Catching Up With My Past

By EA Young

It seems as if the good times will be over for Justine Collins. Every special part of her life seems to be slowly vanishing away, leaving her with nothing to hold on to or to cherish, all because of her new baby sister, who would be moving into her room, as opposed to another brother who would be living 'elsewhere'.
The five brothers Justine already has do not place as much of an impact on her life as a new baby sister. All the important little details in Justine's life mean twice as much now as she fears losing them.
Seen through the eyes of an 11-year-old, finding ways to continue appreciating the things that are important and accept change as an addition to one’s life and not as a replacement, Justine realizes there is room in the world for both her and her new baby sister.

• Language: English
• Publisher: EA Young
• Release date: Jul 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005635558

EA Young

I graduated from Hollins University, VA with a Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Art, concentrating on Illustration, Animation, and Landscaping after graduating from CUNY with an Associate's Degree in Liberal Arts. Throughout it all, I have spent over 40 years on independent writing keeping 7 journals—3 illustrated, 4 written, and a separate journal for collecting dreams which I later turn into stories. In December of 2000, I completed my third-level personal writing course with The Institute of Children’s Literature, learning how to dig words out of my mind in a more constructive way.

Book preview

Catching Up With My Past

By E.A. Young

Copyright 2002 E.A. Young

Smashwords Edition

Chapter 1

You’re touching me, Kriston hollered, brushing Terence off his arm. You’re still touching me!

Terence budged a little and continued reading his comic book.

Now you’re touching me, I blurted, pushing him back.

All right, now, keep it up and I’ll turn off at the next exit and there’ll be no trip to the amusement park, Pop threatened.

Kriston sat up. But we waited all summer for this!

Well, if four of you didn’t spend half the summer in summer school, then maybe we would’ve been out there already.

Kriston stayed quiet.

The car rumbled on cruise control down I-95. I kept watching the trees rush by out the window. With the smooth, even road, I almost thought we weren’t getting anywhere.

Pouting, Kriston rolled his window down and a hot gust of wind nearly tore us apart. Everybody’s dirty look forced him to roll it back up.

Look, Kriston, I whispered.

The first traffic sign reading Kings Dominion had just flown by overhead.

I sat up. I hoped this trip would be fun because there was a big disaster waiting back home—school!

How did August go by so fast? I still remembered the last day of summer school. I’d pictured the rest of summer stretching so far into the future that it would never end.

I stared out the window. After everything that happened to me in fifth grade, I wondered what would happen to me in sixth.

Daddy, we forgot Doreen, my youngest brother cried, knocking his sneakers against the back of the front seat.

She’s too little, Austin, Pop said.

My new baby sister Doreen had been sleeping in our parents’ room for weeks. They had just started putting her crib and playpen together in my room.

My room—it wasn’t my room anymore. It was our room.

Mom decided to stay home and work in our room some more.

Pop? Kriston called. Do we eat first, or can we go on the rides?

Do whatever you want, Pop said. But wait half an hour before you go on any rides.

How come? Terell asked.

You need to give your stomach time to break down all that food.

I chew my food, Terell argued.

Uh huh, Pop mumbled.

Since our family van was full with me, my five brothers, Pop, and Uncle Darrick, our friends had to pile into our next door neighbor’s car.

My best friend’s brother, Adrian, had his driver’s license. He wasn’t as clumsy as he used to be. Courtney said it was because of this new girl he’d been dating. Courtney’s mom, Mrs. Alteza, said she was glad that either this girl or God had put this new effect on him. It saved them money on household damages.

Why couldn’t I ride with Clarence? Tyrone asked, twisting his baseball cap. His best friend was riding in their car, too.

Pop wouldn’t answer Tyrone.

I peered out the back window to see if they were still keeping up with us. Their car was about three car spaces behind, and everybody in there was bopping up and down. Adrian kept smacking his hand against the window.

Uh Pop, I called. I think something’s wrong back there.

Pop glimpsed through his rearview mirror and started pulling over to the right lane until we were off the interstate. Adrian pulled over behind us.

Pop got out the car to investigate. The rest of us, except for Uncle Darrick, leaped up to watch everybody burst out the Alteza’s car and brace against the edge of the woods.

My other best friend’s little brother ran to us. Hey, Trevor hollered, banging at the door. We got a real live dragonfly in there! It was sleeping under a seat. His brown eyes sparkled.

Pop cupped something inside his hand and dropped it onto the gravel. Slowly, everybody got back in the car.

Bye! Trevor yelled. Pop held a back door open for him, then he came back to our van.

Pop? Tyrone said after we were on the interstate again. Could you put the air conditioner on, please? Justine’s body odor is starting to get to me.

I just looked at him, and then I noticed Pop had the nerve to turn the thing on.

I hope it gets hotter, Kriston said, flipping his cap. I’m gonna rule the water rides.

Why not? Tyrone said. You rule the bathtub every night for three hours playing battleship.

Kriston touched Tyrone, so Tyrone had to touch him back. That immediately made Kriston nudge Tyrone, forcing Tyrone to hit Kriston, forcing Kriston to punch Tyrone, forcing me to smack the both of them for fighting over me.

They did this every time we went somewhere. I didn’t know why one couldn’t sit in the front and one in the back.

Because I’m not having any fights up here where I’m driving, Pop blurted, watching my expression through his rearview mirror.

I hated it when he read my mind like that. I waited until he shifted his eyes back to the road, and then elbowed Kriston and Tyrone in the gut.

Sighing, I folded my arms. God could go change Courtney’s brother but he couldn’t do something with mine?

If you’d let me ride with Clarence, you wouldn’t be mad, Tyrone mumbled. He had begged for days for Clarence to come.

I told you I’m not having the two of you in the same car, Pop said.

There’s Doswell, Kriston yelled.

I stretched my neck.

Pop drove off the interstate and down a quieter road.

Where’re the rides? Terell hollered. You see any rides? All I see are trees.

We’re not there yet, sport, Uncle Darrick said.

Well how much longer? Kriston asked.

Pop glared at him through the rearview mirror.

Kriston slumped into his seat.

By the time we finally reached the entrance to the amusement park’s parking lot, we were steaming. Pop had the air conditioner on high, but some boob had their window cracked open and nobody realized it until we reached the lot. I was ready for the water rides.

Will you stop touching me? Kriston hollered at Terence.

Terence raised his cap to bop Kriston, but then he noticed Pop watching through the rearview mirror. Slowly, he placed it back on his head.

Pop steered through the entrance and followed the train of cars moving around the lot searching for empty spaces.

Here’s one, here’s one, here’s one! Kriston hollered.

Uh huh, Pop mumbled and kept driving.

Hey Pop, there’s one up there! Tyrone pointed three cars ahead but Pop ignored him.

Pop! There’s one way over there! Terell pointed to our right.

We went to the left.

Oh, now I knew what he was doing. He was searching for two parking spaces so that Adrian would have one.

There are a few by the side. Uncle Darrick pointed out five parking spaces beside a thick row of pine trees.

Pop drove into the middle one, and Adrian picked a space on the right. At last, we could all get out.

Whoa, Terence said after he opened his door. Hot out there. The blast of steamy air felt like he had just opened an oven door.

Did Trevor tell you guys about that bug we had? Courtney asked, pulling off her sweatshirt.

Yeah, I said. Was it scary?

Not really, Cheri said. The poor thing was probably lost, that’s all. Ever since Cheri heard that they were getting a dog, she’d always been standing up for animals’ rights.

I gotta go to the bathroom! Austin screamed.

Yeah, let’s get wet first, Clarence said.

Want to check out the roller coasters? Terence asked Tyrone.

I wanna go on that big round thing, Terell said.

Let’s go on the Shockwave, said Cheri.

Tanya smiled. Let’s go look for boys.

I gotta go to the bathroom! Austin started, shaking Uncle Darrick’s pants while Uncle Darrick gazed at Tanya like she was sick.

Let’s go find the ghost rides, Courtney told Janot.

I wanna eat, Trevor announced.

Hold it! Pop had to shout. Everybody stood at attention. Let’s get this straight. Find your buddies now, and decide who’ll keep track of the time. Let me see all the wrists with watches.

Every wrist, from Trevor’s to Adrian’s, went up in the air.

Okay, Pop said. It’s half past ten. Now, we’ll be here until eight o’clock tonight. I’ll give you until eight thirty to be in front of the main entrance. It won’t take you any longer than from eight to eight thirty to walk back to the front of the main entrance. If you are not in front of the main entrance by eight thirty, I’m coming in there to get you. His gentle dark brown eyes glared at each one of us. Is that understood?

We all nodded.

Pop led us to the main entrance.

Tanya leaned towards me. How’s your dad going to find somebody in that big park? she whispered.

You don’t want to know, I told her.

We got in the group rate line and waited.

Hey, look at that one, Tanya said, investigating a boy in another line. Let’s get in line with him, She grabbed my arm.

At the same time, Uncle Darrick grabbed my other arm and jerked both of us back. Tanya grinned at him and turned me loose. I didn’t think Uncle Darrick was too pleased with Tanya.

Rubbing both my arms, I watched the crowded lines grow. Groups of families, gangs of kids, and more people arrived from rows of parked buses.

Come on, Mommy! One kid, who kept jumping up and down, was trying to pull his mother ahead of the line.

I couldn’t wait to get on all those rides, either, after remembering how much fun it was last year.

Let’s go on the Shockwave first, Cheri told me.

I cocked my head at her. Why?

Because it’s new, she said. You have to stand up in the car as you ride.

I thought a moment. Who else is going?

Pop turned around. I’m going, he said, pulling out his wallet.

I grumbled. A new roller coaster?

You’ve been on all those other roller coasters, why don’t you want to go on the Shockwave? Kriston asked.

Clarence glared at me. Whassamatter, you so lazy you can’t stand up?

Oooh, somebody just told her about that loop, Tanya explained, waving her arm.

I glanced at her. What loop?

Thank you, Tanya, Courtney replied. Now she’ll never go.

We