"Okay. I gave my cabbages some water, pulled weeds and I didn’t see any bugs. I’m done!” Alexis said checking off her list. She bounced up the steps into the kitchen. “Mom, this plant project will be an easy ten points. I can finish fifth grade with all A’s and B’s.”
“You’ve always done well in school, Alexis,” Mom said. “Gramma can make coleslaw with your cabbages too.”
“That sounds yummy!” Setting the watering can down, she asked, “May I go ride my scooter now?”
“Alright, you’ve got twenty minutes, then its homework time,” Mom said smiling.
“Springtime, here I come!” Alexis hollered.
Jumping on her electric scooter, she zoomed up the street, motor purring. This was her favorite time of year. Red, yellow and white flowers were blooming, and purple wisteria hung from the tall trees. She couldn’t wait to taste the honeysuckle. Alexis felt happy inside.
“Hey, Vanessa, can you play?” she asked her friend from next door.
“Sure! I’ll race you!” Vanessa said as she took off running. Alexis sped up the road and felt the cool breeze in her face. She passed Vanessa and let out a giggle. Twenty minutes whizzed by and Alexis headed home.
As the days got warmer, the cabbages needed more attention. But Alexis was too caught up in playing. Each day she stared out the school bus window wishing spring would never end. That day her daydreaming was interrupted by Vanessa. “Hey, Alexis, want to get together?”
“You must be a mind reader!” she said, as they stepped off the bus. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
Alexis dashed up the sidewalk and flung open the front door. Her backpack hit the floor with a thud. As she bit into a shiny red apple, the tart juice dripped down her chin. She wiped it off and gave her grandmother a kiss and hug. “I’ll be riding with Vanessa, Gramma,” she said bolting back outside.
Running past her little garden of cabbages, she noticed something. “My plants look wilted,” she said to herself. “But I don’t have time to water them now, I’m going to play.”
That evening, she watered her plants. Even up close she didn’t notice how bugs had attacked them. They were hiding inside the curved leaves of the cabbages.
Alexis enjoyed several more days playing with Vanessa. That afternoon Mom asked her, “How are your plants doing, Alexis?”
“They’re fine,” she replied.
“Remember what happened last week?” Mom asked.
“Yes. I forgot about them. But my project’s not due until next week!” she protested. “Plants are easy to grow, and besides, I have plans with Vanessa after school.”
That evening Dad asked, “Alexis, do you need help with your project?”
“No thanks,” she said. “Everything’s under control.”
She skipped to her room and shuffled through a stack of papers. “Now, where is that checklist?” she asked. “Oh, here it is. It sure is wrinkled!” As she smoothed it out, her eyes glanced over the blocks for each day. “Oh, No! The last date I checked off was— two weeks ago! What am I going to do?” Alexis whispered. She held the paper to her chest as she looked up.
“God, please help my plants be okay,” she prayed as she walked to the door. “I know I haven’t done much for them, and I feel terrible. I just wanted to play. I guess that’s not a very good reason, is it God?”
Alexis frowned and thought: What will my parents say? What about my grade and my teacher? Will my plants die? Will I be punished? Her thoughts tumbled like a clothes dryer.
Once outside her eyes locked onto the cabbages. “Oh, No! They are dead!” she moaned. Tears blurred her vision. Alexis lifted the lifeless plants. Gazing through her tears, she could see how the bugs had eaten the leaves. Her grandmother quietly joined her.
“They’re ruined, Gramma!” she sobbed.
Her grandmother held her and smoothed her hair. “Life’s lessons can be hard,” she said.
“I thought plants grew by themselves!” Alexis said.
“Most things in life need help; even little plants.”
“I won’t get that B now,” Alexis said. “I’ve always gotten A’s and B’s.” She leaned on her grandmother and smelled lavender powder. “I’m sorry you can’t make coleslaw, Gramma.” she said, wiping her eyes. “I messed up didn’t I? But I’m not a quitter!”
“That’s my girl,” Gramma said. She hugged her as they walked inside.
“Mom, Dad,” Alexis said. “I need to talk to you. I wasn’t being honest with you and I’m sorry. Please forgive me.
“We forgive you,” Mom said.
“I didn’t take care of my plants like I should have. I got caught by that Spring Fever you told me about.”
“We’ve all been caught by it at least once,” Mom said.
“I want to try again. I can buy more plants with my allowance,” Alexis offered.
“You know that won’t change your grade, Alexis,” Dad said. “Are you really ready to work?
“You bet I am!” she shouted.
“You might need these,” Dad said, handing her some new garden gloves.
Joy sprang up in Alexis’ heart. “I feel so much better,” she said, as she hugged her family. “Spring fever won’t hold me back! Just watch and see.”
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