Preston Greens

21. Lazy Mode

"There will be no school today for the Chapin school district. The severe storm from yesterday flooded the roads, not letting buses get through. There will be school tomorrow, though, folks. Please stay safe and we'll get back to you in a few minutes." 

I stirred my cereal. Mom and dad were in the kitchen, making some toast and cereal. "Well, what are we going to do today?" I asked dad. 

Dad didn't have to work today and neither did mom. The roads were really bad apparently, so nobody was going out today. I checked on Lisa earlier this morning, and she said everything was good and that they arrived home safely last night. I threw some cookies in a plastic bag over the fence, hoping it wouldn't get wet. The rain already stopped and so did the lightning, and that was a relief. 

"Today is a lazy day." Mom replied. Lazy days weren't my favorite, but they weren't that bad. This gave me a chance to clean up my room, since the men totally made my room into a mess. I went over to my restroom and took a nice, warm shower. I couldn't tell anyone how glad I was to have the electricity back on! I loved waking up in the morning ready to turn the lights on. I got out of the shower after a few minutes and dried off. I wrapped myself into a fluffy robe and went over to my closet, humming a random tune. I lit my favorite candle and inhaled its wonderful scent. I was very grateful my house didn't flood and that the power was back on. The only problem we experienced last night was that leak, and dad was going to try to fix it today, if there won't be any bugs out to eat him alive. 

I picked out some nice comfortable clothes to wear and put them on. I hung up my robe and then brushed my teeth, ready to start the day. I decided to start on the right side of the room and work towards the wall, so I started outing my books onto my bookshelf, which the men threw down carelessly. I grit my teeth at the thought of them. I then put my stuffed animals on their designated shelves and organized some of my stuff on my vanity. I brushed my hair and put it in a ponytail when I ran into the brush. I then made my bed and fixed my posters. 

After my room was sparkling clean and organized, I went over to dad's office, hoping he wouldn't mind me fixing his stuff. I put all of my baby pictures into its box and stacked all his papers he graded onto his desk. I vacuumed the carpet in all the rooms as well and hung up the pictures back onto the walls that the men took down. I lit some more candles to make the rooms smell good and went up to the attic (I save it for last) to go put everything in their boxes and rearrange the chairs. I hung up the twinkle lights and set the radio on the table. I dusted the shelves and wiped the window clean. 

I stared at that window for a very long time. I can't ever remember a time when those lace curtains weren't there. Mom and dad said Josie left them behind when they moved and that they were too pretty to throw away. I touched the perfect lace softly, seeing dust come off on my hand. I looked around this room and I felt like I was home, that maybe we were supposed to come across these problems and that we had them because we had to go through as a family to become stronger, make friendships last longer, and have more connection with others. 

I couldn't imagine living in another house other than this one. This was the place where I laughed, where I was happy, where I cried, where I got scared, where I got sick, and where I spent all thirteen birthdays. Standing right here made me feel comfortable. Maybe this house wasn't much, didn't meet people's standards or expectations, or didn't have the newest appliances, but it was somebody's home, and you should never tell someone their home is a disgrace or a piece of trash, because that will only show them you don't have a home like they do. This home was the most important to me, because it's my home, and it's my place.

 I stood there for a couple more minutes, thinking about my home, until dad climbed up here. When he saw me, he just stood there next to me and closed his eyes. 

"You know," I said quietly, "I never experience a moment where I'm not grateful for my home. I always feel cozy here and I don't want to leave any time soon. Maybe all the people will move out because of the news they received, but what they don't understand is that they came out alive, so why should they leave? Even if it makes them uncomfortable sometimes, it shows that they've lived long enough without noticing it or letting it bother them. All they're doing is running away from their problems, not facing them. Maybe I'm making assumptions, but that's why I'm up here, saying this, so nobody will tell me how to think or how to feel." 

Dad was still standing there, breathing in deeply. 

"We wanted to run away. We wanted to go, but it's your home, and we can't take that away from you. Maybe when you stand here you feel whole, but you must always remember that not even the closest possessions make you whole, but that the ones you love give you that feeling. Carly, when I stand in this place, I feel well. I feel like all my hard work was worth it, but when I stand here with you, the feeling is only greater, because you are the one that makes me feel whole. I love you more than anybody, even mom and grandma." Dad said.

I had heard that a million times. 

"I feel so lucky to be loved. I feel important. I feel that this house was here to take me under its wing, to protect me, but when I'm with you, the feeling is only greater. I feel lucky to be loved by you and mom and all my family members. Some people don't have it this way." I said.

 I heard dad walking around the room, finishing up my job. I went to his side to come and help him, but he shooed me away. I went to the other half of the room and saw lots of pictures. The men threw a lot of them out, so I put them in photo organizers and such. 

"Carly! Lunch is ready!" Mom called from downstairs. I was hungry, but dad wasn't. He continued putting things away and I walked over to the kitchen. 

"Hon, remember to go to Lisa's today. We are leaving to karate early and Lisa won't be home until 4. The roads are clearing up now, so I don't see why you wont have school tomorrow. Make sure you got all your homework done. Oh, and thank you so much, my sweet, for cleaning the whole house up. Just finished cleaning the kitchen, so don't worry about that. Here's a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so go on ahead and I'll get you some orange juice." Mom said. 

"Thanks ma." I said, eating my sandwich. I was really hungry. Mom seemed very chatty today and dad seemed to be in a thinking mood. Sometimes I think I'm more like my dad than my mom, probably because my mind was more complicated, but then again, I don't think anyone in the world has a mind like mine, I mean, my mind is all my own! I then heard a knock on the door. 

"Hey!" I said, seeming surprised. Charlie was standing there with rain boots and had some dancing shoes in his one hand, some CDs in the other. 

"Thought we could use today to practice." He said meekly. It was a little chilly today, so I let him in and made him set his rain boots outside. 

We went up to the attic where dad was still there, arranging things.

 "Dad, can we use this room for a few hours? We need to practice." I asked nicely. 

"Maybe you can go think in your office. I left a surprise for you." I added. 

Dad's ear always perked up when he heard the word "surprise." Dad loved surprises, just like me. 

"Sure, as long as you don't mess anything up or touch anything over here." Dad said, drawing an imaginary boundary with his finger. I kicked him out and closed the door to the stairs. I grabbed some high heel shoes in the corner that I left from our last practice and got the radio out. 

"Can I have the CDs?" I asked Charlie. 

He seemed awfully quiet today. He didn't say hi to mom or dad! For Charlie, that was crazy. 

"Sure." He said, passing the CDs over. I popped one in the machine and paused it. I sat down in nearby chair, putting my shoes on. 

"Why are you so quiet today?" I asked him.