Christmas Visitors by Indira Nankoosingh (bts book recommendations txt) 📖

When I heard that my grandparents were coming to visit for Christmas, I was so happy. I haven’t seen them for such a long time, so I could not wait for them to arrive. They were due at the train station early the next morning, and that was when my father turned to me.

“Would you like to come with me to the station?”

“Oh yes father, I would love to. I can’t wait to see grandma, and grandpa.”

“Okay, but you will have to wake up very early.”

“That’s okay, I can do it.”

“Well then, you will have to go off to bed now to get an early start.”

“Awe, now? But it’s only eight o’clock.”

“Well, it is six o’clock in the morning that we need to wake up, and get ready.”

“Oh, okay.”

Once I walked up to my room, I brushed my teeth, washed up and jumped on my bed. I rested my head on my pillow and stared at the ceiling. I was thinking about my grand-
parents, and how long since I have seen them. I was told that my grandparents could not afford to travel every year, since they were both retired. I did not understand that though, since I was just a kid. All I wanted – was to see them again, and now that they will be arriving tomorrow, I just could not wait. I closed my eyes, hoping that I will fall asleep, but I couldn’t. I was just too excited. I think. I then began counting sheep - hoping that, would help me fall asleep.

I woke up to the sound of my alarm the next morning, and I thought, ‘Wow, counting sheep does work.’ My grandma was right. She told me that counting sheep, always helps when she had trouble sleeping, and even though it helped, I felt groggy. I really didn’t want to get up, but I needed to, after all, Grandma, and Grandpa is coming to visit. That was when, I heard my dad calling out to me.

“Sasha, are you ready?”

“Not yet father.”

“Well come on now, hurry up. We need to pick Pa and Ma up in twenty minutes.”

“Okay father. I’ll be ready in few.”

I suddenly jumped off the bed, and rushed to the bathroom to wash up, got dressed and ran down the stairs. By the time I did so, father already had breakfast waiting for me to go in a paper bag. I realized that mother wasn’t there, and figured that she must still be at work. She worked the night-shift at the funeral home as a makeup artist for dead people; making them nice for their funeral. Could you imagine having to put make-up on dead people? Having to touch them to make them look good, ugh! I can’t imagine doing that when I’m older. Can you?

Anyway, while I was thinking about all this; we were almost at the station where I saw Grandma and Grandpa waving at us, and in excitement I waved back with a big grin on my face.

Grandma and Grandpa hugged me ever so tightly before we all got back into the car heading towards home. I told them about all my school stories, and many other things that they have missed out on. I told them about the trophy I won from a relay race at school, and my new friends. I even told them that I would introduce them to Hop-a-lot.

“Who’s Hop-a-lot,” asked Grandma curiously.

“He’s my pet rabbit.”

“Oh, I see.”

“I think he will really like you, and you too grandpa.”

By the time we arrived home it was lunchtime, and I had to help Grandma and Grandpa with their bags. Once that was done I introduced them both to Hop-a-lot. I can see that Hop-a-lot really liked them, and they liked him too. Grandma and Grandpa each took their turns stroking Hop-a-lot on his back. Hop-a-lot then turned on his belly to be rubbed, and we all laughed. While we were enjoying our time with Hop-a-lot, I heard father calling.

“Sasha, I think Grandma and Grandpa must be quite hungry by now, and you must be too, I’m sure.”

“Okay father. We’re coming.”

Grandma and Grandpa were following behind as I ran down the stairs, and father was waiting in the kitchen.

“I thought we can have lunch here and then have dinner later at Red Lobster when Mary comes home.”

“That sounds great son,” replied Grandpa.

“Yes dear,” agreed Grandma.

Father had the table set for lunch already, and sandwiches set out, just waiting to be devoured. We talked, laughed, ate, and once lunch was done, I helped clean up the kitchen before Grandpa went outside with father to help with the car he had been having trouble with for the past week, and Grandma up to her room to rest. I realized how tired I was too, and decided to do the same, but not before I picked up Hop-a-lot and took him to bed with me.

When I awoke, it was four in the afternoon, and I knew mother would be home soon, so I walked over to the bathroom to freshen up. I then walked over to Hop-a-lot’s cage, but he wasn’t there. I then remembered that I took him to bed with me, but when I looked over to the bed, he wasn’t there either. I soon found myself searching all over my room frantically.

“Hop-a-lot, where are you? Oh no, I should have just kept you in the cage. Hop-a-lot, please come out where ever you are.”

Grandma came into the room and asked what was wrong, and I told her that Hop-a-lot was missing.

“I can’t find him anywhere.”

“It’s alright. I’ll help you find him.”

“When was the last time you saw him?”

“Well I decided to have a nap, and I took him to bed with me.”

That was when I noticed the open window, and believed I lost him for good. I cried and cried until I heard a little faint sound coming from downstairs, so I went to take a look and there he was. Hop-a-lot was at the bottom of the stairs, staring right back at me.

I quickly ran down the stairs and picked him up. I hugged and kissed him, then took him to his cage in my room where I made sure he had enough food and water.

“I am so glad I found you. I would have missed you very much, so please don’t scare me like that again. Okay Hop-a-lot.

The bunny looked at me as if he understood, and he then went to have a nap himself. Then I went down the stairs where Grandma was now waiting.

“Did you find him dear?”

“Yes I did Grandma. He’s in his cage now.”

It was five o’clock now, and mother had just arrived home. Once she had settled down for a bit and relaxed, we all headed out to Red Lobster for dinner. We enjoyed our time there very much, before we headed back home.

By the time we arrived home it was 9 o’clock, and it was time for bed, but before I went to my room, I helped Grandma put out the cookies and milk for Santa.

I was restless though. I just couldn’t sleep. All I could think about was almost losing Hop-a-lot, and Santa coming tonight. I soon realized how thirsty I was and decided to walk down to the kitchen to grab a glass of milk, and then I heard some bells jingle in the living room. I walked over and there he was. Santa was drinking his milk, and then I saw him head up the chimney.

I smiled and went up to my room to sleep. I slept quite sound until Grandpa woke me, and told me to look under my pillow, and when I did, I saw two packs of pencil crayons, and a gift card to be used at a pet store. I was so happy that I hugged and thanked him.

Later that morning and we all opened our presents, we had a wonderful large breakfast that mother had cooked up for us before we went to a Christmas Fair in town. They had food, drinks, and a Christmas show with puppets for children, and shopping for grown ups. We all had great fun there.

By the end of the day while we were heading back home, my father asked while watching the road ahead still driving.

“So Sasha, did you have fun at the fair?”

“I sure did. I especially enjoyed having Grandma and Grandpa with us.”

“We enjoyed it too dear. It was very nice to see you all again after so long,” commented Grandma.

“Yes indeed. It has been too long. We need to do this more often. In fact we should make it a habit every Christmas, since I’m retired now,” replied Grandpa.

The next we woke up, and had a quick breakfast before Grandma and Grandpa had to head back to California. I didn’t want them to leave, and I cried for them to stay. That was when they promised me that they will visit again in the spring. They even told me that I could visit them in California in the summer.

“Can I bring Hop-a-lot too?”

“Of course you can dear,” replied Grandma

It was almost time for Grandma and Grandpa to leave, so we said our goodbyes before they headed out the door. Soon after I quickly ran up the stairs to my room where I watched them get into the car before father took them to the station. After the car disappeared off to the distance I continued sitting by the window for a moment before I picked up Hop-a-lot from his cage, and spoke to him.

“I’m going to really miss them, but at least I have many more visits to look forward to, and I have you to make the days go faster. Grandma said that I can take you along for the visits too. We would have great fun there. I know it.

I then put Hop-a-lot into his cage, and went began doing his homework when his mom came into his room to talk to him.”

“How are you doing Ricky?”

“Fine, but I wished Grandma and Grandpa could have stayed longer.”

“I know Sweetie. I wished that too, but don’t worry before you know it, we’ll all see them soon.”

“I can’t wait.”

My mom, then coaxed me to do my homework, before she kissed me, and left the room to wait for my father to arrive back home, before she went off to work.