“Thanks, Mr. Crunkle.” Artemis waves to the school bus driver as she gets off the bus.

The past four months have been nice and unbelievable. She watches as her school bus drives off, before crossing the street. She was heading towards her adopted mother’s garage.

She was still recovering from the surgery she had to have to her groin area. She got the surgery before school started, so it wouldn’t interfere with her schooling. She was still adjusting to the fact that she was really a girl after being raised as a boy.

On top of that, she had to get glasses as well. The eye doctor she was taken too, said she was nearsighted. Which explained why she had so many problems playing football and in school.

She walks into her adopted mother’s auto repair garage. She noticed Elizabeth wasn’t working the office today, but Sarojini was.

“Hi, Sarojini.” As Artemis walks into the office.

Sarojini looks up from some paperwork she was working on when she hears Artemis’s voice. A smile appears on her face “how was your day?”

“It was nice. I got teased because of my looks by some of the older kids, but I don’t mind.” Artemis had switched schools after Roxana had adopted her.

Her new school was a lot nicer and newer. However, there were a group of older students that liked to pick on the new students and take their lunch money. When one of them saw her, they teased her about her baby looks. She may be fifteen years old now, but she still looks like she was ten years old.

“You know if it continues, you should tell your teacher.” Sarojini knew what it was like to be teased and picked on because of her looks. She had an American father and a Japanese mother.

She used to be teased a lot by the Asian students in her old high school and by the American students as well. She was lucky that her older brother went to the same high school as she did and was on the football team. After he and some of his teammates beat a few of the bullies up. She hasn’t been teased as much anymore.

“I will. This school has a no bully tolerance policy and you’ll be suspended if you're found guilty.” Artemis knew the school principal uses to be a police officer and the vice principal use to be a schoolteacher.

Artemis walks over to her mother’s desk and sits down in her chair. She slips her sneakers off and takes her homework out to work on it. A smile appears on her face as she looks at the picture her mother had sitting on her desk. It was from her fifteenth birthday party. Her mother and aunt Stacy took her horseback riding. She had never ridden one before and they had friends that owned some horses.

She loved the birthday party that her mother’s friend put together for her. There had been cowboys and cowgirls there that did tricks for her. She went on a hay bale ride later in the night. She just loved everything that took place that day.

One of the cowgirls gave her, her hat. Sometimes she wears it whenever they go out or visit her mother’s friend. Her aunt Stacy makes sure she always has nice clothes. Sometimes they even go to the thrift store and buy clothes that her aunt Stacy can repurpose into a new outfit.

Roxana finishes washing her hands and heads towards her office. She wanted to check on Artemis and check something on her computer about removing a part off a customer’s car. She spots Artemis sitting at her desk busy with her homework.

“Watch you working own, sweety?” Roxana looks over Artemis’s shoulder.

“Algebra. Mrs. Thompson has assigned us four pages of Algebra problems to do. But we're supposed to only do the odd problems. Also, were to show step by step how we solved it.” Artemis hated doing Algebra.

Roxana knew Artemis hated doing Algebra. It wasn’t one of her strong points.

“Well, doesn’t that Microsoft math program show you how to solve the problem?” At first, Roxana had been against Artemis using it. Her cousin Stacy had bought the program for Artemis to help her out with her math classes.

“Yes ma’am, but my laptop is at home. Your computer doesn’t have it.” Artemis leans her head back to look at Roxana.

“I forgot about that. If you have any problems, you should ask Sarojini to help you. She’s good with numbers.” Roxana knew Sarojini and Elizabeth had PHDs in a lot of math-related degrees.

“I will and thanks, mom.” Artemis knew Roxana loved it when she called Roxana, mom.

“Now that we have that problem solve, can you scoot over so I can look up something?”

“Yes ma’am.” Artemis scoots over so her mother could use the computer.

Artemis watches her mother as she brings up her auto repair program that gives her detail on any part she needs to replace and order. She watches as her mother goes through several screens and finds what she was looking for.

“Damn! It’s a dealer part only.” Roxana hated that. It meant she will have to adjust the cost of the repair because of the expense of the part.

“Is it expensive, mom?” Artemis looks at her mother.

“Unfortunately, yes. Even if I sell the part at cost. The repair bill will be more than I quoted Mr. Bruner.” Roxana straightens up and looks at the part. She prints the part and costs out.

“Sarojini, I need for you to call Mr. Bruner after we locate the part and tell him we have to increase the cost of the repair.”

“He isn’t going to like that, Roxana.” Sarojini knew how Mr. Bruner was going to react.

“There’s nothing we can do about it. I’m going to lose money on this job.” Roxana hated losing money on a repair.

“What should I tell him?” Sarojini looks at Roxana.

“Tell him we are giving him the part at our cost. We’re not making anything on this job.”

“Alright.” Sarojini pulls the work order up to get the number.

“Here’s the part number.” Roxana hands the printout to Sarojini.

Sarojini accepts the printout and starts calling the different auto deaalers. She writes down the cost for them on a notepad she pulled out of her desk.

“Well, I better get back to work.” Roxana walks away from her desk.

Artemis just smirks as she watches her mother walk away. She knew her mother would do everything possible for her customers. She always tries to be fair and give her customers the best service.

Artemis goes back to working on her homework. She hated doing Algebra, but it had to be done. She had to stop a few times to get Sarojini’s help on three problems. When Sarojini helped her, she spotted a few mistakes on a few others. She had to go back and correct those problems.

By seven o’clock Sarojini starts closing the shop up. Most of the mechanics had either left or were changing.

“Time to put your schoolbooks away, Artemis.” Roxana comes walking into the office wiping her hands.

“Okay, mom.” Artemis closes her schoolbooks and puts them back in her backpack.

Artemis looks at her mother “are we stopping somewhere for dinner?”

“Nope, your aunt Stacy has made dinner and said it should be done by the time we get home.” Roxana was glad her cousin Stacy made dinner. She wasn’t in the mood to stop anywhere to pick up anything.

“Cool, I like Aunt Stacy’s cooking.” Artemis likes teasing her mother.

“What? You don’t like my cooking?” Roxana looks at Artemis with a surprised look on her face.

“Mom, the last time you cooked baked beans, you burned the bottom of the pot they were in. The beans had a smokey taste to them.”

“Oh, now I see how it is young lady. I burned the beans only one time.”

A smirk appears on Artemis’s face as she hefts her backpack onto her back. She knew her mother needed to arm the security system.

“Stand still.” Roxana watches as the alarm goes green.

Roxana puts her security code in, to armed it. She turns the lights out on her way out of the shop. She hears the shop beep as the alarm arms itself.

“Come on kiddo, let's get you home and feed you.” Roxana gets into her pick-up truck and unlocks the passenger side for Artemis to get in.

She waves goodbye to Sarojini as she watches her get in her car. Once Sarojini was in her car and pulling out of the parking lot. Roxana pulls out and heads home.

When Artemis and Roxana walk into the house, a sweet, nice aroma hits their noses. “Something smells nice.”

They follow the aroma to the kitchen and spot Stacy pulling a covered pan out of the oven. They saw that the rest of the meal was ready and in serving bowls.

“What’s for dinner, Aunt Stacy?” Artemis was feeling hungry.

“Korean barbeque ribs.” Stacy uncovers the ribs and the aroma in the kitchen intensifies.

“Sweet. I’ll go and put my backpack in my bedroom.” Artemis turns to leave.

“Don’t take too long, Artemis. Dinner is ready.” Stacy watches as Artemis walks off.

“Here let me help you, cousin.” Roxana walks over to help Stacy.

“Have you noticed how much happier Artemis has been since you adopted her?” Stacy has been keeping an eye on her new niece.

“Yes, I have. Before she was a miserable little girl, who didn’t know who she was. Now, she is a happy young girl who has a loving mother and a loving aunt.”

“What can I say, I spoil her.”

“That you do, cousin.” Roxana carries some serving bowls out to the dining room table.