The Cherry Trees

Chapter Six: 2015

"Soup?"

I looked down at my bowl of chicken noodle soup and stirred it around with my spoon before nodding at Lexi. "I'm sick."

"Geez. That sucks. This would happen to you... first week of summer and all."

"Yeah, I know right. Just my luck."

Alice came wobbling through the door on her unsteady almost two- year- old legs. She came up to the side of the bed and reached up, wanting to accompany me.

"No, Alice, go back downstairs, I don't want to get you sick."

She made a pouty face, her lips scrunching up and her eyebrows furrowing, frowning at the idea of leaving me alone.

"That's nonsense. Get on up there Alice, you can do whatever you want," Lexi said, boosting her up beside me.

"Thanks," I said sarcastically.

"Hey, you're lucky."

I looked at her knowingly and then pulled Alice closer to me and patted what was left of the space on my bed. Lexi jumped on, sandwiching Alice between us.

"So, children, spreading germs are we?" Mom said, coming in through the door with two Advil.

Lexi nodded and flashed a smile. "It's our favorite thing to do as young grimy children."

"Well I don't want your mother to yell at me for allowing my young grimy children to pass along their germs. Go on home, Lexi."

"Mama G! You're kicking me out?" Lexi cried with false outrage.

"Yes Sista- L. You're going home," she said, handing me the Advil. I rolled my eyes at how weird my mom was.

"Fine. See you later Anne!" she took an exaggerated glance at the window, letting me know to unlock it so she could easily climb inside. I smiled internally at how outgoing she was and gave a discreet nod, so my mom couldn't see.

"Alright, you too Alice, it's time for your nap." She pulled Alice away from me and shifted her onto her hip. Alice frowned and reached one of her small hands out over Mom's shoulder.

I waved at her and sighed with happiness as the door closed and I was left with peace and quiet.

-

Surrounded by candles and a crowd that gave their undivided attention, the guy banged on the tightly stretched drum, decorated with strings of shells. He began to band louder and louder and then he opened his mouth and called my name in a strangely feminine voice.

I awoke with the start realizing that my mom was knocking on my door, and there was no cool Hawaiian guy playing the drums.

"Come in," I mumbled.

"You've got mail," she said, serving me some Saltines and Powerade on a breakfast tray, along with an envelope.

"From who?"

"I don't know. It was in the mailbox and all it had was your name on it."

"Cool," I said, digging into my "sick snack" and tearing open the envelope.

"Small sips, Anne!" my mom reminded me as she walked out the door. Whenever she said that it only made me thirstier.

I pulled the card out of the purple envelope and saw a bright yellow smiley face. I opened it up and inside it read:

Feel Better Soon!

From,

Luke

Wow. So sentimental.

"Hey, it's the thought that counts."

I jumped in surprise and felt my heart leap up out of my chest and then fall back down to my stomach until it finally resettled in its normal place.

"Lexi! Gosh you scared me half to death!" I said as she shut the window.

"You already look like you are half to death," she commented, noting my ill appearance. "When will you be better anyways? I'm getting bored. It's summer. Who get's sick in the summer!"

"Haven't we been over this already?"

"Yeah but this is an outrage! This shouldn't even count as summer yet. You need to convince your mom to give you a few extra days."

"Isn't Abbi around?"

"No. She's in Virginia or somewhere boring like that."

"Virginia is pretty!"

"I've never been. I'm so bored though! Come on just sneak out," she pleaded.

"I can't wait to see you in high school," I mumbled.

"What's that supposed to mean? " she said, snatching the envelope off my lap. "Now this, this is cute."

"It's very deep."

"Hey, I already told you- it's the thought that counts."

"Yeah, I know. Did you have something to do with this?"

"No, why?"

"Because you said that even before you read the letter."

"I can read your mind."

"Right."

"I can't, don't worry. But I can read your facial expressions. You aren't very good at masking your emotions."

"Not true!"

"It's very true."

"In that case why haven't you said anything yet?"

"Said anything about what?"

"About how offended you are."

"Why would I be offended?"

"Because right now my face should be telling you that you are very annoying," I said, knowing what was coming next.

"Oh no! No, no, no, no, no!" Lexi grabbed a pillow and shoved it on my face. Then she sat on it, practically suffocating me. Somehow I still managed to laugh.

"What in the Lord's name!" I heard my mom yell from the doorway.

"Oh, hi Mrs. Gallot," Lexi said.

"What are you doing!"

Lexi removed the pillow from my face. "She already looked half dead! I promise!"