Anna was sitting in the backyard enjoying the spring air. She learned if she sat real still and wore colorful clothing, butterflies would land on her. Once, one landed on her nose and tickled her to the point that her mom came out thinking something was wrong.
She was humming a little tune she had heard on the radio when a buzzing was heard overhead. She looked up, but couldn't see anything. The buzzing was loud though and had peaked her curiosity. She got up and three of the resting butterflies of all different colors fluttered away against the soft cool breeze. Anna did not have any more time for butterflies though. There was a sound about, and she had to know what it was. Part of her was scared that there was a killer bee about. Her parents were watching the news the other day about a new deadly bee that had come over from another country. For the most part she didn't pay attention to the adults talking about things, but anything to do with bugs was gross.
Anna went over to her father's tool shed and opened the door. Thinking maybe one of the tools was going off in there. She opened the door to the 5'X10' shed and there certainly was a tool going off. It was her brother playing with one of her dad's Dewalt drills. Though this was not the buzzing sound that she had heard.
"Dad is not going to like you playing with his drill." Anna said to her brother.
"Shut up Anna." Shouted her brother back to her.
"Don't call me shut up." Anna said stomping her foot and putting her hands on her hips. She had learned the scolding time look from her mom. She had gotten it plenty of times in the past. Usually because it involved a broken glass or spilt milk. Anna never did understand the purpose of glass if it broke so easily. "I'm telling mommy!"
"No, wait." Called her brother as he threw the drill down and grabbed her. "Anna just wait. If you tell mommy then you will get in trouble too for being in dad's shed. Anna starred at her brother contemplating what he was saying.
"I don't want mommy to be mad at me." Said Anna as she thought some more.
"Ok so just go play." Said her brother as he ushered her out the door and slammed it in her face.
Anna turned and started to bang on the door, "Hey open up!" She shouted. That's when she heard the noise again. She gave up on her brother and started to search for the mysterious buzzing sound. She carefully went to the back fence making sure not to step on any landmines that her dog Mindy like to lay. She was always getting in trouble for not minding her step in the backyard. It's not her fault she can't see the poop.
She made it to the back privacy fence and put her ear to the wood. She could hear the buzzing get louder and knew it definitely was coming from the neighbor's yard. She went to the end of the fence line where the fence had yet to be replaced by the new privacy fencing. On the other side was like nothing she had ever seen before. It was like a helicopter. Only much smaller. She watched as the boy with the remote on the other side danced the four propeller helicopter through the air. She thought how much fun something like that was to pilot. "Hey." She called out. But the boy who was a little older than her went on. Anna was determined to get a turn on the fascinating new toy. Her mama always said it was nice to share. So, Anna shouted louder. "HEY, friend." She called.
The boy was startled by the noise that he sent the quad helicopter over the fence to Anna's side. Anna sprinted to the toy thinking in her mind the boy was playing with her. The boy jumped on the box near the fence line and saw that Anna was trying to get his new birthday gift. He shouted for her to stop. But Anna would not listen. She was determined. He tried to fly it high enough before she could get to it, but was too late. Anna jumped up at the last second and in the excitement swiped a little too hard. The quad helicopter broke into several pieces. Anna was devastated. All she could do is look on in shock as she turned to the boy.
"Why would you do that?" He shouted at her.
"I am sorry, friend." She said as she was welled up in tears.
"Friend? I am not your friend. You destroyed my birthday gift." He shouted.
Anna grew angry at the boy. She only wanted a turn on this cool toy. She picked up the helicopter and threw it back over the fence. "Fine, it is a stupid gift anyway." She shouted and ran back inside crying.
About an hour later Anna was watching t.v. on the couch when the doorbell rang. Like normal Anna paid it no mind at all. What she did mind was the very scary feeling of being watched at that moment. She turned to her Dad who had answered the door. He was holding the toy in his hand and he did not look happy at all. "ANNA!" He shouted. Get over here this instant little Miss."
Anna slowly walked over to her dad. Trying desperately to delay the moment she had to see who was on the other side of the door. In her mind it was the police coming to take her away. She had broken something that was not hers. Her older brother always told her that if she broke anything of his, then the police would lock you up till your next birthday. She peered on the other side of the door hiding behind her father. "I don't think so little missy. You have some explaining to do." Her father said to her as he pushed her out in front. Standing in front was the boy and his father. Neither looked none too pleased with her. "I need to know what happened in the backyard, Anna."
"Nothing." She whimpered.
"I don't believe it was nothing." Her father had said. "In fact your demeanor would tell otherwise. So, go ahead and fess up now little girl."
"I broke the toy by accident Daddy." She said a little louder, but still trying to shrink as small as possible.
"This does not look like an accident Anna! You need to tell me what happened." Her father said a little more sternly.
Anna looked up at the boy and how angry he was. His father looked just like a bigger version just angrier. Anna found it hard to let the words come out. What did she do wrong? She just wanted a turn. She kept thinking to herself but the longer she stood there, the angrier they seemed to get. Why was wanting a turn so bad. Her dad tapped her on the shoulder. He did that when he wanted her to apologize. She looked up at her Dad, then to the neighbor kid. "I'm sorry." She whispered under her breath.
"I am not sure they heard you darling. Say it louder." Her father said.
"I am sorry." Anna said a little louder but just not loud enough. She was holding back tears. She was in a scary situation that made her want to just run to her room, but her father kept her trapped.
"Not good enough Anna!" Her father sternly said now. "You apologize right now like you mean it."
Anna looked up at the kid and poorly got out a sorry that was a little bit louder than the rest. Though it seemed to work to make her Dad happy. "Now go to your room Anna while I talk with Mr. Blakely." Her dad said to her gently pushing her towards her room.
As Anna laid in bed that night her father came in the room. He sat down at the end of the bed. He still did not look happy with her, but she can tell he was a little softer than earlier. "What you did Anna was very wrong you know that right?" He asked her in a gentle voice. She nodded her head pulling the blanked just past her chin. "That toy you broke was very special to that boy, and you had no right to take it like that."
"I'm sorry daddy." Anna said holding back a whimper.
"I know you are darling." Her father said to her as he patted her knee. "That cost a lot of money and I had to buy a new one for him."
"I got money daddy." Anna jumped up from her bed and went to her dresser. She grabbed her Anna piggy bank and handed it to her dad. "Her I have so many of the shiny ones." She happily handed her dad the jar with a big smile.
Her dad just looked on at her not able to contain the smile that came across his face. He patted her on the head and placed the piggy bank on the nightstand. "Thank you my love. But that is not necessary. You just stay the sweetheart you are and that is all that makes up for it." He picked her up and placed her back in bed, and covered her with the blanket. He kissed her goodnight. Blew raspberries on her forehead waited for her epic squeeze hug.
"I love you daddy!" Anna shouted as he closed the door.
Two months later her birthday had come and her dad and mom bought her a quad helicopter of her own. She waited for the battery to charge and immediately ran to the back to try it out. Her father was right there to help her with the controls and she thought it was fascinating to see it fly in the air. She did have a lot of trouble controlling it though and after about 10 minutes told her dad she wanted to do something else.
"Aren't you having fun though?" He asked.
"I do like it, but can I have the box? She asked
"The box?"
"Yes, it is so big. I want to make a cat bed for my new kitties." Anna said excitedly.
"Of course, but?" He barely got out before she ran off. He stood flabbergasted about what happened. He looked over at his wife and she just sat there and smiled.
"You should have bought the cheaper one." She said as she went back to sunbathing.