready for this year's Christmas party on Christmas eve, as they'll be hosting it this year." Said Zack.
Kimi shook her head in agreement, and for the next two weeks, they asked their friends if anybody wanted to go caroling with them. To their surprise however, nobody else was interested, either because they were too nervous to sing in front of other people, like in the case with Chuckie, they were needed to help decorate for the party, which was the case with Phil and Lil, and this particular year, Chanukah would be wrapping up on Christmas eve, which meant Tommy and Dil had sinnagogue to attend, and would be arriving at the party late.
Realizing this fact though, because they were just kids, Peter agreed to be an escort, and agreed to take Zack and Kimi caroling for the afternoon. So on Christmas eve, which was a cold thirty degrees that day, Zack, Kimi and Peter bundled up in coats, hats, scarves and gloves, and went from house to house, singing to all of their neighbors.
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a partrage in a pear tree.
This could be heard outside of Angelica's house. While they didn't invite Angelica to join them anyway, turns out she was home sick with a cold, so she wouldn't have been able to go even if she wanted to.
You'd better not pout I'm telling you why, Santa Clause is coming, to town.
They were heard singing this outside of Susie's home. She so wanted to go, but she had just recently gotten over a cold, and they would be going to her great Aunt T's for Kwanzaa that year, and she wasn't sure when they would be leaving, so she sadly, declined the invitation. Good thing too, as the family packed the car while listening to Zack and Kimi sing, and as they drove out of the driveway, Susie looked out the window and smiled.
"Thanks Zack and Kimi, that was beautiful. Sorry I couldn't join you guys, maybe next year." Said Susie.
"It's ok, have fun at your aunt T's." Said Kimi with a smile, as she waved goodbye and watched the Carmichaels disappear down the street.
The truth was, great aunt T wasn't doing well, seeing she was over ninety-years-old, and wouldn't be able to make it up to visit them that year, and they were worried this might be the last year she'd be alive for the holidays. So while everyone would miss Susie and her family at their Christmas party that year, they understood their reasons for their absence, and hoped they could enjoy Christmas with their dying relative.
Oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas, this year!
This could be heard outside of Stu and Didi's house, thankful they got to hear Zack and Kimi sing one song before they had to leave for sinnagogue.
"That was beautiful kids." Said Didi with a smile, applauding Zack and Kimi's performance after it was finished.
"Thank you Didi." Zack replied with a warm smile, as he turned to Kimi, who smiled back at him at that very instant.
Then, Zack leaned into Kimi's ear and whispered something.
"Hey, wanna race to the Deville's yard for our last performance before the Christmas party?" Whispered Zack into Kimi's ear.
Kimi smiled and nodded, as the two kids held hands, then standing at the edge on one side of Stu and Didi's driveway, they let go, and prepared to sprint across the driveway and into the Deville's yard.
"Ready? Set? Go!" Said Zack as he took off, with Kimi following behind shortly after.
"Hey! Come back here." Kimi said playfully, as she ran to catch up with her friend.
No sooner though had Zack gotten up to the door of the Deville's, when he heard a cry of pain. He turned around to see that Kimi had fallen. He jumped down from the Deville's porch and ran to her aid to see what was the matter.
"Are you ok Kimi?" Zack asked, helping his friend up.
"My knee hurts." Kimi cried through her tears of pain, as she continued to massage her wounded knee with her other hand.
Zack looked down to see that Kimi's shoelaces had come untied, and she had tripped on them, landing on a rock in the yard when she fell.
"Awe, sorry to hear that Kimi, come on, let's head inside and get your scrape cleaned up." Said Zack, as he led his crying friend into the Deville's house and into the bathroom, where Kimi pulled up her pant leg to reveal a large scrape on her knee.
Zack looked around the bathroom, till he spotted some bandages, cotton balls, and some anticeptic on a shelf. He had Kimi sit down on the toilet with the top closed, and attended to her wound.
"Now hold still Kimi, this might sting." Said Zack, as he applied some of the anticeptic to a cotton ball and put it on the scrape.
"Youtch!" Kimi yelped as she felt the stuff sing her booboo.
"It's gonna be ok Kimi." Said Zack with a smile, as he held her hand for a minute and squeezed it.
Kimi breathed a sigh of relief, as Zack covered the wound with a Dummi Bears bandage. Once she was all cleaned up, they headed out to the Christmas party, where they took a seat on the couch, spending the rest of the evening together.
"Feeling better Kimi?" Zack asked.
"Much! Thank you Zack." Said Kimi.
"You're welcome Kimi, that's what friends are for." Said Zack with a smile, as they gave one another a hug.
"Sorry I ruined our last caroling spot." Said Kimi, when she let go of Zack, looking him in the eye.
"You didn't ruin anything. Accidents happen. I'm just glad you're ok." Said Zack.
Kimi relaxed and smiled, as the two kids turned and stared at the Christmas tree across the room, all beautifully lit and decorated.
And this, ends chapter 7. What will happen next? Find out next time.