Poor Luc; he would finish high school in June and might have to go to the university in September for who knows how many years. With a sigh, I turned my attention back to my homework. School would break for summer next week, but Miss Moon still gave us homework: math and an essay. We had to write a two-page essay about what we were going to do during school break.
I stuck the end of my pen between my front teeth and stared at the blank page in front of me. We would go camping, just like last year and the year before: sightseeing, visiting little markets, swimming, and generally having fun. But how to put this into words?
“How’s it going with that essay, Lily?” Mom asked on her way to the kitchen.
I shrugged helplessly. “Do you want some help?” I eagerly nodded.
“Okay, let me go and make some coffee and then I’ll come and help you.”
With a sigh of relief, I put my pen down. If Mom was going to help with the essay, it would turn out alright. Mom wrote all my essays and she always received good marks for me.
“What do you need to write about?” Mom asked.
“Our plans for the summer holidays.”
“Well, that’s easy.” Slightly irritated, Mom pulled the paper towards her. “We’re going camping. Why can’t you tell your teacher about that?”
“I can tell her,” I said, “but I don’t know how to write it.”
“Tell me.”
“You know what we do on holiday.”
“Yes, but I still want you to tell me. You can’t expect me to do everything.”
As I related the planned holiday from past experiences, Mom wrote everything down. Every now and then she would hold up her hand when I went too fast and she would nod to let me know when to continue.
When I was finished saying what I had to say, Mom rewrote what she had on the paper. Twenty minutes later, the essay was finished. Mom read it aloud and I glowed with enthusiasm. Mom had written what I had told her, but Mom’s version was so much better than mine.
“Now then, do you have anything else to do?”
“Math.”
Mom frowned and got up. “Can’t help you with that, but Luc will. Better get started.”
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