Blocks and Balloons at the Grand Hotel
Gemma sat on the soft rug inside the Hotel Balcony Suite. Her wooden airplane puzzle was finally finished, its pink tail piece shining in the morning sun. Lola sat right next to her, patting the smooth wooden wings with a happy sigh.
Knock, knock! Mom opened the door with a big smile. 'Gemma, some special friends are downstairs,' Mom said, holding out her hand. Gemma jumped up, her pink shoes squeaking on the floor. Lola trotted quickly behind them.
They rode the elevator down to The Grand Lobby. The floor was shiny like a mirror. Dad was already there, waving his arms. Beside him stood two new people, smiling warmly at Gemma as she stepped into the big room.
'Gemma, this is Megan and Adam,' Dad said. Megan bent down so she was just Gemma's size. She wore a lovely dress covered in tiny pink flowers. Gemma reached out and touched one painted petal on Megan's sleeve.
Adam waved with a big, friendly grin. His hair was very cool, shaved smooth on the sides and slicked back on top. 'Hi, Gemma! Hi, Lola!' Adam said in a bouncy voice. Lola gave a polite little chirp.
Megan pointed toward the glass doors. 'We have a surprise for you in the garden,' she whispered. Gemma's cheeks went pink with excitement. She took Adam's hand with one side of her mind, feeling very social and ready.
They walked out into The Hotel Garden. The grass was bright green and felt soft under Gemma's shoes. In the middle of the lawn sat a pile of The Giant Blocks. They were pink, blue, and yellow foam.
'Let's build an airport!' Gemma declared. She wanted to do it herself. She grabbed a huge pink block, hugging it tight against her tummy. It was almost as big as she was, but she carried it carefully.
Adam helped by bringing the yellow blocks. 'Here comes the runway!' he cheered, laying them in a straight line. Gemma giggled and patted the blocks down. Lola sat on a blue block, pretending to be the pilot.
Megan made a loud roaring sound. 'Zoom! The imaginary airplane is landing!' she cried, flying her hands through the air. Gemma clapped her hands, her face shining with pure joy. The game was so much fun.
Dad and Mom joined the circle, sitting on the warm grass. They built a tall tower next to the runway. Gemma watched carefully, figuring out how to balance a small block right on top of a big one.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew through the garden. A yellow leaf drifted down from the big tree and landed right on Lola's nose. Lola sneezed, and everyone burst into big, happy laughter that filled the warm air.
After playing, they all sat together in the shade. Gemma felt warm, cozy, and very tired. She leaned her head against Mom's shoulder, watching the clouds move slowly across the blue sky like giant white balloons.
Gemma looked down at the grass near her shoe. A tiny ladybug with three black spots was climbing slowly up a single blade of green grass. Gemma watched it go up and up, feeling completely safe and happy.
