This is the first journal entry that I will write a story in. This is an excerpt from the only unnamed book that I am writing:
“Are we there yet?” Regina was getting annoying.
“Gigi! Please! Can’t you be patient for once in your life?!” So was my mom. At first I had thought that this trip would be fun. But now, my little sister was making it H-E-double hockey sticks.
“Rufina, could you please do something with your sister?” begged my mother.
“Like what, Mom? I’ve gone through all of the stuff we brought to pass the time!”
“Fina,” she sighed, turning around to look at me. “I’m just trying to get us there. I can’t worry about that right now.”
“The light’s green now, Mom.” I sunk down into my seat, trying to ignore the pest that was tugging on my sweater.
“C’mon, Rufina! Play with me!” I rolled my eyes and pulled a dollar out of my pocket. I waved it tauntingly in front of Regina. She grasped for it, but because I yanked it away, she held nothing but air. I put it in her hand.
“If you be quiet until we get there, this dollar is yours.” She gripped it tightly and began to turn around in her seat. I grabbed her by the shoulders.
“But that means that you can’t bug me, Dad, Mom, or Lanie. Got it?” She struggled against my grip.
“Got it?” She nodded so I let her free. I watched her hold it to the light and shove it into her pocket.
My name is Rufina, which means “red-haired” in Italian. And I am red-haired, but I don’t have any freckles. And that rocks because I hate freckles! Anyway, my mom is African-American and my dad is Italian. My mom praises Regina, my little sister because she so gorgeous. When she was born, all I heard was: “She looks like Alicia Keyes! Oh Ruffy, doesn’t she look like Alicia Keyes?” Actually, she does. I love my sister, and I love Alicia Keyes. Alicia Keyes and Regina could pass as sisters!
My sister has silky black hair, milk chocolate-brown skin, brown eyes, and the cutest nose. My mom, Xolani has dark skin, hazel eyes, braided hair, and other very fine features. Xolani means “please forgive” in African. My grandmother in Ghana was poor and in debt to the queen, since she worked in her palace. If she had not been pregnant with my mother, her death would have been much sooner. My grandmother felt terrible about leaving nothing for her daughter but work and no parents. She was going to name her “orphan” in African, but she wanted a kinder name. Thus, my mother worked as a servant girl in her childhood until she was “shipped” to America.
I don’t have much information on my dad. Xanto is his name, and it means “golden”. He is a brilliant musician and artist. He’s kind of a quiet man around people, but with his family, he is what I call in his vocabulary “well self-expressed”. And then there is my doggy, Lanie. She is a Collie and Shepard mix. She is one of the biggest sources of energy for Regina.
“Rufina, would you please tell your dog to stop whining? We should get to the beach any minute now. Lani, dear, you aren’t lost are you?” My dad insists on calling Mom Lani, but I say that Lani gets too mixed up with Lanie. Eh, Tomato, tomahto.
“Sissy?” Ugh!
“WHAT?!”
“I gotta go potty.” I think my sister was really focused more on making this trip harder for me more than making sand castles at the beach.
“Mom, Gina has to go to the bathroom. Maybe she can go in those bushes.” I smiled at my mom in the front seat. I had this way of getting what I wanted with my sister by suggesting something WAY out of the question.
“Well, Regina?” My mom turned around briefly at the stop sign.
“I can hold it!” Gina squealed rapidly. My sister is a very remarkable person.
It was interesting how we were going to the beach and yet the skies were a dark, ominous blue. Did my sister really think I would go out with her in rain?
“Lani, how come we had to leave Eureka just when it was getting warm and sunny to go to a cold beach in Fort Bragg? I’m in shorts!” Suddenly I realized how that had come out. I sounded like a spoiled, complaining six year-old. I had even called my mom by the family nickname!
“Rufina! You were the one who suggested that your father and I take a vacation and get out of Eureka! And when we asked you where you wanted to go, you picked Fort Bragg, Sea Ranch, and Berkley! You are not the complaint sort of person, but dear, that was quite unnecessary.” I felt like putting my head in my hands. I never complain to my mom, or anybody for that matter.
“I’m sorry mom,” I whispered in her ear. She turned back and gave me an understanding smile. I love my mom! Suddenly the car gave a jolt, and our bright yellow Volvo (don’t let me explain the color) turned down the dirt road to the beach. Regina was ecstatic, jumping and squealing non-stop in her seat. I held on to Lanie so she wouldn’t jump too, because I swear, those two can get way too excited together. We turned onto the beach parking lot to find that there were only two other cars there.
“I love this beach!” exclaimed Dad. “They have the best lake nearby for fishing. I also can count on catching some whoppers from surf-casting!”
“You three can go on. I need to take a 20-minute nap.” My mom reclined her chair.
“Mom! You can’t be serious! You said…you promised not to leave me with Regina! I’m not complaining, I’m telling you what you said…” I did not want to look after my sister. She wanted to go into the water and build sand castles. I like going to the beach to walk along the beach and collect shells. The ocean spits shells out like heck! But no-o. I have to help my sister bury her toys in the sand!
“Come on, Rufina, I’ll be out there in a couple minutes. This can count as babysitting. Five dollars,” my mom offered, holding out a bill. I snatched it.
“Sold! C’mon, Gina,” I placed my hand on her head and lead her to the sand. We must have walked about eight miles until Regina finally found the “perfect” sand castle spot. She plopped herself down, got out her buckets, and started shoveling. While keeping a watchful eye on her, I climbed up onto the rocks near the waves. I took the towel that I was wearing around my neck and laid it down so as not to get poked by the rough rocks. Ahhh. I loved going to the beach. I dangled my legs over into the icy water. The cold felt like it was burning me at first, but then my leg grew numb. It felt good.
After taking one last glance at Gina, I closed my eyes and melted into complete peacefulness. I could hear Regina shoveling, the waves lapping at my feet and crashing into the rocks: serenity. Opening my eyes, I turned my face to the open sea and let the mist wash over my face.
Hope you enjoyed!!
Quote of the day:
"Define normal."--Reshan N.S.
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