Moments with you!

Hope for all.

Today was one of those cold days of August and bundling up was definitely needed when walking to the town.

My mother has sent me off to buy bread. We don't normally have bread but my mother sews dresses for a living so she gets paid alittle bit of money. Ever since my father left my mother as learned how to be the provider of the family and what it meant to work hard. She made lovely dresses, some with vibrant colors that shone from miles away, and others with simple black features with maybe a hint of blue or yellow stitched in some sort of fancy pattern. She was Brilliant when it came to that.

I was hoping that I might see James today in the town, just hoping for some vision of him. But in some way I felt like I was wasting my time.

I strolled down the dirt road passing wagons and horse men , and some ladies and their children also passing small homes that the closer I got to town grew bigger and bigger.

Soon I was on the cobblestone paths of the town making my way to the baker. I loved coming to town everyone here was so cheerful and happy to be living life, it was such a nice change from home where your mother is depressed and your brother is mentally insane. I swear if we gave my brother to the circus they would except him. I would see his shows just to laugh at how stupid he looked in a clown suit. But I did love my brother he is the reason we are all so happy, the reason my mum smiles everyday and doesn't just loaf around and complain about her life. She stays happy for him, and that's what I tried my best to do as well.

Jake was only 10 and was still confused as to why father left and why he wasn't coming back. But I never had the strength to tell him he didn't love us anymore, I didn't have the strength to say that father is to busy away at work to write a birthday card to him. It brought tears to my eyes just thinking of Jake's little face watching out the window for fathers wagon to appear in our yard once again. I couldn't stand to look at him. But being the older sister I had to be responsible and show him that life isn't always Happy, that life is hard.

As I was thinking this I heard my name being called. So I turned my head in the direction of the voice. As I did I saw My best friend melody coming towards me with a huge smile on her face.

"Hey!" She says as she approaches me still with a big smile playing on her face making the dimples around her mouth show.

"Hi!" I replied returning her with a smile and a hug

"How are you doing?" She asked me

"Well I was Just buying some Bread for my Mum" I said pointing to the corner where is as headed "What are you doing in town today?"

"Well I was delivering some shoes to the shoe repairer" she response with joy in her voice as she looks down at the tattered shoes in her hands.

"Oh poor things" I says laughing a little between the words.

"Yeah fathers been working to hard I guess" she laughed along with me. " can I join you down to the corner I was on my way down there anyways?!" She asks with much excitement how could I say no?

"Of course!" I reply smiling brightly back to her and we begin down the road.....

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As we made out way into the small bakery we are greeted with an aroma of beautiful smells.

The different spices fill the air and the smell of freshly cooked bread mixed with it. It made me smile and just breath in and out for a couple of minutes.

"Hey!!.... Look who it is my two favorite girls!!" A voice calls breaking the wonderful smelling moment.

"Hey Mark!!" Melody says

Approaching the counter as I follow behind her

"Hey Mark!!" I call to him smiling!

"What can I get for you girls" he asks as he arranges some things on his counter and then looks up at us .

"I need some bread for my Mum" I say handing him the small amount of change I had.

Mark takes the small amount from my hands and frowns at it. He moves his eyes from the money to me his worried look troubled me.

"This will only get you maybe a quarter of the loaf." He confirms.

Looking away I knod my head.

" that will have to do for now "

"Hey! Look at this Lia!" Melody says grabbing my attention. She points me to a page of the news paper she was flipping through.

University of Art.

I began to read the column making me more interested. You see I love to paint and I really want to fulfill my dream to become a well known painter, and schooling is just the way to get there.

I began to read the article on the school and it appeared very nicely perfect for a 19 year old just out of school and looking for a job. They provided rooms at the school for the students. It was absolutely perfect.

But there was only one thing to perfection..... The cost of it all.

Sure it all sounded lovely and it would be a Hell of a good experience but like I said before. My family is on the poor side and I couldn't afford something like that.

"That is so cool isn't it!?" melody smiles at me.

"Yeah it is but..... Mel I can't afford it"

Her smile fades away and she folds the paper up.

"They have student loans." Someone says from infront of us. As we fling our heads up we realize it is mark.

"What?" I asked confused as he passes me my bread. I turn to melody who just shrugs her shoulders saying I don't know what he is talking about.

" student loans.... It's this new thing where you go there for free but you take out a loan from the school to attend and you pay it off through the year." Mark confirms

"Really!" I say excited that is so cool

Melody turns and smiles at me.

That's the coolest thing I have ever heard of.

I thank Mark for the bread and we exit the store I say goodbye to melody as we part and continue my way back home.

Wow! I can't believe what just happened I might be able to go to art school after all....

My dream is finally coming true.....