Chapter Eight: Carmen

My mami is CRAZY.

She made us spend hours walking in straight lines with books on our heads while wearing five-inch heels might I add. And the entire time she yelled out instructions like,

"Backs straight!"

"Chins up!"

"Add more books on your head!"

She wouldn't let us stop until we mastered the 'perfect' walk. After that, at dinner, she taught us table etiquette. The proper amount of food a proper lady eats, what the table would probably look like at the palace. There were so many items in front of Mami, Cami, and me. By the time we were done eating, I had so much to remember. How to position my cutlery when I'm eating, when I pause my eating when I'm waiting for the next meal when I didn't like the food when I did like the food, and when I'm full. It was too much to remember.

"I got a job at a farmers market downtown," I say, tensely wiping the corners of my mouth like Mami taught us.

"Well, that's great! When is your next shift?" Papi said, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"Noon, I think," I reply.

"Carmen, if you are not eating at the Mamient, put your utensils like this," Mami says, demonstrating for the millionth time.

"Sorry," I say copying her actions for the millionth time.

When she finally let us go, the first thing I do is get the flippin' heels and wear sandals, then, I go to check on my plants, the had started growing I could see the trees growing saplings and the other plants were growing seedlings. I water each of them even though I knew that the sprinkler would water them tomorrow.

I wash up and put on my lion onesie and my bunny slippers before heading downstairs. Today was our Potter-versary, when we bought our one-room flat, the previous owners left us their old DVD player, and a collection of Harry Potter DVDs, 1 to 7, and their old box tv set. So in gratitude to them every year on this day, we watch all the movies on the player they left us. The tv unfortunately broke, but luckily, we have a flat-screen now, so much less static and it's bigger.

"Here," Cami said, handing me a big bowl of barbeque chips and holding a bowl of sweets in her other hand. She too was wearing a onesie, but her's was a black cat.

I take the bowl from her hand and we walk to the living room. Mami and Papi had already moved the couch back and set up two inflatable beds on the floor. In the middle of the beds, was a small rectangular wooden coffee table, full of junk food. Camila and I place the bowls on the table and sat on the couch while waiting for Mami and Papi.

"These nails are so annoying," I complain as I try to open the 7up can I grad from the table. Mami had insisted that our nails were an inch-and-a-half long.

"You just have to get used to them," she said, grabbing the can from my hands and effortlessly opening it.

"How in the frickitty-frackitty did you do that?!" I said, dumbfounded, as she handed me back my drink.

"I've had long nails before, remember?" she said with a laugh.

Mami and Papi came downstairs wearing the pyjama set Papi got them for valentines day, although Papi's PJ was one size too big. I think that the manufacturers making the set assumed that all the men wearing them would have round bellies. But my Papi is actually slim and well built for a 44-year-old.

"Let's get this party started!" Papi exclaimed, starting the movie.

They sat on the bed they were going to share for the night and we watched the movie, eating junk food and drinking soda. Every time I needed my drink opened, I would as Cami or Mami, since they were more used to long nails. when I asked Cami for the fifth time, she got annoyed and quietly taught me how to do it on my own without breaking my nails, so for the rest of the night, I didn't need help anymore.

"You should get to bed, Carmen, you have work tomorrow and you know you have a hard time waking up," Mami said when we finished watching all the DVDs. The table between the beds was completely trashed, food was everywhere and there were empty cans all over our living room.

I groaned in agreement, I had eaten too much junk and drank too much soda. I excitedly got ready for bed. When I sleep with my family, I don't get any nightmares., I sleep peacefully and without interruptions. Cami was already on the bed we would be sharing that night.

"You wanna come to work with me tomorrow?" I ask, plopping down beside her.

"Yeah, sure. What are you going to be doing anyway?" she asks, looking up from her phone.

"I babysit kids. I get paid 20 bucks," I say, whipping out my phone to text Krysty.

Me- 11:04p.m.

Is it okay if my sister tags along at work?

I get a reply almost instantly.

Krysty👩‍💼- 11:06p.m.

Totally!

Me- 11:06p.m.

Great! How many kids are we taking care of?

Krysty👩‍💼- 11:07

About 15-20, ages 6-10. Why?

Me- 11:08p.m.

You'll see😉

Krysty👩‍💼- 11:10 p.m.

Uh-oh

Me- 11:10

Don't worry! Gtg, talk tomorrow.

"Who are you texting?" Cami asks as I put my phone away.

"My boss," I answer and I see her face drop.

"Aww, I was hoping it would be a boy," she says, disappointed

"Eww!" I exclaim, sounding as if she asked me to eat chopped liver.

"Whatever," she says, pretending to be angry.

"Anyway, my boss said it was okay if you came to work with me tomorrow. We're babysitting about 15 to20 kids ages 6 to 10,"

"OMG! I love kids!" she said happily.

"If I go to sleep any later, I'm not gonna wake up," I said with a yawn.

"Yeah, you should get some sleep."

"G'night Cami," I said turning on my side.

"Night, Carm."

And just like that, we drifted to sleep.