‘Shaky’ Sermons

She tip-toed out of the bed and into the kitchen almost on cue with her mom’s snoring. Putting one light foot after another on the kitchen stool she rested her hands on the kitchen slab and stepped on it nimbly. The cookie jar was in the cupboard right above her, she could brush her fingers against it. She just had to stand a little taller on her toes and it would be in her grasp. She crawled her fingers against its round corners and gave it a little push from the sides only to realize a second too late that she was in no position to support the falling jar and that it was heavy!

The jar smashed on the floor with a loud shattering noise breaking the stillness of the afternoon instantly. Mom seemed to glide into the kitchen at the speed of sound.

“What happened here?“ She asked pointlessly. The scene was self-explanatory.  Sarah was standing on the slab, guilty as a thief and the cookies were scattered between ruins of what was moments ago a fine porcelain jar of cookies.

“I, uh… I got hungry” Sarah said giving her cutest possible smile.

“And you didn’t want to eat any of the fruits or the sandwiches I made for you, but had to climb all the way up to the cookie jar?”

Not sure how to answer, Sarah stared intently at the jar as though she could will it back to life.

Mom sighed. “Stay put on the slab while I clean this up. Would you like to have a sandwich?”

Sarah nodded and sat down on the slab watching mom get to work.

Suddenly the windows rattled, and everything started shaking.

“Oh my God, what’s happening” Mom cried out.

“I didn’t do it!” Sarah said confused.

The tremors stopped. Mom picked up Sarah and rushed out of the house joining the rest of the neighbors.

“Mommy, what happened?” Sarah asked.

“Honey it was an earthquake.”

“What’s an earthquake? Why did it happen?”

Mom opened her mouth and closed it. She finally spoke, “It happened because someone got very naughty and didn’t listen to her Mommy”.

“Really, because I broke the cookie jar? But it didn’t happen when I made paper planes from Daddy’s files in the study or when I tried your make-up stuff?”

Mom thought for awhile.

“Well, when you used my make-up, I cleaned you up quickly so no one got to know and nothing happened. When you ripped out from Dad’s files, the paper police came but your Dad asked them to give you another chance. But this time…” Mom pursed her lips and shook her head slowly.

Sarah covered her gaping mouth with both her hands and stared at her mom wide eyed. “I did this! Everyone must be so mad at me!” She said teary eyed.

Mom felt sorry but held on. “Will you be a good girl now?”

Sarah hugged her mom tightly and nodded.

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My Entry for Inspirational Monday. I used the prompt “Paper Police”.
To know more about Inspirational Monday weekly challenge, visit here.