Once again, Susie was nowhere to be found. She wasn't behind the couch, in the closest, under the bed, or in any of her normal hiding spots. I was puzzled as to where she could be hiding.
"Mom, have you seen Susie anywhere?"
"No, honey. Did you check her bedroom?"
"Yes, I did. I checked all her normal hiding places, but I can't find her anywhere!"
"Just keep searching for her. She'll come out sometime. She's just probably really quiet somewhere."
"Okay, Mom. By the way, that smells delicious!"
Mom was making brownies as a snack. The warm, chocolatey kind with chocolate frosting. Yum. My favorite snack.
I can't seem to find Susie anywhere. I've checked every corner of the house and there's no sign of my little sister. She's quite the smartypants. She doesn't hide in the same place back-to-back or even within five times of hiding. She hides in any spot she can cram her body in. Besides being a good hider, she's quite smart. She knows her alphabet, both forward and backwards. She can read a book that a common second grader could read. I think she got it from me because I'm forever reading her books and teaching her. I, too, am a smartypants like her. I have had straight A's since Kindergarten and I, too, love to read. I guess I passed on everything I have grown up with to my little sister Susie, who at this point in time is still missing.
I don't know where she would be hiding. I've checked everywhere in the house. Maybe she's outside.
We live in the country where the closest neighbor is a quarter mile away. We don't own lots of property but it's enough to satisfy us. Plenty of yard to play a game of softball, my favorite sport, or even ride the ATVs around.
"Susie!" Where could she be? She has never done this before and I'm worried sick about her. For a kid her age, she's quite smart even if she can outsmart her own smart sister. Where is she?!
There's not many places where she can hide. I remember where I used to hide, however. I bet she's there since she takes after her big sis. The best hiding spot in the world for a kid like her is the tree house.
I remember all the times I hid there. Each one was distinct and special in its own way. One time I hid there and pretended I was being chased by a pink polka dotted dragon, though I made friends with it later on one of my other "excursions". There was another time, however, when I was waiting for my prince charming to rescue me from my evil stepmother. Boy, was that a dream come true!
I wonder why I never thought of it before. The tree house. That was my refuge when I was Susie's age.
"Susie? You here?" Please be here.
"Yeah, I'm here." She sounded so sullen. I wonder what's wrong with her. She's always been a content little girl.
"Thank goodness I found you. I was worried sick about you. mom told me not to worry about you. Please, Susie, don't do that again! What are you doing up here anyway?"
In her sullen mood, her answer was unexpected. "I don't know. I wanted to make it difficult for you to find me, but somehow I ended up here. I was waiting for you to find me but you took so long that I started thinking. Sis, am I adopted?"
That sure caught me off guard. Why would she ask me such a question when we're so alike? "Susie, why in this crazy world would you think that?" I took my baby sister in my arms and gave her the most loving hug I had ever given her.
"Well, the kids at school are teasing me."
"Why would they be doing that? You're a wonderful little kid; who wouldn't want to be your friend?"
"They've been teasing me about my brain..."
"Oh, Susie!" I took her in my arms again and spoke to her like a big sister should. "Susie, don't let them put these things in your head. You're an exceptional little girl. You, me, Mom, Dad, practically everyone you know knows that. Besides, you weren't the only one who went through this kind of thing."
Susie looked up with her tear-streaked face in astonishment. "Really?"
"Absolutely."
"Who's been in my position?"
"Me, silly! Haven't you noticed I encourage you to study things that is meant for someone older?"
"No, I guess not. Why do you?"
I didn't know what to say to her so I told her the truth. "I really don't have a definite answer but I can tell you this: Mom saw the potential in me when I was younger and encouraged me and I guess I see the same things Mom saw in me. So now ou know you're not alone. I'll always be here for you whenever you need me." I hugged Susie one more time. "So what do you wanna do now?"
Susie pondered that thought awhile before she answered. "Can you teach me something new?"
I just laughed because that was the last thing I expected her to ask me. "Yes, of course. But, Susie, why?" I didn't know where she was headed with this but it wasn't the first time.
"Well, I figured if I was supposed to be smart, I might as well continue to learn. Plus..."
"Plus what?"
"Plus I wanna skip a grade or two."
"Why would that be?" She had me puzzled once again and her reply was a bit shocking. She was really on a roll with startling me today.
"I wanna see cute boys." She just sat there blushing like it was something that she wasn't supposed to admit, especially to me. I had to laugh at her. I remember my force to skip a few grades, too, but I was a little bit older than Susie.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
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