by Twila

Feedback is always welcome: twila@e-scribblers.com.

Copyright © 2008 by Twila. All Rights Reserved.

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“Cool, you’re up,” Megan grinned at her.

“Barely.”

“See you at breakfast.”

“Okay.”

Andy and Allie were both very pleased to see Lizzie make it to breakfast on her own and they both told her how proud they were of her. They had breakfast and the kids headed to the school room while their mom’s finished cleaning up.

Lizzie sat down and looked at the note left for her. Her mom had left her math instructions, so Lizzie got busy. She looked up, not much later, when her moms came into the room. She was quite surprised for her mom to tell everyone goodbye and her momma to be staying. She briefly wondered if this was good or bad, but brushed that thought aside and got busy.

“Momma,” Lizzie called an hour or so later. When her momma joined her, she handed her the math worksheet. “I’m done.”

“Okay, baby. Go get the book you’re reading for me,” Andy said.

Lizzie smiled and jumped up.

Andy smiled, watching her go. She made sure Megan and Molly were settled and gave Bryan and Katie a worksheet to do as Lizzie returned.

“Mom left you a worksheet and said to use your book for the answers. Let me know if you have questions.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Momma, I pinished,” Katie called.

“Be right there, baby girl.” Andy smiled at her youngest. She turned back to Lizzie. “Any questions, baby?”

“No momma.”

“Okay.” Andy left her to it and sat down to help Katie and Bryan.

Lizzie had a great morning again. She didn’t mind reading her book or doing work related to it. She even had vocabulary this time to look up and a paper to write from her book. It was enjoyable work though.

At lunch, Andy made sure to take time to praise Lizzie for her hard work.

“You’re doing a great job. Keep it up, okay?”

“Yes ma’am.”

Lizzie tried, she really did, but when she was handed that history worksheet after lunch, her frustration level went through the roof from the first question. No matter how she tried to look at it differently, it was still history and it was still as boring as ever.

Andy had been watching Lizzie and knew by her mannerisms that she was frustrated and it was only getting worse. She waited to see how she’d handle it as she helped Molly with her work.

“Momma!” Lizzie practically shouted.

Andy turned to look at her, wondering what was wrong all of a sudden.

“May I be excused?” Lizzie asked through clenched teeth knowing she was very close to throwing something,

“Go ahead, baby. Go outside and work some of that anger off. I’ll join you shortly.” Andy pointed her to the back door and watched her fly outside, barely remembering not to slam the door in her haste.

“Is Lizzie okay, Momma?” Molly asked.

“She’s okay, pumpkin. This work is just really frustrating for her and she needs to work off some steam.”

“Oh. Do I have frustrating work too?”

Andy smiled at the green eyes watching her and reached over and hugged her tight. “No pumpkin. You like school. Lizzie doesn’t and it’s a challenge for her to do her work.”

“Why doesn’t she like it? She doesn’t like you and mommy for teachers?”

“She didn’t have good teachers when she was your age, that’s why she had such a hard time.”

“Oh.”

“Can you finish this on your own so I can go talk to her?”

“Yes Momma.”

“Thanks, pumpkin. Megan, are you set?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“That’s my girl.” Andy hugged her too and then headed outside to see how Lizzie was doing. Lizzie was pacing around the yard and by the speed of her steps, Andy surmised that she was still quite angry. She headed over and fell in step with Lizzie.

“Any better yet, baby?” she asked softly.

“Not really,” Lizzie muttered.

“Can we sit down and talk?”

Lizzie stopped and debated this a moment. “Okay.”

Andy led her over to the porch and sat on the steps, patting the spot beside her. “I know it’s the history assignment that has you in knots. What I don’t understand is why? It’s not much different than your books, baby.”

“But it is!” Lizzie jumped up and started pacing again.

“Okay, baby. Calm down. I’m sorry. Obviously to you it is. Can you calm down and come back to school if we do it together? Would that work?”

Lizzie seriously thought about it because she knew once she agreed or not, that would be the end of any discussion on the matter. “Okay. I’ll try.”

“Good girl. Let’s go.” Andy hugged Lizzie and then took her hand and led her inside. She joined her at the table and they did the worksheet one question at a time, together. Half way through, Lizzie was getting frustrated again. “Okay, enough for now. Do your spelling or writing for a while.”

“Yes ma’am” Lizzie said gratefully.

Andy helped Megan and Molly for a while and then they had a snack when Katie and Bryan woke up from their naps. After their snack, everyone adjourned to the porch. The younger kids got to paint on the picnic table while Megan and Lizzie finished their work. Lizzie managed to finish her history, but only because her momma helped her out again.

That evening, after karate class and the kids were in bed, Andy and Allie discussed their options with Lizzie and her issues with history.

“I’m not really sure what to do,” Allie said as she snuggled into her partner’s side. “History is a requirement.”

“What about on computer? Do you think that might help Lizzie?” Andy suggested.

Allie suddenly bolted upright in bed, startling Andy. “That’s it. I bet that would work,” she grinned at her partner’s confused face.

“What?” Andy asked, smiling back at the grin.

“A computer program. I saw a really cool one at one of the expos I went to. I bet that would intrigue Lizzie enough to keep it interesting,” Allie explained.

“Can’t hurt to try. What we’re doing now sure isn’t working. Can we order it tomorrow and try?”

“That would be great. In the meantime, we’ll let her skip it.”

“Good. I don’t think I can handle another session like today,” Andy groaned at the thought.

Allie snuggled next to her partner and gave her a kiss. “You did a great job with her. I’m sorry it was so stressful for both of you.”

“It’s okay. I just really wanted her to like school with us,” Andy admitted.

“Me too and for the most part she does. It’s just history, right? She’s okay with everything else?”

Andy shrugged. “Seems to be. History is the only thing that really frustrates her. I guess that’s good.”

“It’s very good from what I gathered from the headmistress. Lizzie wouldn’t do anything in school if she didn’t have to and sometimes not even then,” Allie said.

“It’s pretty amazing that she didn’t fail a grade or something.”

“Tells you just how smart she really is.”

“Yeah.”

Lizzie was one happy girl the next day when her momma explained that for now she wouldn’t have to do history. She wasn’t so sure about the computer thing, but she was willing to give it a try. She would do anything to get out of doing those stupid, boring papers again.

Continued in Part 10

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