Timberwood: Short Stories Edition - Vol. 22
One Wednesday morning, the children were eavesdropping on Tierra & Jamaal's conversation on the patio, while they were playing around in the living room after breakfast. The star-shaped swimming pool was sparkling from the beams of the sun. It looked as beautiful as ocean water.
Tierra & Jamaal were discussing the idea of taking the children on an extravagant shopping spree. They were talking about how their dad, Tharen, Jr. came into a BIG inheritance, & how he has a generous heart & loves the children so much.
Teddy, Olivia, Roland & Angelique were all shouting out about what they would buy if they had $100. Angelique said she would LOVE to buy either a scooter or a boat. Teddy & Olivia said they wanted a bike. Roland said, "Y'all can't have a boat, a scooter or a bike, because that means I can't get the saxophone that I want."
Zoe said, "Boy, please! Sit down somewhere! All you're gonna get is a toy sax, even if that!"
Greg said, "Hater, hater! See you later.", & then said, "Ooh! I'm about to go in momma's closet & see what you can wear. She got great-grandma's clothes with the tags still on them."
Then, Zoe started to cry. Cornelius asked her, "Why you cryin'?"
She said, "Because! I don't want to wear other people's clothes. I want my own clothes. I don't see why they didn't take her clothes to the thrift store!"
Jessica laughed & said, "Ahahahaha! Y'all kids think y'all grown!"
Zoe snapped back, with an attitude & said, "If I REALLY would've thought I was grown, I would've asked for a car, but I didn't!"
Cornelius said, " Whooh! Where dem kids get they mouth from?"
Taschika, walking into the room with the newborn baby, Cornelius, Jr., said, "Because they listen too much at grown folks' conversation!"
All the children said in unison, "No, we don't!"
Jamaal said, "Ahahaha! Even the kids know how to gaslight their way out of trouble."
Jai said, "I think all kids do.", & then laughed.
Megan said, "Why don't y'all take dem kids on a shopping spree. Take 'em to Dollar Tree or 5 Below or something. Get 'em out of the house!"
Jamaal gave his dad, Tharen, Jr., a manipulative look. Tharen was watching some throwback Aaliyah interviews on his iPhone. He said that he just wanted to hear her angelic voice. His wife, Kristina, is always compared to her. They talk & look so similar that the children got confused & thought that Aaliyah was Kristina's long lost twin. They didn't know that Aaliyah was deceased.
The grown folks started to reminisce on 70's, 80's, 90's & early 2000's music & talked about how REAL music started to go downhill after 2008. They talked about how they LOATHE today's Satanic trash. They talked about how everyone on YouTube was commenting on how they turned to watching old R&B throwbacks during the COVID-19 lockdowns. They even talked about how the Mandela Effect changed the lyrics of certain songs, like some of Mary J. Blige's songs & Ice Cube's songs.
Mrs. Vanessa was always compared to Mary J. Blige & Faith Evans. It was the talk that Catalina Guerrero looked just like Mya. 🙄 But I, Nola Bordelon, didn't think so. Tharen, Jr. was always compared to J-Boog from B2K. Mrs. Vanessa's brother, Nick, looked JUST LIKE Drake! Ronald's looks were compared to Nick Cannon, Omarion, Trey Songz & Lil' Wayne, all mixed in together. It was said that Ronald's mom, Melanie, looked like Jennifer Tilly & Foxy Brown, mixed in together.
They were all talking about all of the Timberwood members who passed away, like they always do.
It was lunch time, & everyone went to Preppy's Pizza. Preppy's Pizza was known for its spicy Nashville hot chicken pizza, hot dog pizza & bologna sandwich pizza. Sadly, they didn't have dessert. Next door was Cold Stone Creamery. The kids felt like they were in luck. Across the shopping center was a gelato/sorbet shop & Five Below. 10 minutes further down was Dollar Tree. The children loved the kiwi dragon fruit sorbet. They were upset to have to be forced to share 1 big bowl, rather than having their own. They also were upset about not getting to get any cars, bicycles, scooters, boats or saxophones.
They were each given $10 to buy whatever 9 items they wanted at Dollar Tree. They couldn't go over 9 items or $10. Parents approved, of course. The parents also wanted to give the children the experience of freedom of choice & teach them money management.
After the children bought their items, Zoe said that she didn't want her items. Maybe she was upset about earlier. But that wasn't the case. It turns out that another child was throwing a temper tantrum because the boy's mom refused to buy him anything else, & she punished him because he broke a toy. The boy's mom got fed up & tried to walk out of the store. Zoe gave the boy all of her items that she bought. She was commended on exercising charity at the tender age of 7. From that day, the children learned a new lesson. CHARITY.
They went back home, & the Bible study on Faith, Hope & Charity was the next homeschooling lesson to be taught.
THE END