AUNT MILLIE'S MARIGOLDS (Word Count 959) (standard:adventure, 957 words)
Author: Rosie Jay	Added: Oct 07 2006	Views/Reads: 3424/2137	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Amy plans to buy her mom a "real" present after saving up her allowance, only to encounter a disappointing setback.

AUNT MILLIE’S MARIGOLDS 

By 

Rosie Jay 

Amy had decided.  She was a big girl now, and right after school she
would be doing something she had never done before.  Today was Mom’s 
birthday and she would give her a real, honest-to-goodness present. 

Amy thought about all the presents she had given Mom in the past.  Kiddy
presents she called them, like folded fans with crepe-paper streamers, 
colorful bookmarkers, or made-up perfumes, mixed from leftover bottles 
on Mom’s dresser.  But not today!  She had saved all her allowance 
money for four whole weeks, and this very day Mom would be so 
surprised! 

Finally, the school bell rang.  Amy shoved her homework into her book
bag and put on her green fall jacket.  Yes, the money was still there, 
safely tucked in the right-side pocket.  Then, running to the 
south-entrance door, she met up with Mary Beth, her very best friend.   
“Let’s hurry,” she told Mary Beth, out of breath. 

“So what’s the rush?” Mary Beth asked. 

“I’m going to Dibble’s Variety Store to buy my mom a birthday present. 
Want to come?” 

Mary Beth was puzzled.  “Sure, but how come you’re not making one?  I
like the stuff you make.” 

“Because, silly, I’m not giving any more presents made with paper and
paste.  I’m getting too big for that.” 

“Well, excuse me, but it’s not the first time you’re giving a present
you didn’t make, you know,” Mary Beth nitpicked.  “What about those 
marigold seeds you gave your Aunt Millie last spring?” 

Amy rolled her eyes.  “You call that a present?”  They were leftovers
from our class science project, remember?  Aunt Millie had the flu and 
she likes to garden.  So I dug them out of my book bag, hoping they’d 
make her feel better, that’s all.” 

Dibble’s was always a fun place to be in.  Amy paced the isles while
Mary Beth followed behind.  Mango Peach lipstick would be nice.  That 
was Mom’s favorite.  Then again, how about pink stationery with 
matching envelopes, or those fancy-colored hair combs?  Oh, so many, 
many choices... 

Then Amy spotted her just-right gift—a photo frame with shiny glass
borders, sitting on a far shelf.  “It’s positively perfect,” she 
gushed. “If Mom puts it near a window, the sun will shine right through 
it.” 

Deeply she dug, into the right-side pocket, and—horrors!  Every dollar
of her carefully saved allowance money was gone.  She even pulled the 
pocket inside out, revealing nothing more than a long unraveled seam 
thread. 

“Oh, no!” she wailed.  “My money—it’s lost!”  The lump in her throat was
so big she could hardly speak. 

Mary Beth’s eyes were like big round saucers.  “I got it!  Let’s retrace
our steps!  Maybe we’ll find it.” 

So, they did just that, retracing their steps all the way back to
school.  They even tried the south-entrance door, but it was locked.  
Feeling utterly defeated, Amy plunked herself down on the cement step.  
“Now what do I do?“ 

“Well, you can always save your allowance again and still buy the
present,” Mary Beth tried to sooth. 

“But not today,” Amy moaned, “and today is Mom’s birthday.  There’s no
time left now to even make anything.” 


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