Thumbs Up, 2009

Patar, summer, 2009

Julio is 42, Rebecca is 39, Abel and Amanda are 13, Ana Rayne is 4; Ajani is 65; Rayne is 63 (Annie Grey, Myra Shazad and Grace Elise are 14)

It had taken a little bit longer for Ajani and Rayne to move out, not that Rebecca and Julio minded.

It was great having them around to help with Ana Rayne so that Rebecca could work more on the inventory for the Toy Shoppe.

They were also trying to get used to Abel and Myra officially dating. It was strange knowing that when they were that age, they hadn't even been aware of the opposite sex, but Abel and Amanda seemed to be head over heels in love.

They were not dumb nor blind and figured that it was better to allow the teens to openly date and be able to hang out around each other's homes than to sneak around the hood.

Usually that meant that they saw a lot more of Myra and they tried their best not to embarrass Abel,

but then again, perhaps family dance night wasn't the best night to bring your girlfriend over.

"I bet you think we're dorks," Abel whispered afterwards as they waited for his father to walk with them to Myra's house.

"Not at all, I had fun," Myra whispered. "We don't have dance parties at my house."

"I know, you guys have puzzle nights instead."

"Hey, papa is very competitive about his puzzles."

"I know, one day I plan on beating him."

"We'll see about that," Myra said laughing.

Amanda wasn't dating since, according to her, all of the teen guys were either related to her or being drooled over by all the other girls in school.

She claimed that she was going to wait until college and then have a much larger selection to chose from. So instead of dates, she gathered her best girl friends and her not so best girl friends for outings.

Ice-skating seemed like a good idea, it would cool them down from the summer heat,

but Amanda failed to realize that she was the not only the only one in the group that could do fancy jumps and spins,

but pretty much the only one in the group that could stay upright on the ice.

After Grace Elise left for home, the remaining girls decided to get a snack before going home.

"The lunch specials are on the back of the menu," the server directed them before leaving.

"He's cute," Myra whispered. "Not as cute as Abel, but still cute."

"He reminds me a bit of Naraj," Amanda started. She hoped her face wasn't blushing, but she did find Naraj cute, but it was so awkward with her twin brother already dating his twin sister. Sometimes she would imagine that they would have a double wedding eventually, but she tried to avoid those thoughts, they made her feel funny.

"I could see that," Myra agreed. "What about you, Annie. Do you think he reminds you of Naraj, you two spend enough time together." She teased.

Amanda's face fell and she swallowed. She had forgotten how much time Naraj and Annie spent together. They were always together at school and in class, laughing at jokes or whispering during lectures. Did that mean they were dating? Did he like her? Maybe Annie liked him back as well.

"We're friends," Annie insisted a little too forcefully.

"Uh huh, and I'm the queen of Al Simhara."

"Well, your majesty, are you ready to go?"

Myra laughed. "Amanda, are you ready?"

"Yea, it's my turn to make dinner tonight." She said too brightly, tossing a few simoleans on the table to cover for her dessert. She wouldn't let it bother her if Naraj and Annie were an item or friends. Soon enough she'd be in university with tons of available guys and her choices wouldn't be limited to the pimply faced boys in her school. At least she hoped that there would be tons of available guys that were pimple free.

---

"How was ice-skating?"

"It was ok," Amanda mumbled seasoning the fish before placing it in the oven. "Where's papi and Abel?"

"Outside, I think your father is practicing and your brother is still trying to teach Decade how to speak."

"He hasn't given up yet?" Amanda laughed. "He's been trying for the past two simyears, if Decade can't hold a conversation by now, I doubt that he will ever learn how to speak."

"You might be right," Rebecca said placing Ana Rayne in her special chair and setting the table. The little girl was already in a fit and refused her dinner.

"Nooooooo!!!!" She screamed tossing mashed eggplant and banana on the floor.

Rebecca ignored her, trying to follow the advice of her counselor to let go of the small stuff. Amanda sighed, she knew that dinner would be tense since now the family had to yell over Ana Rayne's fit. She still didn't understand how it would help her baby sister if they just allowed her to cry it out.

Amanda shoveled food in her mouth and tried to ignore her sister's cries.

"Your mother and I have been thinking!" Julio yelled.

Abel and Amanda turned expectantly to their father.

"Perhaps we could go on a family vacation next simyear after Ana Rayne's birthday. Nothing elaborate, maybe a few days camping! What do you think about that?!!"

Abel grinned and yelled, "cool!"

Amanda smiled as well and gave a thumbs up sign instead of yelling.

Ana Rayne turned to her father, "I go? I go too?" she asked wiping her tears.

Julio glanced at Rebecca who was in shock that the child had stopped crying less than halfway through dinner. She smiled and nodded.

"Yes, you can go as well."

Ana Rayne smiled and stuck her sticky fingers in her mouth, scooping up her dinner in silence while her family stared in awestruck silence.
---

Abel and Myra are still a little young for dating, but their parents know that they're good kids and rather they stop sneaking out at night :)