After Us

Chapter Six

On Sunday morning my whole family went to my aunt's house for supper. We haven't done it in over a year and it used to be our weekend tradition but stopped once we got older and busier. Despite being older and having things to do my mom insisted we came. I loved my Aunt Sarah's house. It was bright, white, fresh, and clean. Plants everywhere and beautifully decorated. I want my house to be just like she's when I'm older.

"Come on in, don't be shy!" My Aunt Sarah said opening the door, arms wide ready for hugs. We are hugged her one by one. Even Austin, the person who hates hugs and won't hug anyone apart from his girlfriend. Surprising actually that he even hugs her.

We went outside for drinks and appetizers, just sitting around and chatting, enjoying the warm weather and one another's company. I gave Aunt Sarah the scoop on my life at the moment and even she agreed that earning money gardening was tough.

"You should've come here and worked for me. I would have paid you just to hang out with me." She giggled. My brothers were in the house doing God knows what, my mom and dad were with Uncle Mark. It was nice just to spend some time with my Aunty who I hadn't seen in ages. "So," she began, "any boys?"

As soon as she asked that question, I immediately thought of Miles. I was surprised. Normally when people mention boys I would think of Ben and all the times we had together. But this time, I thought Miles. It's been three days since we hung out and I still hadn't asked my parents about going away with him, I was scared to ask them even though I wanted to go. I decided I'd do it tonight.

"No, not at the moment." I smirked, "One of my best friends Miles who moved away when we were in eighth grade came back to visit this summer. He invited me to go on a little one-week trip with him back to his town but I haven't asked mom or dad yet."

"You should go along, Ann. That would be so fun, how far away is it?" She asked picking up her red wine and taking a nibble of cheese.

"Only five hours away." I say, "I don't think Mom or dad will let me through."

Aunt Sarah almost spilled her wine, "Won't let you go?" She laughed. "When we were teenagers, your mum always told me about how much she'd always wanted to go on a trip with friends. Surely she'd let you go ahead live her dream."

"I'm afraid that they just won't understand and it'll be a plain and simple flat out no," I say quietly.

"Leave that to me, hun, I'll manage to persuade her." I smiled with relief. If there's one person who could convince them it was my Aunty. "Besides, I'm the older sister." She says in a bossy teacher's which makes us both laugh.

Later on, we have dinner and it felt so heartwarming to hear Uncle Mark's stories about his old climbing adventures again. It all felt like old times again, a mix of comfort and nostalgia to be with family who looked out for me and known and loved me for a lifetime. On the road home I thought about Miles and the trip. Had Aunt Lecia already talked to mom? If so, was mom going to let me go? After all these years of longing for a fun trip and something out of the normal humdrum, I just had to go.

I sat in bed reading another, lost in one of my favorite love stories, Pride and Prejudice when there was a knock on my door. Mom came in with a cup of tea in her hand. She came in and placed it on my bedside table. "Thought you might need a cuppa." She said. I put my book to the side.

I thanked her and took a sip. I always loved tea before bed.

"So," she says, "Auntie Sarah told me about your summer plans." This conversation caught me off guard and I wasn't prepared with my explanation. "It's for a week?" She asked.

I stumbled for words, "Yeah, it's for just under a week and then I'll be home." I say. She doesn't look too convinced so I start to worry. Dad appears at the door with a smirk.

"What are we chatting about?" He asks. He looks like he's in a good mood, which was weird considering how stressed he's been during this week with work and once again, about his favorite subject, money.

"Annie wants to go with Miles to his dad's town for a week. Aunt Sarah told me today that you were longing to go."

"Miles? Just Miles. Just the two of you?" Dad repeats almost as he needs it all explaining again.

"Yes, and it's only for five days," I say, this time more slowly and clearly, hoping that he will understand.

"Annalise you're sixteen years old, you can't just go off with some random boy." He says. His tone had shifted and suddenly he sounded serious and scolding.

My stomach twisted with frustration. I hated how for this past week dad had been shut away in his office working and now that he suddenly appeared this was all he had to say to me. I always hated how he used my age as an excuse for absolutely everything. "Miles isn't some random boy, I'll have you know. You remember him from middle school, and, I'm sixteen, not a kid anymore. I'm independent and mature for my age, you know that."My room starting to feel it was heating up. It was late at night and my head was spinning with emotions that I could no longer contain.

"No," my dad leans more comfortably on the door frame, "I'm sorry Ann but you're not going and that's final."

My mom rubs my leg for comfort but it didn't feel like that at all. "Maybe some other time we can do something together." She says. I couldn't believe it, once again she was agreeing with my dad on such a stupid decision. I pushed her hand off my leg.

"Why?" I yelled, "I have nothing else to do this summer! Nothing." My parents stayed silent and it looked like my words were nothing but a light breeze to them. "This is my chance to go and have fun, are you seriously not letting me?" Tears welled in my eyes.

My dad laughed, "Ann come on." Why the hell was he laughing? I was so upset.

"Get out of my room," I screamed. My dad rolled his eyes and just left. I can't believe that was the first thing he said to me in so long. He was so selfish and I was so done with it. They had no sense of how I actually might feel about this. They weren't putting themselves in my shoes. "Just go, mom," I shout and she just leaves. They sat alone in my room feeling alone, empty, and upset. The tears I was holding back started to roll down my cheeks. I had no more energy left inside, trying to find the perfect summer. I felt like absolute shit.