Category: Diary

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

And school starts tomorrow!

So Beth and I went to the bookstore and got our textbooks!!!

College textbooks are HEAVY!!!

We ran into that boy that Beth likes there.  She invited him over for dinner this weekend.  He accepted.  Sabby and I and Beth had already discussed this and Sabby said it was fine as long as it was clear it wasn’t a date – she’s not allowed to date until she’s sixteen.  But she can have someone she likes over!

He seems nice.  But you never know.

So after we did all that, we got lunch.  Beth and I haven’t talked a lot lately, so we chatted about stuff and things.  She doesn’t have a whole lot going on in her life, but she seems okay.  She’s a bit happier than she was.  Remember her friends, the ones that Sabby told to take a hike?  Well, they’re… kind of not on a good path.  She’s happy to be rid of them.  Crystal and Diana are good friends – even though she’s still a tiny bit peeved at Crystal.  Aww.  Guess I can’t really blame her.  I guess it’s a sign of how much Crystal means to her as a friend.

Crystal’s a… bit of a wild child, if we’re being honest.  Not like Beth’s old friends – they were just awful people.  But in a a kind of metal or goth-ish kind of way.  I guess those kinds of experiences will do that to you.  She’s doing alright, though.  Every time I come over, I ask how she is.  She says fine.  I tell her she’d better not be lying to me.  She promises she isn’t.  Then she gives me a hug and tells me thanks for caring about her.

Warms my widdle heart.

Diana’s… not.  She’s a good girl.  Makes a mean taco and is teaching Beth a bit of practical Spanish – which is always good.  I learned a little in school.  It’s useful here.  Her mother is kind of traditional, even though her father isn’t in the picture.

Allison’s a good kid too, but she’s more a friend of the family.  Everyone loves her but none of us can “claim” her, if that makes sense.  I think she gets along best with David, but that’s after she put David in his place.  Remember how she took care of him when he pulled her hair?

He deserved that.

But they’re friends now.  Lego fixes everything.

But anyway, Beth is doing better now.  Maybe she’s growing up a bit.

We got home and had a quiet dinner, eating leftover Dave grilling and leftover Dave cake.  It’s a chocolate cake, and well, it didn’t survive me tonight.  Hahahaha!!!  We sure found a winner with the baker.  She’s really, really good.  Sabby’s good.  The baker is a whole other level.  And she’s pretty easy to get along with – we just tell her what we want, pay her well, and she does it.  What more could you want?

Oh!  I should talk about Katie but this is already too long.  She’s fine.  Some other time!

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

And it’s Dave’s birthday!!!

It was fun!!!

Dave isn’t really one for parties, so we just gave him his presents and then asked him what his favorite thing was, so we could do it.

I got him one of those lego Saturn V rocket kits!  He loved it!!!  Beth got him a set of cologne (thankfully not the same scent I got Jack), and David got him a gift card to Home Depot.  He liked all the gifts.  Marie got him a mug that said “#1 Pet Dad” (I had to buy it for her of course), Cat got him a catnip mouse (that’s Cat, haha) and Sabby said she’d give him his present later.

I wonder what it could be.  Hahaha!!!

Anyway, after all that, Dave said he was right where he wanted to be, with his family.  Awww.  We asked him if there was anything he wanted to do, and he said he wanted to grill and watch football.  So he grilled, we ate, and he watched football.

Dave’s pretty easy to please, actually.  He can put his foot down but he really prefers not to.  Sabby, on the other hand… hahaha!!!

Of course Sabby had the baker make him a cake too, and she did a really good job of it.  She’s a real pro. She was on the clock for it, and we paid for it like anyone else, so it all worked out.

Dave’s busy putting his kit together, lol!

Okay.  Time for bed.

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

And I love SHOPPING!!!

But I don’t get to do it often.

But Tomorrow is Dave’s birthday, and Beth and David wanted to get him something.  Dave was busy working and Sabby was at the shop baking, so it was up to me!!!  So I grabbed them both and we went to the mall!!!

I already bought Dave’s gift through Amazon, so I just went for their sake – and to get some CHOCOLATE!!!

Because there is a CHOCOLATE STORE at Lakeline Mall!!!

So anyway, we went, and David picked up his gift, and Beth picked up hers, and I picked up quite a bit of chocolate.  I bought David and Beth some candy too, of course.  Then we went to the food court and had lunch!!!!

Okay okay, it’s not good for us, but…  mall food court!!!

But there was a bit of drama.  Some busybody Karen came up to me and asked why the kids weren’t in school.

I told them we’re homeschooled, that Beth and I are going to ACC and the classes haven’t started yet, and that it’s really not her business and can she please mind hers?

She… was not happy with that.  And she called the police!!!  But I didn’t know it at the time until a couple of Cedar Park’s finest showed up.  We were just happily eating when she pointed at us – “them!  It’s them!  They’re not in school!”

So of course the cops asked us why we weren’t in school.

We told them what we told her.

They said they didn’t believe us.

I told them I could get our mother on the phone.

So I called her.

Put Sabby on speaker.

And stood back.

It went something like this.

“Cedar Park police.  Ma’am, we have three kids at the mall who say they’re not at school because they’re homeschooled, and attending ACC.  Is this true?”

You could hear Sabby’s eyes roll through the phone.  “Yes, it’s true, yes, I’m their mother, yes, they’re being home-schooled, yes, the two oldest are attending classes at ACC which haven’t started yet, and yes, they have my permission to be at the mall.  It’s their father’s birthday tomorrow and she took them to buy gifts.”

“Ma’am, two of these kids are half-black and one is asian.  You’re telling me they’re your children?”

You coould almost hear Sabby’s temper flare.  “You’re at the Lakeline Mall? I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”  And the phone went dead.

I looked at the police, and didn’t say a word.  And we waited.  The police told the karen to wait too because she started this whole mess.  She just looked at us smugly, like “You’re going to get it now”.  We just finished our food.  After all, why should it go to waste?

Twenty minutes later, Sabby stormed into the mall and made a beeline right for us.  The police took one look at her and gulped.

“Ma’am”, one started.

“Don’t you ma’am me!,” she said, her voice dripping with venom.  “I understand that you were just doing your job when you had to investigate children who weren’t attending school.  I assume this lady -” she pointed at the karen and the word “lady” was said with some sarcasm – “called you?”

They nodded.  The karen was starting to turn red.

“Like I said, I understand that you were doing your job.  Right up until you implied that they weren’t my children because they aren’t the same race.  Lily here, the ‘asian’, as you put it, is adopted.  Legally.  She’s my daughter.  Do you want to see their ID?  Maybe take some DNA?  How about running me through your computer to see if I have any warrants?  After all, I’m black.  Right?”

Oh, the police were getting uncomfortable now.

And then Sabby rounded on the karen.  “And you.  You saw three children at the mall – that weren’t yours and you had nothing to do with, and you decided to make it your business that they were at the mall instead of where you thought they should be, making me take time off from my business to come here and straighten out the mess you caused?”

“But – but”

“Don’t ‘but’ me, karen.”

The cops actually smirked at this one.  Karen started to sputter.  “how dare -“

“How dare you?  Mind your business.”  She turned to the cops.  “Are you finished here?  Or do you need to do that DNA test?”

“Can I see some ID?,” one asked, a little shakily.  “and do any of your children have ID?  I still have to check.?

I pulled out my license and showed it to them.  Sabby did the same.

“See?  Our last names match.  I ask again – are you done?”

One cop looked like she wanted to press the issue, but the other gave him a meaningful look.  They looked at the karen.  “Ma’am. I’m sure your heart was in the right place, but this lady has a point.  It really wasn’t your business and you just wasted everyone’s time.  Move along.”

“But -“

“MOVE ALONG”, the cop said.  She waddled off, muttering to herself.  “Sorry to bother you, ma’am, kids.  But please do keep in mind that..  situations like this can happen when your kids are unsupervised during school hours.”

Sabby just glared.  “Are. We. Done. Here.”

“Have a good day, ma’am”.  And they left.

Sabby sighed.  “Are you done with your trip?”

“Yes, we were just finishing lunch.”

“Alright, come home then.  I’ll be going back to the shop.”

And she left.  And so did we.

For the life of me, I’ll never understand karens.

Anyway, the rest of the day was uneventful.  Dave’s gift arrived from Amazon (yay!) and we had a nice dinner.  I’m over at Liz’s tonight, we’re just chatting and eating some of the chocolate I bought from the store at the mall.

Tomorrow’s Dave’s birthday!!!

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

Dave’s birthday is in two days!!!

And…  I have some ideas, but I’m not entirely sure what to get him.  It’s hard to decide with him!!! I even asked Jack for ideas and he said he really doesn’t know.  I guess I could get him a tie.. but I’ve gotten him all the cool stuff he doesn’t have that I can think of!

Oh! I have an idea!!! I should go to Amazon and see if my idea is there!!!

Dave’s kind of a nerdy guy, really.  I mean, he’s not nerdy, but he’s nerdy.  He’s an engineer, and while he watches some sports, he always seems happier when solving a problem or doing something useful.  I think that’s why teaching me how to do mechanical and electronic things is so important to him.  He wants me to know how to do useful stuff, too.

But I don’t know how to do all useful stuff.  I don’t know how to sew, for example, and maybe I should learn.  It would be useful, right?

Both Sabby and Dave have always said that it’s important for me to always be doing something useful.  But then they say that taking care of myself is useful too, so if I start getting overwhelmed or burnt out they don’t complain too hard.  That’s nice of them!!!  That’s why I want to get Dave a nice birthday present, and not a tie.

But before Saturday, comes Friday!  Yaaaay!!!!  School starts next week.  I’ll be taking more advanced courses, and some different ones too.  I took basic accounting, and mathematics, and some other courses last semester…  Oh, Beth and I registered yesterday!  But you didn’t know that because Marie took over!  Hahahaa!!!!

Marie has a lot to say, but she’s a dog, so it just ends up being about sniffing things.

okay!  Goodnight!

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Marie!!!

Lily’s typing for me because I can’t talk!!!

I’m so happy!  I have such a good life!!!  In the morning Lily takes me out of my little box, and then puts me on that long stretchy thing and takes me out to walk!  I love walking, especially in the morning!  There are so many things to sniff and smell!!!  I smell other dogs, squirrels, even rats!!!  And then I find a good place to do my thing and I do it!  It’s fun!  I always feel better after and want to zoom around!!!

And then after I come home, Lily puts on her stretchy things and goes out to run!!! She likes to run too!!! I wish I could run with her but I can’t keep up!  So instead I eat the delicious crunchy stuff they put out for me!  It tastes like meat!!!

One of Lily’s pack-mates came over from a different den.  She’s nice, I like her.  She smells like meat-but-not-meat.  Lily let me sleep next to her and she liked it when I slept next to her.  She would scratch my tummy and do all the nice things.  I miss her.  Lily tells me she lives very far away and may not be back for a long time.  It’s okay, I’ll wait.  I’ll jump on her and lick her face and make sure she knows I missed her!!!

My family is nice to me.  Beth likes to give me scratches, and David will take me out and play a game with that funny-tasting round thing.  Sometimes he’ll run around with me and wrestle!  It’s fun!!!

Sometimes I smell man-dogs.  It makes me feel funny.  Lily says we need to take care of that.  I wonder what she means.  She says she made an appoint with the vet.  I wonder who the vet is?  Sounds like a fun time!!!

Oh!  More food!!!  Does the fun ever end???

Woof woof woof!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

And today… is just a day.  Nothing big going on. Boringly boring.  I talked to Sabby about what to do about our Japanese fanbase, and…  she doesn’t know either.  It’s not like it’s a huge fanbase, just a few people that Ai told and their friends or parents or something, but…  they really like their cookies, I guess.  And then there’s my “benefactor” too…  I think we’re agreed that we don’t want to grow too quickly, but we do need to grow.  Maybe I can talk Sabby into going on a business trip to Japan with me.

Wouldn’t that be something???

Maybe I should ask Robert.  He’s a marketing guy, so maybe he knows some things about business.

You know, I’ve been writing this diary for.. actually nearly a year and a half now.  And I’ve been thinking a lot about how much I’ve changed, how much my life has changed… since I was found, since I started the diary.  I remember when I was found, and Dave and Sabby took me in.  I had nothing.  I didn’t even have my memories.  I didn’t know who I was, how I got there, it was like a big blank.  And I told you about how I spent over a week just crying.  I was so sad, and so scared.  What would become of me?  Who was “me”, anyway?

But then I had social workers who actually cared, and Dave and Sabby took me in and adopted me, and I found out more about who I was and where I came from – and even got glimpses of my memory – and something about a red spider lily too.  And I learned how to drive, and they gave me a car, and I found out about Emiko, and went to Japan, and Jack and… so many things.  But…  but sometimes I wonder what’s actually mine, you know?  I have…  so many things, and so little at the same time.

I…  I owe them so much.  I owe everyone so much.  But my benefactor keeps saying I’m owed a debt too.  Who owes it to me?  And why it is such a huge debt that they can give me something like half a million bucks and still say I’m owed such a huge debt?  I don’t understand.  I’m grateful, but…  don’t understand.  What price did I have to pay, and don’t even know it?

And what would’ve happened if…. if I wasn’t found?  Would I be one of those nameless bodies they find by the side of the road and can’t even identify?

I’m a lucky girl… I’m an incredibly lucky girl.  And… and sometimes that makes me very sad.

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

And today was actually good!!!

So it started out normal.  I went to the shop with Sabby, and helped out today.  Truthfully, there wasn’t much else to do, and I figured they could use the help.  It’s quite a bit slower right now, because the holidays are over, buuuuuut cat-girl started something interesting.  The shop is becoming known for a cosplay-friendly place.  So cat-girl sits behind the counter wearing costumes, and people walk in wearing costumes, and they spend a little time talking about their costumes!!!  I’m…  honestly not sure how I feel about this.  But it’s one way of getting a good client base, and they do buy cookies.

Even if they say cliched anime things while buying their cookies.

We’ve unwittingly stumbled into something kind-of-but-not-quite like a maid cafe.

Sigh.

Here’s the funny thing – Ai told her friends back in Japan about our cookie shop, and some of them told their friends – and now we have a bit of a cult following in Japan.  Nothing like KFC, but we keep getting mails in Japanese asking if we can ship to Japan.  I… don’t actually know how to respond.  I mean, I can write responses, but.. .how do we even do this???

I told Katie and cat-girl that it’s probably in their best interest to learn some basic Japanese.

They don’t seem too interested, but I told them if this keeps up, we’re getting Japanese tourists, and they should at least know how to greet them.  Then I said I’d teach them the basics.

They begrudgingly agreed.

I’m sure it’ll be fun.

But that’s not what made the day good.

Jack had the day off, and he wanted me to teach him how to change a tire!!!

So…  I did.  I showed him how to use the jack (haha, I already know how to use the Jack), and loosen the nutty things, and all that.  I also showed him how to change oil and do other basic stuff.

He picked it up quick.  He’s not a dumb guy.  Just no one showed him.

It’s nice spending time with him like that.

Okay.  I have a bit of a headache, so bedtime!!!

Love you all! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

We went to church this morning.  It was kinda boring, as it usually is.  The pastor had a lot to say about things that didn’t make a lot of sense, but…  I think his heart’s in the right place.  It can’t be easy trying to pastor a congregation where there are so many different people and personalities.  Like mine!!!

But it’s nice when all the old ladies give you a hug and ask you how you are, and tell you you’re a sweet girl.  And sometimes they even have cookies in the foyer, which is nice.  Or is it a narthex?  Dave taught me that word.  There are so many weird words in church.  It’s not a bad place…  just a bit boring sometimes.

In fact, the pastor actually asked me how it could be less boring.  I told him I’d have to think about it.  I mean, there are certainly ways it could be less boring.  Skydiving off that big ol’ cross?  Hahaha!!!  But I think he meant less boring in a churchy way, which is boring but not churchy boring.  Or something like that.  I wish… they’d use words I could understand.  We’re not all theology majors!!!  Right?

But it’s also kind of lame when they start trying to be “relevant”.  That just leads to “rapping for Jesus”, which is the most cringe thing ever!!!  Ewww!!! Hahaha!!!

Maybe…  they could just tell me why I should believe?

Oh well.

Anyway… I’m sure you didn’t want to hear about that.  You wanted to hear about Jack!!!  Well…

Okay.  After church, his mother messaged me and asked me to come over.

I was…  ummm…. nervous, obviously.  I know I didn’t do anything wrong, but what did he tell her?  Did she know that?  I mean, I’ve never seen him lie, but…

Anyway, I went over, and I took Sabby too.  Because, quite honestly, if I’m going to have a confrontation with his mother, I’m not going unarmed.  His mother seemed a bit surprised.  I just said “I don’t know why you called me here, and quite honestly, I don’t know if I’m going to need support.”

His mother shook her head.  “No, no.  Nothing like that.”  Jack was sitting on the couch looking a bit sullen.  We sat down.  “I’m not going to always be able to settle your disputes, but Jack here -” she looked over at him – “Is being a bit of a child, and if he’s going to act like a child I’m going to treat him like one.  So he tells me that you had a flat last night?”

I nodded.

“And that you were able to replace the tire and get home safely?”

I nodded again.

“Well, Jack, why don’t you tell her what you told me?”

Jack turned red, but stayed silent.

“Yes, Jack,” I said.  “I’d like to know why you’re so mad at me.”

He sighed.  “I’m supposed to be the boy, and I didn’t even know how to fix a tire.”

“What do you mean, you’re supposed to be the boy?”

“I… I didn’t feel like a man when you fixed the tire and told me to just watch.”

I sighed.  “So what do you want me to do?  Just stay by the side of the road and pretend I don’t know how to do it while you fumble around and maybe get hurt?  Oh, I do declare!”, I said, and exaggeratedly fainted on the couch, “How could little ol’ me know how to fix a tire?” 

Sabby choked off a giggle.

“Well, if you’re going to be like that, Lily,” he said, his voice raising slightly. 

His mother raised her hand.  “Well, what do you want her to do about it, Jack?  She knew how to do it and you didn’t.”

He deflated.  “It just makes me feel… like I can’t take care of you.”

“Why do you think you need to take care of me?,” I asked.

His father spoke up.  “That’s what men do,” he said quietly.  “We take care of our women.  And we don’t like it when we can’t.”

Ohhhhhh.

I think I get it now.

“Well, we like taking care of our men too,” I said quietly.  “Sometimes you’re going to take care of me, and sometimes I’ll take care of you.  Is it so bad that sometimes that means I’ll do light car repairs?”

He sighed.  “I…  I guess not.  How can I take care of you if I can’t even change a tire?”

I blushed.  I certainly wasn’t going to say the first thing that popped into mind.   I settled for the second.

“You…  you buy me chocolate, Jack.”

“That’s not taking care of you!”

“Jack, you know how much I like chocolate.  If I had to choose between you and chocolate… I’d choose you, but I’d always be fantasizing about the other food getting in between us.”

He chuckled.

“But you buy me chocolate because you know how much I like it.  That’s taking care of me.  You do fine.  But sometimes I’ll take care of you and you have to let me and not get upset about it.”

“Why don’t the two of you take a walk, and we’ll chat with Sabby for a while?”

So we did.  Sabby loves Grace anyway and Grace wanted to show her a drawing, so it worked out.

It was a nice day.

I told him the…. other ways he takes care of me, and that if he learns how to change a tire I’ll let him do it next time (because quite frankly I’m actually happier sitting in the passenger seat eating chocolate while he does all the work) and he needs to not get upset with me when I know how to do something he can’t, because I know how to do lots of things he can’t.  Like I can make chocolate, and do car repairs, and build small electronic gadgets, and accounting for my business, and basic money management, and frankly I could probably beat up anyone he needed me to.  But he can…  be Jack.

That’s all I need him for.

But of course if he wants to learn how to do things I can’t, he should.

Like playing the trombone.

I can’t play the trombone.

But I guess I can see why he might feel inferior.

I don’t want him to feel inferior.

We’re okay for now.  He knows he was being immature.  And I probably could have handled it a little bit better – I just took charge and could have been a bit more sensitive of his feelings.  I mean, I could have taught him how to do it, but let him actually do the work.  He still might have been upset but at least he would have felt like he was doing something.  but..  we’re seventeen.  I guess we’ll be immature sometimes.  I know I can be.

Aww.

And he is a little traditional.  I knew that.  I’m not going to stop being a smart and capable girl.  I just am.  But…  he needs for me to need him.  I guess… I guess I understand that.

But I do need him.  I really do.

I have a lot going for me.  I’m…  through no fault of my own, pretty much independently wealthy at the moment.  I could go to any college I want (that would have me).  I can play piano, I can speak some Japanese, I can do martial arts, I can make chocolate…  I can even ride horses.  I’m not going to say I’d trade it all for Jack, because I wouldn’t.  But…  but I want him there with me.  And he’ll find that thing he can do that I can’t, and it will make both of us stronger.

I hope… this doesn’t become a problem again.

But it’s okay now.  So there’s that, I guess.

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

And what an awful night!

Well, today was alright.  Had breakfast, had a run, walked Marie, you know the usual.  Spent a bit of time at the shop, wanted to see how Katie was doing (she’s fine but a little anxious).  You know, the usual.  No, it became awful tonight.

Jack and I went on a date.

That wasn’t what was awful about it.  Well, not directly.  We had a nice meal and were heading back to his house.

The car got a flat.

We were driving down the tollway in his car and it just went BOOM.  He pulled over to the side, and the cars were whizzing by, and it was SCARY.  He didn’t know what to do, but I did!

Dave taught me!!!

I told him to either stay in the car or watch me, I rummaged through his trunk and found some flares, which I lit and put down.  Then I grabbed the jack and the stand and the donut, loosened the nutty things, replaced the tire, and tightened everything down.  Then I put everything back in his trunk and told him we need to get home via surface roads, Dave told me you can’t go fast on donut tires.  So we got off the next exit and made our way back.

He didn’t really say much to me.  He seemed angry for some reason.

I asked him what I did wrong.

He said “nothing”.  But that’s all he said.

We got back to his place, he gave me a quick kiss, told me goodnight, and went inside.  I just watched him go, got in my car, and went home.

He hasn’t talked to me since.

I don’t know what I did wrong.  I really don’t.

I asked Dave what I did wrong.

Dave just sighed and said “he’s probably embarrassed that he didn’t know how to do it and is taking it out on you.”

Well, then, he should have learned how to do it!  It’s not hard!  You just do this and that and loosen nutty things and tighten nutty things and all done!  But…  maybe Dave’s right.

It’ll be okay, I guess.

But I’m still hurt.  I didn’t do anything wrong.

I did give Dave a big hug, though, for teaching me how to do that.  He was right.  He’s always right.  Except when he puts cayenne pepper in chocolate.  Ewwww.

Love you all!!! ❤