The Hypomosis Experiment

The next morning, Aria was still curled up in her bed at 8 am, fast asleep.

From the kitchen, her mom called out. “Aria, baby, it’s time to wake up. Come have breakfast before Papah and Mama have to start working.”

“Nhahh… is it wake-up time already?” Aria mumbled, half-buried in her blanket. “I don’t want to wake up…”,

A moment later, her dad appeared in the doorway. “Good morning, baby sunshine,” he said softly. “If you don’t give me a Good Morning kiss, you know I won’t have a good day.”

That did it. Aria was wide awake.

Mira and Oren worked from home, but they had a separate office space where they would work. While they worked, Aria wasn’t allowed in the work area. Instead, Ms. Rosemary would come to care for her while her parents worked. Aria was NOT fond of Ms. Rosemary.

“Oh no! But I don’t want you to go, Papah!”

“You know both Mama and I have to work, Ari baby.” he said, scooping her up. “That’s how grown-up life works. You still get to play, but we have to earn the chocolate coins.”

“Noooooo…,” Aria groaned dramatically, squirming in his arms. She ran into the kitchen and tried again with her mom. “Mama, don’t work today. Tell Papah to stay at home too. If you stay, then Ms. Rosemary doesn’t have to come,” Ari sulked.

Mama smiled as she flipped an egg in the skillet. “I’d love that too, baby girl. But you know we can’t. Grown-ups have to work, remember?  Come eat your breakfast. Ms. Rosemary will be here soon.”

“I don’t want Ms. Rosemary. That’s why I don’t want you to go to work,” Aria said, crossing her arms and sticking out her bottom lip.

Mama and Papah exchanged a glance. This was familiar territory. As always, it tugged at their hearts, but some things just can’t be helped.

She sulked at the table, poking listlessly at her toast. She doesn’t like Ms. Rosemary. Ms. Rosemary always told her to eat her veggies, and never let her have cake until she finished all her food.

Ms. Rosemary didn’t let her play the way she wanted, either.

“Don’t draw on the walls, Aria.”
“Don’t pluck all the leaves from the garden, Aria.”
“Don’t eat the chalk, Aria.”
“Veggies before cake, Aria.”

It’s always “Don’t do this,”, or “Don’t eat that” whenever Ms. Rosemary was around.

Aria didn’t want to spend today with Ms. Rosemary. She wanted to play alone.

Poking at her toast, Aria’s frown deepened until a spark of inspiration lit her face. I’ll hypomosis Mama and Papah to forget me.

Then if they don’t remember me, they won’t call Ms. Rosemary.
I can play as much as I want and eat anything I want.
No one will say anything to me, because they won’t be able to see me.

She smiled to herself. Magic wasn’t over yet.