NINE
I widened my eyes at that. Sean and I giggled, we were so happy. Our parents looked at us, they seemed happy too but who knew what was going on in their minds.
Tony continued, 'I already made my intentions known to the principal but I think you have the right to know too, so you can give us the go,‘ Tony said.
'What‘s the program all about?‘
'Programs. There are two. One is going to be about art and the other will be, bringing schools to compete for brilliancy. High schools. Then the show will be ended with games, different kind of games on each show.‘
'That‘s very splendid or what do you think Thelma?‘ dad smiled at mom.
'Yes I love it but we still have to ask them, it‘s their decision that matters,‘ my mom looked at us beaming, 'but um… with what I‘m seeing I think they already gave their consent.‘
We nodded happily, 'we love it.‘
'Wow, you allow them decide for themselves?‘ Tera was amazed.
'Yea just because they are kids doesn‘t mean we can‘t give them their right. They have the right to their own opinion, we only guard them through it.‘
'Brilliant! That‘s brilliant,‘ Tony exclaimed happily. 'So have you thought of a name?‘ dad asked. 'Not really but I thought of 'S Sheila show‘ for the first one, you know S for Sean, and Sheila Show for the second,‘ Tony said.
'How about Sheila Show for one and Sean Show for the other?‘ Tera asked.
'Brilliant, that‘s brilliant,‘ Tony cheered.
'Yea it‘s cool,‘ dad said.
'The Blyds family are not the only brain boxes on the table,‘ Tera flushed.
'Yeah,‘ they all laughed.
That was how a Television program was named after us. And we also contributed to its success as we helped design every week‘s program and all that was needed to be done to make it a success. Only thing we didn‘t do was present. Our parents were concerned about putting us in limelight at that age. It was enough how popular we were getting already; TV recognition was another thing.
Everything went on fine and smoothly. I attended important shows as V.I.P and helped many solve their problems. In most cases I work with my dad to help figure out the best profitable project he should invest in. And at last my parents were relieved that I was alright. It got to a point they forgot I even had a problem but for Brad who was always reminding them.
He never liked my parent‘s decision to let me be but he had no choice because he loved me too and wanted me happy. And since being myself was the only thing that would make me happy, he had to blend in.
Sean and I enjoyed our lives as kids. We went to the best schools, wore designer clothes, ate best food and now we were becoming popular. The shows were successful. They were popular but we were not as popular as the show. As many people never knew the real story behind the show; the real Sean and Sheila the show was named after but some knew some way.
I was in class packing my books, ready for home when a boy walked up to me.
'Sheila.‘
I looked up, 'hey Reuben.‘
'Did you hear about the new reality TV shows in town; The Sheila show and um Sean‘s com, you see it right?‘
'Oh yes, they are nice shows.‘
'I heard they were named after you and your brother. Is that true?‘
I was shocked, I couldn‘t find a word for seconds.
'Um y-yes but how did you know?‘
'Wow that‘s cool! I heard the HS telling some teachers earlier.‘
HS, that‘s what we call our school head. Reuben was so happy like he‘s the Sean in the show. Sean walked up cutting our conversation short.
'Let‘s go, dad is here.‘
Being popular changed everything in our lives. These days were more fun than ever. Every day in our lives was now like celebrations; from the moment we woke till the moment we slept. Even while we ate, it was always like celebrating, we always had one more mouth to feed or even more.
Everyone was happy for us. Doctor Brad was so happy for me. He thought I should have been under attack by then but to his surprise I was still very healthy. He was so happy that I felt his happiness for me though I didn‘t know why, but I was happy that he was happy.
We started receiving compliments in shapes of presents or just an appreciation from different people; people we knew and people we didn‘t. We received lots of gifts from people as gratitude for what we did for them or their children or some other. And some gave us gifts in appreciation for our brains.
I woke up one bright morning and went to mom‘s room and I saw dad was still sleeping but mom was not there; and she doesn‘t go to work very early on Saturdays. I looked for her everywhere but she wasn‘t anywhere, well not her study, then I started calling out.
'Mom.‘
'I‘m here,‘ she answered from the study. I went there and saw her searching through the books on the shelf.
'You are awake.‘ she said.
'What are you looking for?‘
'I‘m looking for a book.‘
'A book?‘
'Yes the one on bone marrow.‘
'It should be there and if it‘s not, it would be in the store, you should check there.‘
'I saw it here last week, that‘s if you‘ve not touched it.‘
'Why would I touch it?‘
She looked back at me and I knew the look. Just then my eyes strayed to something in a package on the table. 'What‘s that?‘
'Nothing.‘
'No, that.‘
She looked back at me and saw I was looking at the package.
'Oh that‘s a gift for you and Sean. The one with the pink ribbon is yours. Some admirers brought it this morning.‘
'They won‘t even let us wake?‘
'You mean they won‘t let Sean wake? Cos we both know you weren‘t sleeping anyways,‘ she snickered.
I ignored her words and walked to the table and picked mine.
'What do you think is inside?‘
'I don‘t know; a book?‘ mom guessed.
'Let‘s see; I choose… a book.‘
She looked back at me with that look again.
'Can‘t you choose something else?‘
'No, 'cause it feels like a book.‘
'Yeah, a book but what kind of book?‘
'Hmm let‘s see,‘ I closed my eyes and ran my hands through the package, brought it close to my ears like listening to it as I ran my hands through, then I sniffed it.
Mom laughed seeing me do that.
'Really?‘
I ignored her and concentrated on my observation.
'A notepad.‘
She smiled, 'okay open and let‘s see.‘
I started unwrapping it while mom continued searching for her book. It‘s a deep brown foamy hard cover notepad, beautifully designed with my name engraved in the cover ―SHEILA‖ with off white leaves in it.
'Wow,‘ I said tonelessly, awed by its beauty.
Mom looked back, 'what is it?‘
'Note-pad,‘ I said with my eyes widened at the beauty. 'Check it out mom, this is lovely.‘
Mom stood up and started walking to me, 'don‘t tell me you got that right.‘
'Yeah yeah I did.‘
She collected it and flipped through the blank leaves then she looked at me, shaking her head, smiling. I guess she‘s short of words. She then admired the notepad.
'Wow this is lovely.‘
'Yes mom, I love it. Wish I met the person who brought it.‘ I looked at Sean‘s gift, 'what do you think is in there?‘
'Well I don‘t know but I guess that will be revealed when he wakes,‘ mom concluded.
'Then I‘ll go wake him,‘ I snatched the notepad from her and rushed away.
'Sheila come and help me look for this book instead of disturbing your brother.‘
I ran back to the shelf, scanned my eyes through the books and brought it out. That‘s how good my eyes were. I fish out even the tiniest thing and I see miles away. I rushed back to her leaning her butt on the table with her arms folded under her breast watching me with smiles. I dropped the book on the table behind her and ran back inside.
I walked into my room still observing my notepad thinking of what nice things I could do with it. It was too beautiful to waste it away as a jotter. And I had many notepads already but this one was different. So I decided to keep it until I figured out its purpose. I walked to my closet and kept it well.
I close my notepad and stand oh my back. It‘s been a long day writing. I stretch to adjust my back bones.