Merit and his friends jump in the pool and work on their swimming skills with some coaching from Q.
Peri walks over to Maria, who she hasn’t seen since Michelle’s New Year’s Eve party.
Prosperity: So…have you been looking into any colleges?
Maria: A little, but if I don’t get a scholarship, I’ll be relying on school loans.
Prosperity: Why?
Maria: Because my mom won’t stop having babies and now they can’t afford to pay the fees.
Claudia:*overhears Maria’s snide comment* Hey!
After spending time in the pool, all the kids migrate over to the water slide. Although it looks like fun…all the adults stay far away from it.
Michelle and I sit at the edge of the pool.
Michelle: I’m so sorry about Lea’s passing. How are you holding up?
Alida: Some moments are rougher than others. I know it’ll get better with time…like with Mama Nadine.
Michelle: Yeah, that’s true.
Alida: As much as losing Mama Nadine hurt…at least I was able to take solace in the fact that we spent a lot of time and had a lot of memories. I can still hear her beautiful voice and can almost recall the smell of her excellent meals. But it’s different with Mama. We had some decent moments together, but it’s the bad ones that stand out the most.
Michelle: That has to be hard.
Alida: It is, and I just don’t know how to make it better.
Michelle: Being honest about it is a start, so you’re on your way.
Alida: Thanks, babe…
After my talk with Michelle, I grab Merit to tell him that it’s time to open his birthday presents. He’s excited about it until he opens the first one and discovers that he’s been given one lonely carrot. He quickly dismisses it and tosses it to the side. It’s the perfect moment to teach him to be grateful for whatever he gets, but I definitely know what it’s like to receive a crappy gift.
Roni walks over as he grabs the next gift in the stack.
Veronica: That one is from me!
Merit: I’ll cherish it forever!
Merit takes his time opening it as if he’s savoring the moment. It makes me wonder if he’s developed a little crush on Roni. The thought makes me smile.
Roni has given him a fossilized sea monster. To Merit…it’s the best gift in the entire world. Merit opens his last few presents, then the kids change into their regular clothes and spend the rest of the party playing pirates at the playground.
Back at home, Merit hurries to his bedroom to play with another cherished gift…a voidcritter console and a pack of voidcritter cards. A gift from Q, Peri, and me.
Peri is standing in the kitchen when she receives a text from Byron.
Byron’s Text: I still owe you ice cream. Are you free?
Peri smiles to herself and sends her reply.
Prosperity’s Text: I’ll check right now.
Q comes upstairs right on time.
Prosperity: Byron wants to take me out for ice cream. Can I go?
Quincy:*thinks it over* I see no harm in that.
Prosperity: Thanks, daddy!
Q turns towards the clock above the calendar.
Quincy: But you need to be home by 11!
Prosperity:*protests* Why 11?
Quincy: Because it doesn’t take that long to eat ice cream, but I can make it 10.
Prosperity: Okay…11 is fine.
Peri pulls out her phone and tells Byron that she’ll meet him at Zee’s Bakes N Treats.
(Generation 1a Chapter Summaries)
