Chapter 9

   I wake up and yawn. It had been two weeks since I had been to band practice. I hadn't even spoken with Mrs. Jerik at school. Jo had came to the house, but my mom had turned him out.

   Thrusting the covers off of me, I sit up and throw my legs off the bed. I lightly feel for the ground. When my socks touch it I stand up and carefully walk my way to the kitchen for breakfast.

   My mom is already in there humming. "What are you making?" I ask her sniffing in a whiff of what smelt like strawberry pancakes.

   "Oh, this is part one of your two part surprise." She says laughing.

   "Well, then." I smirk sitting at the table of the kitchen. The smell of pancakes is getting stronger and I hear a plate plop in front of me. Mom places a fork in my hand and I dig in.

   As I eat I realize not only did she make pancakes, but also sausage, biscuits, bacon, and eggs. Within seconds I can't find anymore food on the syrup covered plate and assume I ate it all. My mom always said I was a fast eater.

   "OK, now that you're finished, close your eyes and follow me." She grabs my arm and begins walking around the house.

   "Closing my eyes isn't really necessary, you know..." I say but close my eyes anyway.

   A door is opened and the hot, stuffy atmosphere in the room lets me know we're in the garage. We walk down a flight of stairs and she opens the car door for me. As she assists me in, I say: "You know just because I'm blind doesn't mean you have to baby me..."

   "Do you want part two of the surprise or not?"

   "I do."

   "Well, if you do, then I'm going to be babying you until we get there." 'There.' That was a key-word. Which meant part two was a place. But where? As I think she pulls out of the garage and onto the road.

   After a few minutes of driving I hear instruments in the distance, then a series of Shhhh!'s and finally the area grows quiet. I plaster a huge grin on my face realizing we're at the band hall.

   "Oh my gosh! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much, mom!" I exclaim bouncing up and down in my seat. "I love you so much!"

   "I love you, too, honey. Now, don't you need to be catching up on some sets?" My mom wasn't a band mom and she rarely said words like, marching, band, instruments, music, 'The Show', and sets. This was one of those rare times.

   I smile and get out of the car. "Here," my mom says putting something in my hands, "It's your instrument case. Maybe ask Harmony or Jordan to put it together? Jordan's so sweet, I bet he would." She says.

  "Yeah, I bet he would, too." I reply securing my case in my arms and then scurrying into the band room. It's pretty quiet and I stagger about wondering where everyone is.

   I run into a wall and redirect myself. "Jordan?" I call.

   No reply.

   "Jordan?!" I call again.

   Nothing.

   It was so loud earlier... Where is everyone? I think finding the band lockers. I find the one I think is mine and stick my case in it. Walking back into the main band room the room erupts into cries of, "Surprise!" and "Haha!"

   I jump backwards in fear. "Oh my gosh, guys... That was just, no. Never again." I say shaking my head vigorously.

   "Never again?" I hear Harmony grab my elbow, "This is happening every week!"

   I roll my eyes and ask her to give me my instrument. "Thanks," I say when she's placed in firmly in my arms.

   Walking away from her I begin calling Jordan again.

   This time I only have to call once and he replies, "Yes?"

   "Can you put my clarinet together for me?" I ask holding it out in front of me.

   He grabs it and I know he's in front of me when he says, "Oh, yeah, sure. Hold this," he passes me the case and after a few seconds he takes the case and puts the now put together instrument in my hand.

   "Thanks!" I say as I sit in a chair.