Lemons and Limes

Chapter Four : Ronnie and the Chalk People

Lemons and Limes

By : Veronica Tanner

Chapter Four : Ronnie and the Chalk People

Today was Friday. I woke up this morning smiling with joy at the thought of seeing Ronnie. I wasn't the only one excited, Andy's eyes were twinkling all morning and even moody Darren had a brighter attitude today.

I have no idea how I managed to keep myself calm until lunch; it was an obvious struggle. I knew that by now Ronnie would be able to walk again. They'd let us take her out of the hospital. I certainly hoped that her arm was out of the cast.

Ronnie always tried hard to make sure she never broke anything. She couldn't have prevented what broke in the accident.

Finally the minute came where my mom said we could get in the car and go. I leaped happily out the door, as I twirled, hummed, and skipped to the car. Across the street I saw a large truck parked outside Ms. Winters house. The back door of it was open and it was filled with various things.

The glint of trophies was obvious though. They sparkled and glittered like stars in the noon-time sun.

We piled in to our car and my mother said, to herself more then anyone,

"It looks like we'll be getting new neighbors soon. I know they have a daughter your age Rose," she told me. I nodded quickly just wanting her to drive.

"I know. I saw her two days ago. She seemed nice enough," I commented nonchalantly.

Nonchalantly means to say in a non-caring (or urging for someone to get on track) tone about a topic that doesn't matter too much at the moment. It was another one of the many words Ronnie had taught me.

It seemed to me that we couldn't drive along the feisty highways fast enough. I stared out my window impatiently as Darren began to rant on some unimportant topic. The sky was blue with big fluffy clouds moving slowly across it. It looked like a painting.

The sky glittered with the rays of the sun and shone with the brightness of a turquoise gem.

I closed my eyes and sighed. I wondered what it'd be like to fly.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

I was just staring at the sky and birds, looking for odd things in the clouds when I found something.

A shark. But it wasn't an ordinary shark cloud. It was perfect. Every detail was amazing: the teeth razor-sharp, fins curved to perfection, tail just right. His eyes seemed to be glowing slightly.

It was then the shark winked at me.

If I had been walking I would have tripped. Clouds don't wink. Nor do birds spell out R O S E when they fly.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

"Hey," Darren said looking at me, "we're here Rose."

I quickly hopped out of the car and took Andy's hand as we walked into the large glass doors of the hospital.

Andy walked us up to reception desk and waited for someone to sow us to Ronnie. A young nurse looked up at us, bored.

"Patient?" she asked in a monotone voice. Andy cleared his throat.

"Ronnie Willow," he replied with that familiar crooked smile in his voice.

The nurse perked up right away.

"Are you the Summers?" she asked as she grabbed a clipboard and came out from behind the desk.