10. The Brussels Sprouts Stand-off

September 5, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ 3 Comments

Mom boils a big pot of brussels sprouts, plates them, then calls everybody to the table.

The girls look with disgust at their plates.

Chrissy: URGH! What is THAT?

Mom: Brussels sprouts! Eat them! They'll make your eyelashes curly. *mom winks*

Charlotte: What does that mean?

Chrissy: Why did she wink?

Ashley: Why would anybody want curly eyelashes?

Dad: You're eating them.

Chrissy: I'm not.

Charlotte: Me neither!

Dad: That's what you think! You're going to stay at this table until you finish them.

Ashley imagines herself with curly eyelashes.

9:00 PM

The girls sit at the table in the dark, poking at their plates.

Chrissy glares at a brussels sprout on her fork.

Nicki: I can't believe they would pull this on a school night!

Nicki: Tomorrow's our first day of school. We've got to be sharp. What if we have to write an essay??

Chrissy rolls her eyes. *GULP!*

Chrissy looks shocked.

Nicki, covering her mouth: Eurgh!

Chrissy: Did you just eat that??

Nicki: Just get it over with. You can't sit here all night.

Chrissy: TRAITOR.

Ashley: She's just nervous. You know how she gets.

11:00PM

Ashley, Chrissy, and Charlotte sit in the dark at the table.

Ashley looks around, then sneaks her sprouts into her boot.

Ashley waves goodbye as she leaves the dining room.

Brussels sprouts squish in Ashley's boots as she walks.

Midnight. Chrissy stares ahead with determination. Charlotte begins to droop.

Charlotte falls head first into her plate, fast asleep.

Dad: Go. To. Bed.

Chrissy begins to sing her victory song.

Dad: Just get to bed.

Chrissy raises her arms in victory.

The dog sniffs at Ashley's smelly boots.

8. Running Away From Our Problems

August 25, 2020August 22, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ 1 Comment

Chrissy stands screaming in her new bedroom, unpacked boxes all around her.

Mom: What's the matter?

Chrissy: A sick, disgusting cockroach just ran under that box!

Mom frowns.

Mpm: Don't say "cockroach," sweetie. Say "palmetto bug."

Chrissy pouts.

Mom: Why don't you help me out and move that empty box?

Chrissy lifts the box and screams as 4 cockroaches dash out from under it.

Mom rolls her eyes.

Chrissy runs screaming through the hallway but pauses as she passes a window.

Chrissy looks out the window.

Chrissy is staring at Charlotte, who is walking toward the end of the driveway with the dog and a large black trash bag

Charlotte glares at the Florida wildlife that surrounds her and swats a butterfly away from her face.

Charlotte begins walking down the sidewalk.

Charlotte walks more.

Charlotte approaches the end of the street and a stop sign.

Charlotte looks up at the stop sign, glares at it, then turns away.

Charlotte turns around and begins to walk back home.

Chrissy watches from the doorway as Charlotte walks back home.

Chrissy smirks.

Chrissy: What happened, Charlie-Warlie? I thought you were going back to Massachusetts?

Charlotte: Zip it, Prissy. You know I'm not allowed to cross the street by myself.

7. Heading South

August 16, 2020 ~ Nicole Smeltzer ~ 2 Comments

Mom turns the radio dial in the car.

Mom starts singing along with the radio

Nicki looks green in the car.

Nicki: Mommy, I don't feel good

Mom: Nicki, please not now! We're not even half a mile away from the house!

Nicki: But I really, reeeeeeeeeeally don't feel good!

Chrissy looks alarmed. Mom: Sweetie, we're only 2 minutes into a 20 hour car ride. You can't do this now!

The car rattles as Nicki barfs. "UUUUUUUUHT!"

Mom clicks the radio off.

Mom on the CB radio: BLUEBIRD TO BIG BIRD; WE'VE GOT A CODE GREEN. REPEAT: CODE GREEN. DO YOU READ ME.

Dad: TEN-FOUR, BLUEBIRD. I HEAR YA LOUD AND CLEAR.

Chrissy looks out the car window. "Sigh. Gioodbye, Massachusetts."

Image of the house in Massachusetts with a 4 rent sign.

Map from Massachusetts house to Florida house.

Closeup of a cockroach on a SOLD sign.

Image of the new house in Florida. Someone is screaming from inside.

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