It was a Friday afternoon. In Brooklyn Junior Middle School, the bell indicating the end of the last class threw the whole classroom into chaos. All the boys and girls started packing their school bags, chattering with each other about their exciting plans for the long-anticipated weekend at the same time.

Miss Helen, the headteacher, stepped into the noisy classroom. She quieted the kids, assigned the homework and added: “The first teacher-parent meeting of this term will take place tomorrow morning. Please...”

Bill’s heart sank.

Bill was a 12-year-old boy in Grade 7. His father was a sailor. He had to work at sea most of the year and did not get home often. However, this didn’t make Bill an eccentric (性格古怪的) and withdrawn boy.

As a matter of fact, at school, Bill was a typical student favored by all the teachers in his class. He was never late for school, always active in class, always polite to the teachers and always friendly and helpful towards his classmates, not to mention his outstanding academic performance.

It was all because of his kind, considerate and devoted mum, a perfect mum in Bill’s eyes, except for one thing: She walked with a pronounced limp (跛行). Bill remembered when young, maybe about 3 or 4 years old, he once asked her mum about it, but his mum just smiled and told him she was born like this. Bill loved his mum very much but he seldom went out with his mum. He just hated it when others eyed, whispered or inquired about that, curiously, kindly or sympathetically.

And now, this would be the first time for his new classmates and teachers to meet his mother and he would be embarrassed by her appearance.

That evening, Bill called his father and complained about his absence and the upcoming meeting.

“Daisy?”   Mom stood at the door of my bedroom.

“Yes, mom.”

“Your grandma doesn't feel well. I am taking her to the hospital. It will take long,   I'm afraid. Take care of your twin brothers, will you?”

Still in bed, I gave an “OK”   gesture. I got out of bed, washed my face and began to prepare breakfast. Dad called in the middle, saying he had an important meeting today and couldn’t make it home early. Oh, fine! I thought I could manage it all by myself.

After all, I kept babysitting them after my twin brothers were born. Now that the summer vacation had just started, I had a lot of free time. Later, I woke up Tim and Toby, and put fried eggs, sausages, and milk in front of them. Alas! 7-year-olds,especially boys, could never keep quiet. But I usually didn't shout as long as they finally emptied their plates. I was learning to be patient as a big sister.

After they finished, I began cleaning the big mess while they ran loose, chasing and shouting. I was sure it was going to be exhausting today. Well, everything turned out to be okay in the morning. I read them stories and they played video games for a while. However, in the afternoon when they got bored, they lay on the so fa watching cartoons. Tim spoke first, “I am hungry and want a burger.” And then Toby followed, “So am I.”

“But I am not supposed to take you out of home. And I never...”

“Please! Please!”

“I will think about it if you behave yourselves in the restaurant.”

“Sure!” “No problem!”

I thought it might be a good idea to take them to MacDonald’s because I didn’t have to cook. Besides, there were slides, Lego bricks and other kids.

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As soon as we got to the large parking lot outside the restaurant, Tim ran wild and got missing.

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When mom went back home in the evening, I was as tired as a dog.

As soon as we got to the large parking lot outside the restaurant, Tim ran wild and got missing.

When mom went back home in the evening, I was as tired as a dog.

A boy on skates turned around the corner very fast and crashed into me before I jumped out of the way. We fell together as the box I’d been carrying flew from my hands and landed in the street. A moment later, a car drove past, sending the box spinning in circles.

The skater got up, said sorry, and sped off around the corner.

“Are you OK, Emily?” Aiden asked.

“I think so.”I stood and slowly moved my aching arm.

“Oh no! Look at Mom’s present!” Aiden’s face was red.

I picked up the crushed box and opened it. The drinking glasses inside were broken. I closed the box and left it in a garbage can on the sidewalk, then started hurrying toward home. Aiden had to run at full speed to keep up with me.          

When we got to the apartment, we threw ourselves down on chairs in the kitchen.

“It isn’t fair! Why did that happen?” Aiden said.

“I didn’t even see that guy! He came out of nowhere,” I said angrily.

Aiden’s lower lip trembled. “Mom would’ve loved these glasses.”

We’d saved our money for weeks to buy glasses with pink flowers on them for Mother’s Day. We have other glasses, but not a full set that matches. I wished I could hang something against the wall and scream, but I knew I couldn’t. I’m the older one. I had to hold it together.

“I wanted to make her happy,” Aiden said.

I thought about how Mom had been before Dad passed away. She used to joke around and laugh a lot. Now she had a deep worry line between her eyes and hardly ever smiled.

“We’ll think of something else to give her for Mother’s Day,” I said, trying to cheer up Aiden.

“Like what?” he asked. “We don’t have any money left.”

I swallowed hard and said, “Maybe we can make a present for Mom.”

When Aiden saw tears rolling down Mom’s cheeks,