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The reheating rehearsal
The reheating rehearsal
By: Noelia Davila
It had been a year in half since their father had left. Their mother took many extra shifts to make ends meet. Joe and May spent most of the summer alone. They didn’t mind, Joe loved May and May loved Joy, the enjoyed building that sibling bond. Every now and then the routine days would jump out of line. May would always wake up first she was an early bird, even though she was the youngest. One morning like usual May ran to Joe’s room.
-Wake up Joe! It’s time for breakfast, May giggled.
-Five more minutes please.
-But I’m hungry.
-Ugh, fine just give me minute.
Joe changed at sat May at the table. May handed Joe the first note mother had left. As routine Joe would look in the fridge and see what their mother had left for the day. She took out the mugs prepared cocoa and put them in the microwave like the note said. She pressed the thirty second button five time, the regular ones made a noise she didn’t. She unzipped the Ziploc bag with the PBJ’s and bolony sandwiches and asked May to to get their plates.
-Beep,beep, beep! sounded the microwave.
-Cocoas ready! said May.
-I’ll get it, I don’t want you burning yourself, said Joy smiling at May.
They finished and rode bikes around the block. A flat tire brought them back to the house. Joy turned on PBS kids for May and laid down because she felt sick. She didn’t have enough strength to stand up and she asked May if she could please set out the table. The smack of the fridge door startled Joe.
-What are you doing!
-I’m already hungry! Mom’s note says to heat the rice four minutes
-Yeah I know but I’ll do it.
May was struggling with a ketchup bottle and a bowl of rice.
-No! I can do it, please let me.
-You’re going to drop something.
May tried to set the bowl on the counter and she dropped both things. Rice was on the floor and ketchup was splattered up to the ceiling.
-I’m sorry Joe ,whimpered May.
-Look what you did!
May’s eyes started to water.
-No no, don’t start now! It’s okay, I’m sorry. Look!
Joe flinged some rice on May and smeared ketchup on her face. They fought on the kitchen floor for a while. The plate was shattered and they could no longer eat the rice. The ketchup bottled had only burst from a corner and was still oozing.
-What should we do? said Joe
-We could use plastic wrap to fix the bottle said May.
-Not a bad idea laughed Joe. For once you’ve stopped being so slow.
-That’s mean, you mess up too! Remember the time you heated the cup of noodles without water?
-Yeah, it burnt up, said Joe laughing harder.
She had the habit of contagious laugh. Giggles roared into glee and suddenly the laughter turned into chuckles than into a deep sigh. Tears rolled down their eyes. The laughter turning into a melancholic awareness of the fact that neither their father or mother were there. They gazed into each others soaked eyes and Joe broke the silence.
-Help me clean up this mess before mom gets home, don’t try use the microwave again. I’ll do the reheating from now on.
