Energetic and fancy-free Amy affects her world by sharing love and kindness. She enjoys finding opportunities to help others and sharing her God-given talent of singing. Her witty songs and festive performances inspire her family to participate in having good family fun. However, an unexpected doctor's visit reveals an illness that requires surgery, but the surgery provides an opportunity for Amy to reaffirm her faith.

Oh, No! Fancy-Free Amy Gets Bad News

By Ruthie Grant

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 Ruthie Grant
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4634-4700-7

Chapter One

Amy's World

In a small rural town lived little Amy with her parents and five siblings. Amy, who was the fourth child, loved each of her family members, but she spent more time with Johnny and Charissa, the younger siblings. Amy found it hard to find her place between her older and younger siblings, so spending time with Johnny and Charissa made her feel like the big sister.

Amy was not yet eight, but she had a deep desire to show kindness to the world around her. She loved to entertain others through her sense of style, her energetic personality, and her witty ability to make people smile. Her friends and family even gave her the nickname "Fancy Free."

She always wanted to help around the house, so she constantly asked her mommy to let her help with the household chores. Amy often asked, "Mommy, why can't I help you make dinner tonight?" Mommy would answer, "Amy, I would love for you to help on Saturdays and Sundays, but during the week your homework and daily chores come first." Amy's daily chore was to empty the small trashcans so Devon could take them to the trash bin near the side of the house. She especially loved to do this chore when her older siblings were in their rooms, as it was the perfect time to see and hear what they were doing so she could stay informed. Amy thought it her business to know everything that went on around the house.

Her daily routine started with her homework, her chore, and then a visit with Little Johnny Pooh, whose real name was just Johnny. He was the baby boy of the family, but Amy spoke to Johnny as if he were about her age. She greeted Johnny daily with, "Johnny Pooh! What have you been up to all day?"

Johnny would usually stamp his feet and say, "I am not Johnny Pooh!" and proceed to follow Amy around the house in order to be a part of whatever she was doing. Amy used that opportunity to let Johnny be her assistant. She allowed him to do things she did not want to do but repaid him with small tokens from her many selections of toys. After playing with Johnny, Amy liked to visit Charissa, her baby sister, who was only six months old. Charissa always kicked her feet up and down as Amy spoke to her. She smiled a lot and made sounds like most babies her age do.

Amy rarely spent much time with the twins, Christianna and Christina, who were very secretive. The girls were much older than Amy was and considered her too young to hear their "girl" talks. Christianna and Christina were very close. They spent time giggling about silly stuff, and when Amy came around, they stopped talking. Amy joked with her parents that the girls might become secret agents because they were good at hiding information from her. Sometimes Christianna and Christina talked about boys or engaged in conversations that Amy could not figure out. This made Amy very curious to search for those important answers. Devon, her older brother, seldom spent much time with her because he was often too busy with his friends. Amy loved to share her brothers' and sisters' information with her mom and was the first to admit that she could not keep a secret. Her older siblings sometimes referred to her as a tattletale for that reason. However, Amy knew how to bring the family together with her crazy performances that actively involved her family as an audience. Amy sang and performed for her family, and in amazement of her talent, they joined the joyful activities one by one, acting silly too. It was always a good way to have family fun.

Amy was looking forward to summer because her parents had promised her a pet of her own when she turned eight years old. Mom and Dad finally felt that Amy was old enough to take care of a pet, and they gave Amy the option of selecting from a list of pets that would accommodate their budget and that were easy to care for. Amy was not very certain about her choice of pets, but she was leaning toward a kitten. She started by making plans for the new arrival by engaging in conversations with her neighbors and reading books on different kinds of pets and pet care. It sure would be nice to have one of Emily's kittens, thought Amy. Emily was the neighbor's cat who was having a litter of kittens in a few weeks. Amy knew that finding the right pet required a lot of work, but she enjoyed every minute of it.

Chapter Two

Amy, the Helper

Amy wanted to help people in her rural community, so she spent time getting to know the people in her small neighborhood. On Sundays after church, Amy rode with her dad so she could help Mrs. Cassie with her purse and Bible as Dad assisted with her wheelchair. Mrs. Cassie was very nice, and she always had mints to share.

At school, Amy showed great kindness and a caring attitude, so her teacher, Mr. Steele, assigned her the job of classroom helper for new students just entering the room. Amy was also responsible for helping with routines and procedures in and out of the classroom. She was well-known around school because she participated in many of the school's activities, especially the talent shows, and she was awarded a medal for bringing in the most canned goods for the "food for the homeless" drive two years in a row.

One of her favorite pastimes was visiting her neighbors, especially the Griggs family, Emily's owners. Mr. and Mrs. Griggs did not have children, but they loved their many cats. It was hard to keep up with how many there were because it seemed like the older cats were always having kittens. The Griggses were kind people who gave kittens away free to anyone who would take good care of them. Many people in the small rural community believed that cats kept snakes out of the yard, so most families had at least one cat—all except the Grants! During Amy's visit with the Griggses, she gave the cats food and played with them. Amy was always amused at how the cats seemed to have personalities like people! She was surprised at the reaction of one cat that always seemed to stare at her as if it were checking her out. She even sang her favorite songs to the cats, but they scattered throughout the yard when Amy began to sing, so Amy concluded that the cats did not like loud noises. Amy asked the Griggses questions about cats constantly.

Chapter Three

Amy, the Patient

One day without warning, Amy got sick at school, so her mom picked her up and took her home. Over a period of several days, her high fever did not go away so her parents took her to visit their family doctor, Dr. Holmes. Dr. Holmes asked a million questions as he examined her, gave her parents a prescription, and ordered her back to bed. After a few days, Amy's parents received a phone call from Dr. Holmes who wanted them to come to his office immediately. Dr. Holmes had found that Amy needed additional medical attention that he was not equipped to give. He had known the family for a long time and wanted to make sure that little Amy received the best of care, so Dr. Holmes made an appointment with a specialist in the big city.

When the day came for the appointment, Amy and her parents went to the hospital in the big city. It was huge and busy with people, and Amy watched in astonishment as children and adults went in and out of the gigantic hospital. She was a little afraid, but to her surprise, the people at the hospital smiled and said kind words to her. Amy commented that the people reminded her of the people in her community who knew her. One very kind nurse gave her a little teddy, which she named Precious, and the nurse told her she could keep her new friend.

For one week, Amy took medical tests and saw a new doctor, Dr. Towns, who spoke to Amy's parents while the kind nurses in the room next door entertained Amy. She could hear them talking and wanted to know what they were saying, but she could not figure it out because her attention was distracted by the nurses. Finally, her parents came out and told her it was time to go home. The kind nurse told Amy to take good care of her new friend, Precious, and bring her back from time to time. She waved and said good-bye.

Mom and Dad did not say too much after the hospital visit, and Amy knew something was out of the ordinary.

As the days went by, Amy's energy level and strength decreased, and she could not do many of the activities she had done in the past. The family continued their daily routines and tried to keep Amy involved, but after one or two weeks, she was off to another appointment with Dr. Towns. Amy felt scared, but her new friends at the hospital made the experience pleasant, as the nurses were still very kind. The doctors usually spoke to Amy's parents first and then to Amy, using words like "surgery," "operation," and "hospitalize." Amy could not understand it all, but the people at the hospital encouraged her to ask questions when she did not understand what was being said.

Amy's parents spoke to the older siblings about her upcoming hospital stay, and together they made a special visit to the hospital to ensure that Amy had the best of care. There they met another family whose sick child also had surgery and who had just completed their talk with the hospital's treatment team. Amy's parents asked them questions about their hospital experience. They were pleased with the hospital and the team of people who assisted them. The hospital visit made Amy's parents feel more relaxed about the surgery she needed.

On the ride home, the family engaged in many conversations, and Amy shared what Rev. Anderson, the family's pastor, taught in children's church about never being alone. Rev. Anderson taught about someone who loves us more than anyone else could ever love us, who will never leave us alone, and even though we cannot see Him, is always near.

Chapter Four

Amy Receives Family Affection

A few weeks before the surgery, Amy did not always feel like singing her favorite songs, playing with Johnny, or doing many creative things, but she did her best to be involved. She read to Charissa, who kicked her legs when she heard Amy's voice. Baby Charissa smiled a lot when Amy was around, and Amy's older sisters and brothers showered her with hugs and kisses. Little Johnny, though he did not know what was going on, enjoyed the spirit of affection he saw and joined in.

To Amy's surprise, the night before her surgery, her parents and siblings had a special treat for her. The secret agents, Christianna and Christina, had taped some of Amy's favorite songs she had written and sang them, using their own musical style to entertain Amy. The girls even made wacky dance moves, and Amy laughed and cheered for her family. Her eyes sparkled as her mom and dad brought out a special box decorated with all her favorite colors. In the box was a picture of the Griggs' new litter of kittens. They told Amy that she could pick a kitten as a gift from the picture and that the kitten be waiting for her after her recovery! The night before the surgery was one full of laughter, enjoyment, and love. Amy's family ended the night with encouraging words about the next day's surgery.

Early the next morning, Amy and her parents went back to the hospital in the big city, where she was greeted with smiles and kind words, as she had been many times before. Amy was taken to a special room and given medication so she could sleep. As she closed her eyes to sleep, she repeated what Pastor Anderson had taught her: "There's someone who loves me more than anyone could ever love me and He will never leave me alone." Amy finally closed her eyes and went off to surgery.

"Wake up Amy!" shouted Johnny. His voice was floating through Amy's ears as she slowly opened her eyes. Family members surrounded her bed; Johnny had climbed in the chair to make sure Amy could hear him. Dr. Towns came into the room and gave Amy and her family good and bad news. The surgery had been a success, but Amy would need to stay in the hospital for additional days. Amy was surprised, but she replied softly in her weak, fancy-free voice, "That's all right! Precious and I will be fine."

After a week in the hospital, Amy and Little Precious, the teddy, were on their way home. Amy was received by many well-wishes. She opened her bedroom door and was shocked to find a crayon mural made by Johnny, her assistant, just for her. The room was beautifully decorated with cards, balloons, and a large get-well banner. "Wow!" said Amy. " It's good to be home!"

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Oh, No! Fancy-Free Amy Gets Bad Newsby Ruthie Grant Copyright © 2012 by Ruthie Grant. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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