The Deal

I had received a D on my science test. My teacher, Mrs. Wellington, had given me extra help prior. But for some reason, biology ended up a weakness of mine.

I considered it strange since I had enjoyed studying animals growing up. I would read about them, talk about them, and beg my parents to take me to zoos and aquariums.

I entered my house. My mom got off the phone.

“Jade, we need to have a talk.”

I sat with my mom.

“You promised me straight A’s for all of ninth grade.”

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“I think I’m going to have to make you miss your class trip to Ocean Life Park.”

“No!”

“You want to have fun, you need to maintain good grades.”

I covered my head.

“All right, if you really want to go, here’s the deal. You get A’s in all your classes for a week. Plus, you do every chore exactly as I ask. No mistakes. If you do everything right, I will let you go on that trip. If not, you are going to miss the trip.”

I gazed at my mom. “Deal.”

“Good. Now can you wash the dishes, please?”

“Yes.” I stood up and rinsed each one. My shirt got soaked along with my hair. Nevertheless, I continued.

After drying the dishes, I went to my room and did my homework. My mom knocked on the door.

“Yes?”

She opened it. “Jade, you forgot a knife in the sink.”

I gasped. “No, I… I couldn’t have.”

“Come see for yourself.”

Gulping, I followed my mom downstairs. We entered the kitchen and approached the sink. Yup—one butter knife remained.

“I guess you’re going to miss that trip goodbye.”

“Mom, I’m sorry. I-I didn’t see it.”

“We made a deal. We’re not going to break it.”

The phone rang. My mom answered it. I stared and breathed. It couldn’t be my dad on the other line.

“The trip is cancelled?” my mother asked.

“No,” I said.

My mother remained on the line.

“Oh, okay.” She hung up. “Jade, your school trip to that ocean place has been canceled.”

“I knew it.”

“The deal is broken.”

“I sighed.”

“But we can consider going there as a family… for dad’s birthday.”

I grinned.