TEEN MEMO

FAMILY TOGETHER

On a pleasant Thursday morning, the sun visited the world earlier than usual and it was a really scorching sun that someone might even get sunburned if found outside.

Well, the Rogers' were at home because it was a public holiday in the country.

After serving a lip-smacking breakfast of French toast, pancakes and warm milk together with apples, bananas and berries, Eucharia called her husband, Leonard and Dani, her literally sweet angel of a daughter who were in the medium sized but beautiful silver and purple living room that was well arranged with the couch and sofas properly set.

Father and daughter had their eyes and all their attention fixed on the new movie series on Netflix which they were watching, though on their android TV. The movie series seemed pretty interesting that Leonard abandoned the car he was washing just to watch the movie series his daughter recommended for him.

Daniella was so fortunate that she had no sibling to drag a TV remote with. Besides that, her parents were fine with whatever channel she tuned to because she was the Miss TV of the Roger's home.

Meanwhile, Eucharia wasn't really a TV type but if she was interested in a movie and was eager to watch the movie, it must be a movie marathon and the only condition for watching such a movie was that she was less busy and it was during her pastime when she had nothing else to do.

Eucharia Camila Rogers knew that telling her husband and daughter to come to the dining room for breakfast would be like wasting a full bucket of water on a piece of hard rock because both father and daughter usually paid deaf ears whenever their body, mind and soul was dedicated to something, especially a movie just like the one they were watching at that moment.

She had no other alternative but to walk straight up to where the TV was hung on the wall. She picked up the remote control and without a second thought, she turned the television off by clicking the 'power off' symbol. Leonard and Daniella hollered at her. They found themselves griping because of the TV Eucharia turned off.

“I think the next step to take is to sell this TV since you both have decided to turn our living room into a movie theatre. Can you imagine the absolute silence here? It is only your guffaw that will be able to transmit the signal that you both are here. You know Leon has such a boisterous laughter?" Eucharia commented.

“Mummy, this movie is just so good. It wasn't one in a million as people who watched it claimed rather, it is one in a world. The movie series is just so hilarious, heartwarming, light-hearted and full of comedy." Daniella stated as she expressed her excitement of the movie through her gestures.

“Your statement is truly verifiable and I affirm to that." Leonard replies his daughter, the sixteen year old teenager.

“Leon, you and your partner in crime should come and have your breakfast before it gets cold. I just can't imagine how you both woke up from bed only to sit here and watch a movie all in the name of the movie being one in a world. And Dani, I'm very certain that you must have implored your dad to join you so that I would have two tough cuts of meat to deal with." Eucharia said, looking at Daniella who wanted to defend herself. Eucharia smirked.

“Mum, I thought you knew me too well but you have proven that you know only a little about your one and only daughter. I didn't implore or coerce dad to watch the movie series with me. He was even the one who admonished me to watch the movie series with him since today is a national public holiday. Daddy, ask your wife, my mom why she's jelly that we didn't give her a warm invitation to join us in watching the movie." Leonard could do nothing but laugh out loud. His laugh was indeed an exuberant and high-spirited one.

“I'm not jelly at all. Dani, I thought you knew me too well but today you have proven to me that you know nothing about your one and only mum. You know that I don't have interest in movies and even if I make a decision of watching a movie, it would definitely be a movie marathon. Leon, ask your daughter why she didn't know what her mum liked?" Leonard was really in trouble. Mother and daughter were mimicking each other's statements. Leonard's trouble was a peaceful and exciting one because he could only stare at them and laugh at the performance of the two ladies he had to put up with.

The peace and harmony between father, mother and daughter had no limit because they were always delighted being together.

Without much ado, Leonard and Daniella quickly jumped to the dining room when Eucharia broke it to them that she had served a mouthwatering and tantalizing breakfast of French toast, pancakes, warm milk and fruits.

“This breakfast is finger-lickin' good." Leonard commented as he had more of the slightly perfect pancakes. Daniella nodded in affirmation to what Leonard had blurted out.

Eucharia smiled as she felt cheery that her family loved the pancakes and French toast which she had prepared. It was a unique compliment for being a prowess in kitchen jobs especially baking.

* * * * * * *

The meal came to an end but Eucharia and Daniella were contemplating about the person to do the dishes because they had a washing dishes roster where every family member was entitled to do the dishes for a whole day. It was Eucharia's turn to wash but she wanted Daniella to assist her in doing the washing so that Dani's mind could be diverted a bit from the movie series. While on that, Eucharia raised a discussion.

“Dani, do you still remember Analisle Brown, my close friend?"

"Analisle Brown? You mean the fashion model?" Inquistive Daniella asked.

“Yeah, the pinup queen."

“What happened to her? It's been long she visited." Leonard added.

“Yeah, she's been busy all this while because she has a tight schedule to work for magazines and fashion brands. She barely returns homes on vacations either." Eucharia said.

“Huh? She's making a lot of paper as a renowned fashion model but she barely has time for herself nor her friends and family. If I'm not wrong, she last visited our home from California when I was six."

“Yeah.That was the year she got her job, her dream job because she waited for so long before the job had no other choice but to walk up to her." Eucharia said as Daniella giggled. "Well, she'd be returning home next month and while we were talking on phone, she sent her regards to you both." She eked.

“Send my regards to her too. Tell her that we are anticipating her return. She's now affluent and famous that she forgot her people already." Leonard commented.

“I will definitely send your regards to her but there was something more to our discussion. She asked if Daniella would like to join the modelling industry because the major company she worked for was hiring adolescents and teenagers and their pay was a good one. I told her that I didn't know what your opinion would be. The decision is in your hands, Dani. Are you interested in the offer?"

“Nope! I decline. I'm not interested in the job!" Daniella blurted out as if she knew what Eucharia had planned to say earlier.

“Why dear, if I may ask?" Eucharia asked her.

“Reason number one is that models have a tight schedule. She would hardly have time to watch TV especially with me, the world's number one best dad. Aren't I right, Dani?" Leonard said with the harmonious movement of his elbows and lips.

“Yes dad, you're right. You read my mind for the first reason I wanted to give mum. That's why I call you world's number one. That's not just a title, you act in accordance with it.” Daniella said as she clapped Leonard's hand five.

“Hmm! I think I would soon leave this house for the both of you because none of you never notices me nor includes me in any..." Eucharia says but she didn't complete her statement because Daniella interrupts her by cutting in.

“No, mum. Those are mere delusions. Father and I love you to the core. You are just so sweet, industrious, sincere and kind-hearted. I would never seize to tell you the truth. I love you just the way I love dad, though I love dad more because we share numerous things in common but I love you for who you are, the teenager you have made me become and your attitude towards life. You and dad are just all I need in life. Don't feel that we are excluding you from our activities, we are only trying to respect your choice and likes. Okay?" Daniella said as she goes to Eucharia and gives her a side hug.

“U.K, she's right. You didn't even need her statement to confirm the love I have for you. You know I love you more than mouths can say. You are virtuous and sweet that every good individual deserves you. I'm just so grateful that I was fortunate enough to have you all for myself and for Daniella. We love you more than you can think of." Leonard stirred in. He goes to her and hugs her. Daniella joins them to complete the family hug.

“Thank you so much, Leon and Dani. At some point, I felt paranoid and slightly melancholic that you both literally excluded me in all your activities as if I indulged in an unforgivable crime but those words touched my heart and I'm fine now." Eucharia says with rivulets of joyful tears flowing freely down her eyes. Leonard and Daniella complemented the tears with smiles.

“So, back to what we were saying concerning Analisle Brown, your friend, my second reason of not wanting the job is because I have big dreams of becoming a writer and an author. Writers alone are busy people, though barely busy but writing coupled with modelling would be difficult for me to handle. I opt writing to modelling. I'm fine with waiting till my dreams and hopes finally come to reality and surface my imaginations." Daniella indicated.

“Well since it's your decision, who am I to coax or compel you to chase after the winds all in the name of modelling when you don't find yourself doing it? I would really have loved to be a model except that I didn't have a model like figure. If I had your type of figure that time, modelling would have been my vocation. I'm glad that I sell fashion accessories anyways to complement my lost love for modelling." Eucharia mentioned.

“Yeah! Yeah!! How about a selfie with mum and dad? I'd caption it selfie with Tik and Tok." Daniella pitched in.

“Good idea but who's the Tik and who's the Tok here?" Eucharia asked bluntly as she gathers the plates.

“That's Tiktok." Leonard chipped in as Daniella grinned.

“Mum, what are you doing?" Daniella asked.

“Packing the plates we used for breakfast so that I can have them look squeaky clean." Eucharia said as she solemnly observed Daniella's reaction who had one of her eyebrows placed highly above the other, the right one was higher than the left to be precise.

She expressed disagreement towards Eucharia's statement.

“Why the furrowed look? You said it was my duty to do the dishes today." Eucharia eked as she just couldn't hold the thoughts she harboured in her mind anymore.

“Well, I've changed my mind. Before the Tik Tok selfie, I want each and everyone one of us, I mean the three of us to join hands together and do the dishes in the next three minutes. While mum washes the dishes, I'll rinse and dad dries them as well as place them back on their rack. What do you guys think about my thoughtful but considerate opinion?"

Daniella asked as looked at her parents individually so as to get a reply from them.

“Good idea, Dani. Agreed!" Leonard commented.

“Same here. Let's begin so that we can take the family selfie. It wouldn't even be Tik Tok selfie anymore but Twi-tter selu-fie." Eucharia added and they all laughed.