Mommy, my tummy hurts!

Annie tearfully moaned, “Mommy, my tummy hurts. I don’t think that I can go to school today.”

Placing a hand on Annie’s forehead, her mother asked, “Did you sleep okay?”

“Yes,” Annie pitifully replied.

With her hand still on Annie’s forehead, her mother inquired, “Does your head hurt too?”

With a shuddering sigh, Annie answered, “Yes.”

“Hmmm,” her mother responded with concern, “You don’t feel like you have a fever.”

“My tummy really hurts though,” Annie said, turning over and hugging her pillow tightly to her chest.

“Why don’t you eat your breakfast and then we’ll see how you feel, okay sweetie?”

“Mom?” Annie turned, slightly back towards her mother, as she was walking out of her room.

“Hmmm?”

“Can you drive me to school from now on?” Annie asked with a hopeful expression, and then quickly glanced downward.

Stopping and turning back towards Annie, her mother tilted her head slightly, and with a quizzical expression said, “What’s wrong with the bus driver taking you to school?”

“I just like it when you drive me, that’s all,” Annie worried the edge of her pillow nervously between her fingers, “Mom, do you think I have a fat head?”