"Come on, Jenny, I know you'll love it," pleaded Jenny's mom, Nadine.
"But I don't want to move," pouted Jenny. Her parents had sprung this move on her just a week ago
and they had to get packed up right away because her mom's new job needed her right away.
"The new house is going to be great. It even has a tree house," Jenny's dad Joe tried.
"I don't like tree houses," whined Jenny, "I like our house."
Jenny's parents looked at each other. They knew Jenny was sad, but the move was too good of an opportunity for them all. Better job for Nadine, a better city for Joe to create his artwork in, and a better school for Jenny. They decided that for the moment they would let Jenny be.
"Okay, sweetheart. I know we'll find something you like in the new town," Nadine said as she and Joe left.
"Doubt it," Jenny huffed into her pillow.
***
A few days after they had moved into their new home and Nadine and Joe were already concerned about Jenny. She had barely left her room and hadn't left the house yet. She was still pouting about being mad at them, but was barely even reaching out to her friends back home. Nadine and Joe knew they had to do something.
"We could sign her up for a sport team?" suggested Nadine.
"Jenny doesn't like sports though," Joe countered.
"Well we could take her to the museum?"
"Maybe, but I think that'd work better once she's a fan of ours again."
"Okay well what do you suggest, mister?"
Joe thought for a moment. It was much easier to point out flaws in ideas than come up with ones.
But before he could think of something, an idea came to Nadine. "What about Girl Scouts? I loved it as a kid and I know you loved Boy Scouts and there's so much that they do surely she'll like some of it."
"Plus," added Joe, "we'll have a cookie connection."
The two high fived and signed Jenny up.
***
"Okay, I hope you have fun at your first scout meeting," said Joe as he parked the car. "Your mom and I both did scouts as a kid."
Jenny was still pouting, "You could've asked, is all."
Joe frowned slightly, she did have a point. He and Nadine had just gotten swept up in the idea of finding something that she'd like that they hadn't asked her. "You're right, honey. We should've asked, but I hope you still give it a try."
Jenny rolled her eyes and said, "I guess," before hopping out of the car.
Joe followed close behind and walked her into the community center room where the troop was meeting. The troop's leader came up to them both with a big smile on her face, "You must be Jenny and Joe, we're so glad to have you Jenny."
Jenny looked over her shoulder and saw about ten girls her age setting out art supplies. "What...what are they setting up for?"
"Well today," beamed the leader, "we were going to learn about activism. So we are going to make signs to take to the Women's March in January."
Jenny didn't know exactly what that was, but she did love making things. She smiled slightly at her dad, "Okay, I guess this'll be fun."
Joe smiled and left just as Jenny was excitedly introducing herself to the rest of the troop.
***
That night at dinner Jenny couldn't stop talking about being a girl scout. She went on and on about what activism was and what the Women's March was and even though her parents knew perfectly well what those were, they listened intently. This was the most that Jenny had talked since they'd told her they were moving and they didn't want to break the spell.
"So, I can go to the march, right?" she finished with big eyes.
"Of course!" Nadine said, "In fact, your father and I will go too."
"Well, you should make signs," said Jenny in an all-knowing way, "But don't worry, I can help you."
"Sounds great, honey," replied Joe. "Oh and," he tried to sound casual, "when is that cookie sale?"
"Oh the sale just finished, so it'll be like a year," said Jenny before taking another bite of dinner.
Joe looked at his wife, incredibly dejected, "Why didn't we think of this earlier?"
(Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy)
"But I don't want to move," pouted Jenny. Her parents had sprung this move on her just a week ago
and they had to get packed up right away because her mom's new job needed her right away.
"The new house is going to be great. It even has a tree house," Jenny's dad Joe tried.
"I don't like tree houses," whined Jenny, "I like our house."
Jenny's parents looked at each other. They knew Jenny was sad, but the move was too good of an opportunity for them all. Better job for Nadine, a better city for Joe to create his artwork in, and a better school for Jenny. They decided that for the moment they would let Jenny be.
"Okay, sweetheart. I know we'll find something you like in the new town," Nadine said as she and Joe left.
"Doubt it," Jenny huffed into her pillow.
***
A few days after they had moved into their new home and Nadine and Joe were already concerned about Jenny. She had barely left her room and hadn't left the house yet. She was still pouting about being mad at them, but was barely even reaching out to her friends back home. Nadine and Joe knew they had to do something.
"We could sign her up for a sport team?" suggested Nadine.
"Jenny doesn't like sports though," Joe countered.
"Well we could take her to the museum?"
"Maybe, but I think that'd work better once she's a fan of ours again."
"Okay well what do you suggest, mister?"
Joe thought for a moment. It was much easier to point out flaws in ideas than come up with ones.
But before he could think of something, an idea came to Nadine. "What about Girl Scouts? I loved it as a kid and I know you loved Boy Scouts and there's so much that they do surely she'll like some of it."
"Plus," added Joe, "we'll have a cookie connection."
The two high fived and signed Jenny up.
***
"Okay, I hope you have fun at your first scout meeting," said Joe as he parked the car. "Your mom and I both did scouts as a kid."
Jenny was still pouting, "You could've asked, is all."
Joe frowned slightly, she did have a point. He and Nadine had just gotten swept up in the idea of finding something that she'd like that they hadn't asked her. "You're right, honey. We should've asked, but I hope you still give it a try."
Jenny rolled her eyes and said, "I guess," before hopping out of the car.
Joe followed close behind and walked her into the community center room where the troop was meeting. The troop's leader came up to them both with a big smile on her face, "You must be Jenny and Joe, we're so glad to have you Jenny."
Jenny looked over her shoulder and saw about ten girls her age setting out art supplies. "What...what are they setting up for?"
"Well today," beamed the leader, "we were going to learn about activism. So we are going to make signs to take to the Women's March in January."
Jenny didn't know exactly what that was, but she did love making things. She smiled slightly at her dad, "Okay, I guess this'll be fun."
Joe smiled and left just as Jenny was excitedly introducing herself to the rest of the troop.
***
That night at dinner Jenny couldn't stop talking about being a girl scout. She went on and on about what activism was and what the Women's March was and even though her parents knew perfectly well what those were, they listened intently. This was the most that Jenny had talked since they'd told her they were moving and they didn't want to break the spell.
"So, I can go to the march, right?" she finished with big eyes.
"Of course!" Nadine said, "In fact, your father and I will go too."
"Well, you should make signs," said Jenny in an all-knowing way, "But don't worry, I can help you."
"Sounds great, honey," replied Joe. "Oh and," he tried to sound casual, "when is that cookie sale?"
"Oh the sale just finished, so it'll be like a year," said Jenny before taking another bite of dinner.
Joe looked at his wife, incredibly dejected, "Why didn't we think of this earlier?"
(Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy)
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