Sugar Rush Part 1

“Oh don’t worry about anything, dear sister. I’m a mother myself, you know?” Teri Choch reassured her sister after Heidi had just asked her to watch the children for the day. She and her husband were supposed to go visit the Hazelnut Chipmunks in good faith that their son was doing quite well in the countryside.

“Oh ok, Teri.”

“Yes, now stop worrying and start packing for your trip! I’ll be there at around eight in the morning tomorrow.” Teri spoke over the phone with confidence.

Heidi, pushing all her worries away, went about her day packing the car with goods.

The Hazelnut Chipmunks did not live in town, and it would be a long car ride there. She packed an entire loaf of pound cake, sure that overpacking was better than underpacking. And besides, it was a country custom to not go to another’s house empty handed. Heidi was sure that the chipmunks would enjoy the loaf of sweets. Both Mr. Hopscotch and Mrs. Choch slept early that night, and they left before the children had even known.

Teri came on time as promised. Freya and Breeze were with her to spend the day here until Heid and Harlin returned. She wished her sister and brother in law a good trip, before shutting the door.

“Freya, watch some TV with your younger sister. I need to go make up some breakfast for everyone.” Teri ordered as she made her way into the kitchen. There, she found that Heidi had previously stocked the kitchen to the full, purposefully making sure no one would go hungry today.

“We’ll all have boiled flour seasoned with salt and pepper.” Teri decided, before joining her daughters to see what was on the TV.

Just as the episode had finished, the children began rousing up. It began with Skip, who sprang out of bed for his hygiene routine.

Then, as expected, he saw Teri, whom his mother had already informed him would be watching him and his siblings for the day.

“Morning!”

“Morning, Skip. Breakfast is on the table. Hope everyone likes boiled flour. Your mom sure made a lot of it for today.”

The children awoke, one by one, and served themselves up a plate of the carbohydrate filled staple. Then, upon Teri’s announcement that today would be a day off from studies, they all went out to play. Freya, very happy about the day off, almost skipped with joy out the door. Teri was left reading a book on camping in the house. She had her unique opinions after all.

Well, if I ever went camping, I would never travel light! How could I bear a day without Breeze's piano! That was her thought process when she read the informative chapter on traveling light to save space. Then, the babies started crying from hunger. Teri climbed the skinny ladder up to the nursery and saw that Honey and Hopper were both wide awake.

With large black eyes, they blinked at her, perhaps identifying her as their imminent source of food.

They were lucky today. Teri fed Hopper a bottle as she watched Honey try her best at independent eating. From the very top of the ladder peeked young Grace. She heaved her short little body up, and greeted, “Hi, Auntie. Mommy says you watching me today.”

“Yes, Grace. I’ll be watching you today. Would you like some breakfast?” Grace nodded, so Teri gave her biscuits to eat. When the babies were done, it was clear that they were not the best at mealtime. Honey was messy with food stains while Hopper had milk dribbles on his face. Teri decided a bath was a must.

The children came back from a long game of tag, tired and hungry. Teri, who was still busy bathing Honey and Hopper, had no time to fix them lunch. She simply said, “Alright, children, for lunch you can eat anything that’s in the kitchen. Tarts, boiled flour, pie. Whatever you want for just this once. Just grab it yourself and I’ll deal with your mother.” At first, the children could not believe their ears. But then, their fun began…