THE TWINS AND THEIR LITTLE HOUSE
© 2020 Grandma Communications LLC
Edward and Emily were twins, almost seven years old. They had shared a yellow bedroom in their parents’ little house since they were born. Their three-year old sister Mindy shared a larger bedroom with their Mommy and Daddy. Their grandparents lived in extensions of their little house, east and west of the main building where the twins, Mindy, and their parents had bedrooms.
The main building and the extensions looked the same on the outside: All were made of concrete blocks, a red brick surface, wooden double front doors painted navy blue, shingle roofs, with large windows, navy blue shutters, and asters and chrysanthemums in the front yard. The covered and enclosed walkways connecting the main building to the extensions also had red brick surfaces, shingle roofs, large windows, navy blue shutters, and asters and chrysanthemums in front.
The insides of the main house and the extensions also were similar. Each building had one story:
The insides of the extensions were painted different colors and had different styles of furniture, though, as the grandparents chose them.
The twins did their schoolwork, puzzles, and arts and craft projects, read favorite books, and worked on their own laptops wearing their own headsets at their own little desks in their own little chairs in the yellow bedroom, trying not to disturb one another or the parents.
Mommy worked on her laptop computer and smart phone in the dining room. Daddy worked on his laptop computer and smart phone at the kitchen table near the coffee machine and refrigerator – he enjoyed his coffee and snacks. Mommy and Daddy also had headsets so they could work – and play when no one was watching them – on their computers without disturbing one another or the twins. Mindy usually spent the day with one or the other of the sets of grandparents in one of the extensions of the little house so that Mommy, Daddy, and the twins could concentrate on their work.
No one left their home for work, school, sports, dance classes, play dates, museums, movies, concerts, shows, or even shopping except for emergencies like doctor or dentist appointments because the scientists who worked for the government told everyone that the only way to stop the virus throughout the world from spreading and making more people sick and die was for people to stay in their homes with their own families.
Sometimes the twins became angry or frustrated with one other, Mindy, or their parents and teased, yelled, hit, or poked one another or Mindy. When the twins needed privacy, one of them would run to the attic, basement, or backyard, or to one of the grandparents’ extensions, or sat in the bathroom for hours just to be alone.
Instead of hitting her Mommy, Daddy, Edward, or Mindy, or sometimes even a grandparent, when she was frustrated or angry, Emily ran to that person’s bedroom and punched his or her bed with her fists as hard as she could until she became calm again.
The little house did its best to make everyone comfortable, but, as the years of virus lock down continued, it became more difficult for the little house to keep peace in the family.
One Saturday after lunch, Edward and Emily had a private talk in their yellow bedroom. The yellow color made them cheerful and, before long, they had a plan.
That evening, at the family dinner with both sets of grandparents, Emily said confidently, “Edward and I had an idea how to make it more comfortable and relaxed for everyone in this house.”
“What’s your idea?” Mommy sighed while smiling and winking at Daddy.
“Well, we could divide the attic into three sections, one section that we keep for storage, another section that Emily uses as her bedroom and study, and the third section that Mindy uses as her bedroom and study,” Edward replied excitedly, continuing, “and we could divide the basement into two sections, one larger section that we keep as the wreck room and the other smaller section that I use as my bedroom and study.”
“So much for the open floor plan,” muttered Daddy’s mom, grinning. She used to be an architect.
Emily jumped in, ignoring her grandma’s quip, “Of course, the sections of the attic and basement for our grand bedrooms would all be the same size. Edward could keep the bunk bed in his new basement bedroom and Mindy and me” – “Mindy and I,” a grandpa interjected – “Mindy and I each would get a trundle bed for our new attic bedrooms. Then, after the virus goes away, Edward could have a friend stay overnight and play basketball or ping pong with him in the basement and Mindy and I could have our friends stay overnight and explore old clothes, shoes, jewelry, art, and other treasures in the attic.”
“Emily and I would help paint and decorate our new bedrooms, move the bunk bed, desks, and desk chairs to their new places in our house and use our allowances to help pay for the trundle beds and new desk and desk chair for me because I am a little too tall for the ones I have. I’ll give my desk and desk chair to Mindy,” Edward offered eagerly.
“Yeah! My own desk and desk chair? I’ll help too!” Mindy shouted, leaping to her feet.
The grown-ups and twins laughed.
“What would we do with your yellow bedroom, then?” Daddy asked supportively.
“That’s the best part!” Emily exclaimed, adding, “We could get a large desk, comfortable desk and easy chairs, and file cabinets for the yellow bedroom and you and Mommy could take turns using it as an office, the way you told us you did before you had Edward and me.”
“And Emily and I would still try to be quiet in the kitchen or dining room while either of you worked there, Mommy and Daddy,” Edward promised.
“I know what you’re thinking, Henry,” Mommy whispered. “We can have a coffee machine in the yellow bedroom.”
“What do you think of the twins’ plan, Mom and Dad?” Mommy and Daddy each asked their parents.
All the grandparents stood at the table and clapped their hands. Mommy’s dad declared, “Let’s get started!”
Before long, the twins’ and Mindy’s new bedrooms were ready for them to move in the desks, beds, and chairs and decorate their rooms. Emily’s attic bedroom was soft light cornflower blue, which relaxed her and kept the attic cool in Summer. Mindy’s attic bedroom was lavender, which reminded her of unicorns. And Edward’s basement bedroom was Spring green, which reminded him of a soccer field and made the basement brighter.
The entire family loved the new room arrangement for their house.
And so did the little house that could!
