Chapter 5: AN EXPLORER

Light slipped through the blinds and I rubbed my eyes sleepily before yawning. Rolling over I checked the time, 7 am.

Wait... what's that sound I asked myself. It seemed to be coming from the living room.

I walked into the living room and saw Lucy smiling happily as she stared at the television screen.

Oh yeah, it's Saturday, I don't have to go to work today, thank goodness, I'm really tired.

Her attention was shifted when she saw me walk into the room. She had the same twinkle in her eyes as her mother but her eyes were silver and her long black hair gently swayed to the side as she looked at me, she probably got that from her dad { whoever he was}.

" Good morning " she smiled brightly

" Good morning " I replied plopping down to sit beside her.

" You look really tired. Did you sleep? " she asked me

" That's because I am really tired," I told her.

She widened her eyes and stared at me " You need to sleep, if you are tired you'll be sick, that's why I don't disturb Momma when she's asleep"

" I can't sleep, so I stood up" She narrowed her eyes and was ready to convince me to sleep before I interrupted.

" So what are you watching, I heard the sound of the tv from inside my room"

She returned her gaze to the tv and smiled " Dora, I'm watching Dora the Explorer".

" Oh, that's really cool, I heard Dora's the best," I said pretending to be fascinated by this kid's show. I hold no grudges against the show anyway, it's pretty cool for children.

She nodded her head affirmatively before speaking " Uh-huh, I want to be like Dora when I grow up ".

She was so excited, her little eyes were twinkling again and her face lit up as she smiles. " Whoa, that's so awesome. Do you want to be an explorer? "

" Yes, and I will have a talking monkey and a backpack. I'll have plenty of friends and I'll help people, just like Dora and I'll stop swiper from swiping"

" You want to be an explorer because of Dora? "

"Yes, she the best, and her momma is proud of her" she bluntly replied. My heart melted after hearing her words, she just wants her momma to be proud of her.

" Your momma will be proud of you no matter what you do. " I told her.

" Yes but she'll be prouder if I am like Dora"

I chose to have this conversation some other day, I'm sure she'll keep arguing as long as she watched Dora the explorer right now.

" Are you hungry?" I asked, her mum was still sleeping and I doubt she had eaten anything.

" Yes" her expression suddenly changed and the twinkle in her eyes was gone, all the happiness in the room was no longer there.

" What's wrong? Why do you look sad"

" I want pancakes, and momma is sleeping"

" Oh, I can do that " it's pretty easy, I did it with my mum all the time.

" Momma makes the best pancakes" she looked like she was drooling and imagining herself eating her momma's breakfast, it was really a sight to behold.

" I can do better, I'm the best chef ever" half a lie, I am a good chef but I'm sure I'm not the best.

" Ok, I'll taste it and tell you if it's a good as momma's own because I am sure momma's own is the best" she was really confident her momma's food was the best.

I stood up and walked into the kitchen, with her behind me.

" You don't have to come you know, I can do it alone"

" I just want to be sure, you won't cheat," she told me innocently with humor hidden in her voice.

" I can't do that, there's no way I'll cheat. I'll win fair and square anyways"

" Better safe than sorry "

" You know what, you are too smart for your age are you sure you are seven? " honestly, Lucy was smarter than an average seven -year-old, I've had few conversations with her in the past few months and she's always been easy to talk to. Except for the annoying part.

" Can I help you? I promise to be quiet" she pleaded with her eyes.

" Of course, I don't have an apron for someone your size though," I told her.

" Then I'll not wear one" she looked really happy that I was going to allow her to help.

I always have a bag of flour at home, Hannah baked a lot, so we never ran out of flour, it was always included in our grocery list for the month.

I opened the top cabinet and reached for the bag of flour, gradually pulling it down, I accidentally lost control, and then .... splat... we were covered in flour.

Lucy was coughing but she found it amusing " oooh, I'm a ghost"

I chuckled softly " We are both ghosts"

" Yeah, the ghost crew, I'm scarier " she began arguing, apparently it's a habit.

" No, you're not. I'll prove it to you" I chased after her and tickled her. She released a loud shriek and laughed louder than I've ever heard.

" I am still scarier " she insisted

I tickled her even more causing her to scream " Ok, ok you are scarier, but I'm cuter, really cuter" still giggling.

" I can live with that" I stopped tickling her, she already admitted that I'm scarier, I'm the backbone of the crew. The strength, the strong one.

" But you'll have to protect us from ghost hunters"

" Hey, why do u have to be the one to protect us"

She hit her palm on her forehead trying to indicate that I'm being too oblivious " Because you are scarier, you'll scare them away and they won't hunt us down"

" Oh, ok. Then I guess it's time to make pancakes and get ready to fight the ghost hunters"

"Yes, we won't win on an empty stomach" she ran into the kitchen chuckling

" Wait for me" I yelled, running after her