The Compass, The Blue Room & The Surprise
School had been open for just a couple of weeks and the older kids were getting their normal grades. Caleb was starting his first year in preschool. He would come home every day and just talk and talk and talk about how much he liked it. Veronica was starting her first year in Kindergarten. She loved the snacks and naptime. She once told her Mom “Mommy, I don’t want to ever go to 1st grade! Kindergarten is so much fun! There‘s snacks and naps and” Mom stopped her mid sentence. “You have to grow up sometime. Besides, don’t you want to be with your friends?” Veronica frowned and then sulked to her room. Alicia and Minnie weren’t in the same room this year. Minnie had just started seventh grade (which she complained about how hard it was every day) and Alicia had just started sixth. Alicia always had trouble with math until now. She was getting the top math grade in the class. Everything else was B pluses or A minuses. Alexander maintained an A average in every subject.
One day, Alexander called Aunt Matilda to see how everything was. After the fourth ring Matilda finally answered. “Hello” Matilda said in a different voice then usual. “What’s wrong?” Alexander asked. From the other line he heard someone’s voice in the background. “Matilda, honey, you need to rest.” It was his Uncle Kevin’s voice. Just then the other line went dead. Alexander soon hung up. He wondered to himself what could be wrong. Aunt Matilda had sounded different. Tired? Maybe. Hurting? No, that wasn’t it. Weak? “What are you doing by the phone?” asked Veronica, interrupting his train of thought. “I can’t tell you,” Alexander responded. Veronica yelled “Mom, Dad, Alexander won’t tell me his secret!” Minnie appeared in the Kitchen. “What are you doing, Veronica? Mom and Dad are sleeping. They had to stay up all night with Caleb. You know that,” Minnie scolded Veronica. Caleb had the flu last night so their parents had to stay up all night with him and the toilet. Then their mom had to go wash and disinfect everything. Veronica’s lower lip went into a pout and she stomped all the way to her room. Minnie turned to Alexander.
“What were you doing?” Minnie asked. Alicia saw Minnie just then, from down the hall, and ran to join her. “I tried to talk to Aunt Matilda,” Alexander started, “And she didn’t sound normal. I’m worried.” “Let’s go se her,” Alicia declared. “No. Kevin’s there. In fact, he pretty much just told her to hang up the phone,” Alexander said, though he wondered what had happened, too.
That night Alexander was in his bed looking at the compass. He fiddled with the different settings. He looked at it. He had made it into nine months later. June of next year at Aunt Matilda‘s house. Oh, well. He figured he’d be at her house by then and everything would be fine. But he still wondered. He put the compass in his pocket, turned off the light, and went to sleep.
He woke up in a room he didn‘t recognize. What happened? He checked the compass in his pocket. Oh no. He forgot to put the safety latch on last night! He looked around. He was in a room where the carpet was blue and the walls were painted light blue. There was a blue crib and a diaper changing table. Then there was a toy box that looked like a plane and a newly unwrapped high chair. There was also things in the closet that he didn’t pay much attention to. He looked at the compass again. This was supposed to be Aunt Matilda’s house.
“Kevin?” a familiar voice called, “Can you change Mathew’s diaper?” Aunt Matilda? Was it really her? “Yes dear,” called a voice that sounded like Kevin’s. Alexander heard footsteps. Uh-oh. He hurried and jumped in the closet. There wasn’t hardly any room due to what ever else was in there. There was a sound of baby cooing and diaper changing followed by fading footsteps . Alexander stepped out of the closet. Phew! ‘Wait, why can’t I hear my brother or sisters? Weren’t they supposed to be at Aunt Matilda’s house with me next summer?’ Alex wondered to himself. He slowly crept downstairs. Alexander hurried and set the compass to make him invisible and then walked quietly around the corner. Aunt Matilda was holding a baby boy in a blue onesie. Kevin put a little blue ball cap on the baby they called “Mathew”. ‘I should’ve known. Matilda‘s fine. She was just pregnant? I’m getting a new cousin! Wait ‘til Veronica and Caleb find out. Maybe I should wait and let Aunt Matilda tell them. I can’t wait!’ Alexander thought. Then he smiled at the lovely scene before him. It was worth something to him to know. He set the dial to take him back to the night he feel asleep with the compass without the safety latch on. When he got back he put on the safety latch and stuck it in his pocket. He slept with a smile on his face all night.