Only June First

    Eleven year old McKenna Smith, half lying half sitting on the bed in her family’s guest room, kicked her legs against the bed frame. She often did this for about an hour while she waited for an expected guest to arrive. Today, it was her brother, Mike, who was in college at OU, also known as Oklahoma University. OU was the family’s favorite college—even though they lived in Colorado—so that is where Mike had first started going when he began college two years ago.

    McKenna had not seen her brother since Christmas, which would mean she hadn’t seen him in six months because it was now summer. More specifically, it was summer break—McKenna’s favorite time of the year. Well, summer break was tied with Christmas, but that’s beside the point. The point is is that McKenna was stoked.

    Mike was going to stay with the Smith family for two months before he went for a couple weeks to visit his girlfriend and her family.

    McKenna was a little bit bummed about him not spending the entire summer with her and their parents, but she was glad he was spending at least the majority of the summer with them.

    Mike was the best. McKenna especially thought this. Maybe even more than anyone. He played with her all the time. He told her jokes. He went swimming with her. He played sports with her. He helped her practice whatever she needed to practice whether it be sports or school. He made movies with her. He composed songs with her. He wrote stories with her. Whatever she wanted to do with him, he would do with her.

    McKenna figured that it wasn’t hard to see why he had so many friends.

    McKenna’s mom called her upstairs at that moment, abruptly interrupting her thoughts.

    “McKenna, I need your help dusting up here,” she said.

    Reluctantly McKenna left the guest room and trudged up the stairs.

    “Thank you dear,” her mom stated. 

    “No problem, Mom. After we dust I’ll go back down and make sure everything downstairs is in tiptop shape,” McKenna replied.

    Her mom smiled. “That’s my girl. I can’t wait for your brother to come.”

    McKenna expressed her agreement by bobbing her head up and down vigorously. “I can’t wait for Mike to come even more than you can’t wait for him to come!”

    McKenna’s mom smiled at her daughter.

    The blond haired, blue eyed, freckle faced, tall eleven year old picked up the fuzzy, blue duster and began, well, dusting.

    She started with the tables, then she moved on to the furniture.

    “Could you also help me make muffins for when your brother comes?” McKenna’s mom inquired. “I’m sure he’ll be famished after the airplane trip.”

    At first, McKenna sighed, but then she realized it would be beneficial for Mike, so she nodded.

    “Let’s make chocolate chip ones. Those are Mike’s favorites,” McKenna suggested.

    “All right. Can you get the muffin mix? I’ll get the chocolate chips.”

    “Sure, Mom.”

    McKenna hustled toward the pantry and switched on the light. Or at least, she tried to turn on the light.

    McKenna groaned. “Mom, the light to the pantry is out again!”

    “Oh, dear! Well, I suppose we’ll have to fix that too, won’t we?”

    McKenna rolled her eyes, but didn’t complain. “I’ll get a new lightbulb.”

    “Thanks, McKenna. You’re being such a big help.”

    McKenna displayed a slight grin.

    McKenna sauntered back down the stairs and searched through the utility room for the lightbulb box. 

    She found the battery box, the light strand box, the screwdriver box, the screw and nail box, and her dad’s note box, but not the lightbulb box.

    “Ugh!” McKenna exclaimed to herself. “Where is it?!”

    McKenna ran back upstairs. “Mom, I can’t fight the lightbulb box.”

    “Oh,” her mom realized, “sorry, McKenna, but I just remembered the lightbulbs were not put away in the utility room; they were left in the pantry because the light keeps going out.”

    “That’s okay, Mom. I’ll put the lightbulb in and then get the muffin mix,” McKenna put in.

    Her mom smiled at McKenna and squeezed her tight. McKenna, from the slight dampness and smell of Aloe Vera, could tell that her mom had just washed her hair. “Thanks again, McKenna for all your help.”

    “No problem.”

    McKenna picked up the small ladder and dexterously unscrewed the old lightbulb and screwed in the new lightbulb. She flipped the switch on to make sure it worked, and it did.

    McKenna picked up the packet of muffin mix and set it on the counter.

    “I have the chocolate chips and half cup of milk measured out,” her mom informed her. “I also preheated the oven to 375.”

    “Mom, why do you need my help if you’re doing everything?” McKenna whined.

    “Oh, but I’m not doing everything! I’m just doing some of the little things,” her mom insisted.

    McKenna raised her eyebrows in an ‘oh really’ look.

    “Look, McKenna, if you want to go back downstairs, then go ahead. I’m going to finish cleaning and prepping up here, okay?”

    “Okay.” McKenna was about to head back downstairs to the guest room, but she turned around and gave her mom one last hug. “I love you, Mom.”

    The latter smiled. “I love you, too, McKenna.”

    McKenna fled downstairs and into the guest room.

    She checked everything in the room, making sure it was all perfect. She threw open the shutters, drew the drapes, tucked the sheets in just so, licked her finger and picked up the tiny speck of dust on the buffet where the T.V. was, and propped up the pillows, fluffing them up just a little bit more. 

McKenna glanced around the room and that’s when her gaze lingered on the clock.

    “Where could Mike be? It’s been nearly two hours since his plane was supposed to land,” McKenna told herself.

    Once again, McKenna went upstairs. “Hey, Mom?”

    “Yes, McKenna? I’m in my room.”

    McKenna walked into her mom’s room. “Mike still isn’t here. He’s two hours late.”

    McKenna’s mom looked startled. “No, he isn’t, McKenna.”

    “What?” McKenna couldn’t believe what she was hearing! Yes, Mike was two hours late!

    “McKenna, your brother is coming on June second, and it’s only June first!”