When I told my father that I had won the contest, he picked me up and spun me around the room. This was not a hard thing to do, as I was rather small for my age. “Oh, honey, I’m so proud of you! But not surprised one bit! You’ve always been so talented!” he gushed. Then, he gave me a big kiss on the forhead. He was almost more excited than I was.
There was an assembly at school a week later, and I was presented with my prizes. January received a certificate and one free dinner at the Purple Cow Restaurant. I was thankful that she wasn’t the jealous type, because if I were in her shoes, I would’ve been green with envy. I called McKenna to tell her the good news about the contest, and she was thrilled for me. We decided to go shopping at the Pleasantville Plaza Mall together, since January didn’t like malls. Daddy hung my plaque over the mantel in our living room, shining for all to see. I was a small celebrity for a week, so it seemed like everywhere I went, someone recongnized me. I felt loved once again.