28 Blind Dates: After the Costumes (Part 28)

First Day of School (2)

Jalisa changes Me-Me and Lia’s hair back to their old style, then leaves them upstairs to play. Downstairs, she completes another novel. This one is a memoir about the 28 Blind Dates challenge. She’s pleased with it, but she can only hope that Merlin will like it, too.

The family sits down at the table for dinner.

Merlin: Okay, guys, tell us all about your first day of school!

All three of the children tell their parents about school. Jay talks about how nice the playground is. Lia is obsessed with how she and Me-Me were able to fool their teacher. And Me-Me goes on and on about how nice the other kids were and how excited everyone was to find out that they are triplets.

After they’ve told Jalisa and Merlin about their whole day, Lia makes an interesting observation.

Jamelia: Daddy, your face looks like the dot to dot that we had to do in art class.

Merlin: What do you mean?

Jamelia: You have red polka dots all over your face.

Jalisa: Oh yeah, Merlin. Are you feeling okay? You don’t look so good.

Merlin doesn’t think he’s ever fully gotten over his cold from Christmas now that he thinks about it. He is feeling a little stuffy.

Merlin: Maybe I’d better get some rest.

Melisa: Drink some orange juice, daddy. That always makes me feel better.

Merlin takes Me-Me’s advice, then heads to bed.

Jalisa instructs the children to go upstairs, put on their pajamas, and then come back down for a story. Unfortunately, by the time they make it back, she’s not feeling so good either.

Melisa: Mommy, you have dot to dots on your face, too.

Jalisa fears that she caught whatever it is from Merlin.

Jalisa: Let’s make this quick then.

Jalisa pulls out her first book, a part of a series that she calls Lissa’s adventures. They are books that she wrote highlighting all the places she’s visited in her life. She’s excited to now be able to share her stories with her children.

Jalisa: *reading* Lissa walks through the woods. And when she reaches the clearing…it finally stops raining. It’s there that she imagines her knight in shining armor.

Jalisa struggles through the story and feels relief when she finally gets to the end.

Jalisa: *feeling terrible* You all had better hurry up and get to bed.

Melisa: Are you going to tuck us in? Mommy’s going to have to skip tuck in for tonight. But you’re big kids now. You can tuck yourselves in.

The kids get up and head towards the stairs. Jalisa can feel that her forehead is slightly warm. She runs some cold water on her face, changes into her pajamas, and goes up to join Merlin in bed.

BDC: After the Costumes Summaries | read from the beginning

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