Mama Nadine has my birthday cake lit and ready for me first thing in the morning. Without even waiting for everyone else…I go over and blow out my birthday candles.
I age up to a teen. Raul and Mama Nadine are the first to wish me a happy birthday.
Raul: Lucky you! You get to stay home today.
I’d forgotten about that. I have no idea what I’m going to do with my time though.
(Alida’s Aspiration: Fabulously Wealthy/Business Savvy Traits: Self-Assured and Creative)
Michaels enters the room looking mopey. According to Raul, it’s because he’s not allowed to wear his bear costume to school. He manages to wish me a very melancholy sounding happy birthday. I also receive happy birthday wishes from Claudia and Darwin. Unlike Michael, they sound like they mean it.
Mama Nadine: *to Michael* You’ll be okay without your bear costume for one day. I need you to be a big boy and have a good day at school…okay?
Michael: Okay…I’ll try.
Despite Mama Nadine’s best efforts…I’m not sure her words to Michael will do any good.
Today is Raul’s first day of high school and tomorrow will be mine, so we discuss what to expect with a little input from Claudia. After I finish breakfast I go to the bathroom to get ready. As I close the door…I hear Raul talking to Michael.
Raul: So what’re you going to do now that your bodyguard Alida won’t be at school with you?
I know Raul isn’t asking him that out of kindness. He probably thinks it’ll scare Michael. Little does he know…I already made sure that the other kids know that Michael isn’t to be messed with.
Everyone else has left for school by the time I get out of the shower. Now it’s time for me to find something to occupy my time while they’re gone. At least I finally get to see what Mama Nadine does while we’re at school.
It turns out that Mama Nadine’s day time life isn’t as glamorous as I once thought it was. All she really does is do the laundry, clean and keep the fruit trees bug and weed-free. I grow bored of watching her and head into the garage to listen to some music.
It’s nice to not be judged for my terrible dance moves, but not as much fun without Michael or Raul there with me. I leave my solo dance party and take a peek out back to see if Mama Nadine is still around…then I sneak out the back gate to the abandoned lot. I glance over at the small park next door where Raul and I hung out once when we were younger.
I know that Mama Nadine doesn’t like us going over there, but it’s really tempting because I have nothing else to do. I slip on my shoes and think long and hard on whether I’m going to take a chance and head over there.
I decide to go for it. I just hope Mama Nadine doesn’t suddenly go to the garage looking for me. The park is empty…making it feel a bit depressing, but it’s still a nice place to take a quick birthday selfie.
(Generation 1 Chapter Summaries)
