Harvey and Lori Ferguson Ch. 24 A Visit From Aunt Debbie

Previously with the Fergusons:

Harvey and Lori announced that they had bought the old Brace-Gideon mansion and would be lovingly restoring it for their new home. There was also an update on Harvey's kid sister, Debbie, who was a senior at Sim State U.

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Valrae's Journal:

So here I am again. Aunt Debbie will be graduating soon and she came home last weekend for a visit. I want to be just like her some day. When she first went to University her hair was short, but she has grown it out long. Now she wears it in these tiny waves and it's all wild.

I asked Mumma could I please wear my hair like that but she said that it was too much hair for a little girl and when I become a teenager "we will review the matter". She said besides it's "a lot of work". I don't think I'm a "little girl" because I just turned 10.

So then I asked if, since Aunt Debbie has naturally curly hair and mine is just kind of bendy, shouldn't I have a perm at least? But Mumma said,

"No, you don't need one, even if you were going to wear your hair that way. You ask Aunt Debbie what all she has to do to make it look like that and see what she says. Meanwhile, you have lovely loose waves, sweetheart, so enjoy not having to style your hair while you can."

When Aunt Debbie got here Daddy and Grandpa Shep and Gray went fishing but me and Aunt Debbie went swimming in the pool. She put her hair up just like mine to go in the water and she said we were practically twins. That made me smile like anything!

It was fun to have us all together for supper. Aunt Debbie slept on the second floor on Gray's bed in her old bedroom with me. She smells good all the time and our room smells good when she's here. I hope when I get her age I will smell like she does and make whatever room I'm in smell good. Because sometimes this bedroom stinks like a boy, if you know what I mean; like old sneakers and farts. Gray hates to take baths. He tries to get out of them whenever he can. When I was little, like 6, and it was summertime I wet the bed (I used to do that sometimes) so I crawled in with Gray and there was sand in his bed from the sandbox! Ugh, I don't even know how that could be, but it was.

Mamie has redone the little living room on the third floor that is Mumma and Daddy's. Grandpa She says she redecorates a room at least every six months so if you don't like the way she did this one, don't worry it won't be long before it gets changed.

Anyway, it's real bright and cheerful and Gray slept on the sofa-bed there on the same floor with Mumma and Daddy instead of downstairs on the couch all by himself. He said he wasn't scared to be down there alone, but I think he was glad he didn't have to do it.

When I was watching her play pinball Aunt Debbie told me that she uses a crimping iron to make her hair look the way it does. She says her hair was real curly when she was young but by the time she was a teenager it only had loose waves and she blew it out straight. So now she crimps it. I takes her a long time, so I guess waiting until I'm older will be okay.

Daddy has a twin sister, Holly, and she married Andy Lomax. They have four kids! Anyway, Uncle Andy came by just as Gray and me got home from school. I was wishing the twins, Arliss and Alexa--who are only one year older than me and Gray, could've come with him, but he came by himself this time. He didn't stay long, just stood on the sidewalk talking and laughing with Daddy.

I don't understand why grownups do that. I mean, why they stand around while they talk. Kids do stuff, like play games or ride bikes and then, while they're doing it they also talk with each other. Well, girls talk to each other; boys mostly laugh or yell or make grunting noises at each other, or sometimes they practice saying sentences while they burp and see who can say the longest one before their burp runs out. If you ask me, which you didn't, but if you did, I would say boys are mostly stupid. Anyway, I hate to stand around doing nothing unless I'm at a museum, staring at stuff. But then that's not doing nothing. I don't want to just stand around with a friend and go blah, blah, blah and that's all. I can sit still when I read or watch TV, or write in my journal, but not when I'm talking to a friend, like Scarlett. She and I go for walks around the neighborhood and pick out our favorite houses. And Gray can hardly stand still for a minute unless he is painting or fishing but he doesn't talk when he does those things. People practically have to chase around after him to have a conversation. Mumma says I will like to stand and talk when I'm a teenager. Sounds boring to me.

 

Well, Aunt Debbie went back to school Sunday afternoon and I miss her. We had crispy chicken salad for supper today and it is one of my most favorite salads in the world. And then the grownups went out on the back porch to talk (at least they were sitting and not standing). Gray and I went swimming in the pool--yay!

 

And then, right while we were having the most fun of all and playing Marco Polo, Mumma said this:

"It's time for bed, so upstairs with you and get out of those wet suits and into your pajamas. Don't leave them on the bathroom floor! Hang them over the shower rod. Daddy or I will be up to tuck you in. You have 10 minutes.

I hate when parents send you to bed and don't even try to hide how they're really happy to do it. I think it's rude. On the way up the stairs Gray was crabbing about how he didn't need to be tucked in anymore because he was 10 and not a baby. I like being tucked in; if it's Mumma sometimes she smells like cinnamon if she's been baking or Bell Dopium perfume if she and Daddy are going out. (I don't think I spelled that right). And Daddy smells like the outdoors--like grass and or if they're going out he smells like Polo, which I love. I like to smell things and people and then I will remember them better. Anyway! I told Gray that I liked being tucked in and how Mumma and Daddy smell and he looked over his should at me and said,

"You are a girl, Val; a girl. You can't help it but the way you think is just wrong."

His voice was like Mumma's when she sounds all tired and says,

"I have HAD enough."

I stuck my tongue out at him but he'd already turned back. I don't see how I'm ever going to get married when I grow up when boys are so mean. Maybe they get better when they grow up. Now that I think of it Daddy is not mean (mostly) and neither is Grandpa Shep. And Scarlett's daddy, Gareth, is lots of fun.

So that is all for now. I hardly had three minutes to write this last part. I have to go in the bathroom now to change into my p.j.'s. Gray gets to change in the bedroom, but I have to change clothes in the bathroom all the time now. Gray says it's because he is forced to share his room with a silly girl but according to Mumma and Daddy I can't see him get dressed and he can't see me because we need our privacy. I guess supposedly I will fall down in shock or my brain will be fried if I see skinny Gray in his underwear. Ha! I've seen him in his shorts and tee shirt before...big whup. I can't WAIT to move to the mansion and have my own room!

I love you and you love me,

Valrae Diana Ferguson 

Next Harvey and Lori Ferguson Update: Harvey and Lori Ferguson Ch. 25 Moving Along

Next blog update: The Brothers Everhart Ch. 23 Perry and Lalique

Shep Ferguson Ch. 8 Debbie; High School Senior Pt. 1

It was her last year of high school and Debbie Boyle Ferguson thought some real changes should be made in her life. This basically amounted to growing out her short hair into a new style, buying some new clothes and hopefully obtaining more privileges as in being able to stay out later and having a car of her own.

She didn’t often get to take the family car out with her friends but she hoped that would soon be changing, in fact very soon. When Shep and Madeleine were playing Don’t Wake the Llama and in a very good mood, Debbie brought up the subject of using the car on Saturday afternoon.  Her timing was good and Shep said she could use the car to drive over to Bluewater Village to have some fun at the Galaxy Arcade.

 

So Saturday came, but before Debbie could leave she saw Damon Ottomas walking by the house. She had a big-time crush on Damon (unfortunately so did her cousin, Scotti Lynn) so she hustled out to invite him in for lunch. He'd never met her mother before and politely introduced himself, then proceeded to be as charmed by the lovely Madeleine as most people were. They talked for a while, Madeleine asking him about his interests and where he planned to go to school after graduating.

"Honestly, I invite a boy in to get to know him better, and he spends more time talking with my mother than with me! What's the deal?" Debbie thought to herself, but only shrugged outwardly. 

She did get more attention from him during the meal and for a short time afterward. Unfortunately, he couldn't go with her to the Arcade because he had to go to practice with his new band in thirty minutes. He said the group was getting pretty good but, of course, they were still just starting out. After Damon left Debbie got a late start for the Galaxy Arcade and definitely wished he was going with her. Or better yet, she wished he'd invited her to the practice session, she would definitely have loved seeing him play his drums.

Madeleine was preparing to get groceries in town but on her way out the door she ran into Melanie Caswell and stopped to talk with her awhile right there on the front walk. After Melanie left Madeleine headed to Danny's Supermarket. It was surprisingly quiet there for a Saturday afternoon and she wondered what was going on that more people weren't there. Later she found out that there were big bargains going on in Bluewater Village at the supermarket there. 

"Wouldn't you know, she complained to Shep, "And I missed it."

Once at the Arcade Debbie wished some of her friends would show up. She called Scotti Lynn, but she was at the movies with Lisa Goth and Brooks Generica. Then she checked with the Blackford twins, but Janice was working at her part-time job at the restaurant and Jessamyn just wasn't answering her cell at the moment. Debbie texted a message to her and then she spotted family friend Lucy Lomax at the door mulling over whether or not to play the cover charge or forget the whole thing and head to the library. Once Lucy glimpsed Debbie trying to get her attention that decided her: pay to play. They started a game of Don't Wake the Llama.

Soon they were joined by a couple of town people they didn't know that well. The one girl was decidedly bizarre. Her makeup looked as though she was fresh from the circus. Debbie tried not to stare while Lucy cleared her throat and asked,

"I noticed your lipstick--is that one of those new Glamor Girl lipsticks they advertized in 'My Beauty' magazine?"

"This?" the girl seemed pleased and proud, "Oh, I just got a makeover at the Bei Cappelli hair salon. It was a free makeover because she's just starting out."


"Uh huh," Lucy murmured and then added, "Well, it's refreshingly different and it does match your shirt quite well."

Best to look on the positive side was obviously Lucy's motto.


"The name of the girl who did it is Barbara. If you go there let her know I sent you because I'll get another free visit if anyone says I referred them there."

"Actually, I have a skin condition and have to use special makeup I get from my dermatologist," Lucy quickly interjected, "But I'll mention it to some of my friends and give them your name."


The girl looked at Debbie expectantly,

"How about you?"


"Me?" Debbie said faintly. She was horrified at the very thought of going anywhere near the place.

"Oh, darn, I just got a complete Smashbox makeup kit from my parents for my birthday," she lied shamefully with her voice quaking, "But thanks anyway."


"Um, what is your name, dear?" Lucy asked, more to take the attention off poor Debbie than to get the information.


"Valentina Pinkley. And the name of the salon is Bei Cappelli."


"I'll make a note of it," Lucy assured her, while thinking how quickly she must warn her family and friends to stay away from this particular beauty shop.

Debbie decided this was as good a time as any to leave the Llama game and practice her pool shots. She abandoned Lucy to her fate. It was getting dark, though, and she knew she had to have the car back and herself home by 11 pm, Shep had been firm on that since she was out alone. But then in came her oldest brother, Nicky, and she knew she just had to play pool with him and learn some new moves. He was very good at all games, almost as good as her other brother, Harvey. So she called home and told them where she was and that Nicky was there and they said it would be okay on this one occasion to come home a little later. When the game was finished Nicky bought her a cold glass of berry nectar and saw her to her car.

That night Shep and Madeleine talked about the way the years had crept up on them. Debbie was still so young--Madeleine wondered if they would be fortunate enough to see her finish growing up and start enjoying her life as an adult. But Shep told Madeleine they were probably both being silly. After all, they were in good health and very active. Outside their door they could hear Debbie huffing and puffing as she worked on the exercise machine. Sometimes her little muttered remarks to herself while she worked out just cracked them up.

They both spent a lot of time in their art studio although it was rather cramped with Madeleine's sewing machine in there as well as the pottery wheel and two artist easels, paints and fresh canvasses. They had finally begun discussing what to do with the upstairs apartment that had been vacant since Harvey and Lori moved to their new house. Taking in a boarder was one option. Debbie still coveted that upstairs suite, but she would be leaving for college before too long. Anyway, her own bedroom was lovely and her en suite bathroom was quite large--the same floor plan as upstairs really. Of course it was right across from her parents bedroom and perhaps she wanted some space from them now. Possibly a good reason to keep her right where she was. Debbie definitely needed a large bathroom--she spent a lot of time in there primping. It was only that the third floor had a little parlor/living room where the 2nd floor had the studio. As far as Shep and Madeleine were concerned, though, there was no need to have Debbie move upstairs. And the money from a boarder wouldn't hurt. They'd have to carefully screen applicants, though, no sense in renting a room to a serial killer.

After school one afternoon Debbie brought home a friend, Shane Severino. He was the older brother of Vic, Jr., whom she had asked over a couple months ago. She still thought Damon Ottomas was a hottie but, although he was always friendly, he never paid her any special attention. Shane was nice and kind of cute, too. They played a video game and then she made grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. Debbie thought her parents were in the studio upstairs working and indeed they were upstairs but they were busy getting romantic with each other at the moment. Shep still adored his Madeleine----he had ever since he first cast his eyes upon her in San Francisco long ago. And Madeleine was just as besotted with him, even after all these years.

Debbie took Shane upstairs to Harvey's old quarters where the pinball machine now resided and she watched him play for a while. She was not really supposed to be up there on the third floor and definitely not with a boy, but they sat in the little living there watching TV. If she got in trouble later on, well, right now she would live for the moment. Before long Debbie gave Shane a kiss and he told her it was the very first kiss he'd received from a girl since he was in the third grade. He was most grateful and obviously wished to continue. According to her sister-in-law, Lori, now that Debbie had given him that first kiss, not matter what happened, Shane would never forget her now and she wrote that in her diary later that night. It was almost like being immortal, she reflected.

Next blog update: Shep Ferguson Ch. 8 Debbie: High School Senior Pt. 2