The Start of Everything After

Rainflower

The next day at practice Lucas asks us to all sit down. "Okay, I want everyone to run three miles easily. Soccer is first and foremost running. You all need to be in shape enough that you can run up and down the field again and again without getting tired. My players will have endurance. Today you are to start at just two and a half miles. Go!"

Lucas stops me as I'm walking to the track, "You are the lucky one, you are going to run three for talking back to me yesterday."

"Thank you." I say, sarcastically.

"Four." he says "Talk back again and I'll make it five." Oh it's on I think.

It's Sunday, Saturday went by in a blur. The only thing I have to show for it is the big bruise on my upper thigh and one on my hip I got when I fell off my bed sometime in my sleep. The funny thing is that somehow it didn't even wake me. I just awoke yesterday morning on the ground. Go figure. But unfortunately I bruise like a peach. I wonder why the phrase isn't bruise like a banana, because that makes more sense.

I head to work at the local grocery store, Rainflower, which is undoubtedly as hippie as it sounds. All the more to love. I've worked there for as long as I can remember. Kacie's dad owns the store so it was pretty darn inevitable that I would work there. Before I could legally work I just helped out, doing odd jobs like bagging, stocking shelves, or stamping on boxes for the bailer. I loved it, and then when I turned fifteen Kacie's dad offered me a part time position. It was a no brainer. I was thrilled then, and still am.

When I walk in the door, and I know it sounds silly, but to me it feels like home. It smells nostalgic, like herbal shampoo and peaches and palo santo and everything good in my life.

Kacie's dad Dave has been a second dad to me. He was the one who taught me how to bike. He was the one who took me to the emergency room when I cut my finger on a shard of glass. He was the one who held my hand as I got stitches. He even took me with him and Kacie to the father daughter dance in fifth grade. He was always there for me. I feel so blessed to have him in my life.

Kacie's mom is out of the picture. She split as soon as Kacie was two. Being a mom wasn't her cup of tea I guess. Last I heard she was the manager of some expensive hotel in Capeside, Massachusetts. Random enough but I know better; it's about as far away as she could get without fleeing the country.  

My whole childhood Kacie and I dreamt that one day our parents would wake up and realize they were madly in love with each other, marry and then we would truly be sisters. Of course it never happened and would never happen but we could dream.

Once when we were seven I dressed up as my mom and she dressed up as her dad. We both stole our parents' clothes. I still remember exactly what Kacie and I were wearing. I had nabbed my favorite blouse of my mom's, it was plum purple with beading to match the fabric being six and not knowing what to choose to go along with it I picked penguin pajama bottoms. Kacie following suit chose her dad's red and black flannel and his sky blue swim trunks with yellow duckies on them. I guess there was an animal theme going on. And man were we a sight for sore eyes. We had our stuffed animals officiate the ceremony. We even wrote vows. I can't remember what they said but they were as earnest as two seven year olds wishing to be sisters could possibly be. We kissed each other on the cheek. And that was it; a memory to last a lifetime.

I shake my head to clear the image. I park, grab my backpack, my thermos of lavender rose tea with a splash of oat milk and a drop of honey. What can I say; I'm a sucker for yummy tea. I walk in the door. The heat greets me and I welcome it. One of the things I love about Rainflower is that it's always the perfect temperature. In the summer it's always a nice break from the blaring heat and in the fall and winter it's cozy and warm. It's tiny so it doesn't take much to cool it down or heat it up.