A Troubled Life

Chapter 4

The following day Mia goes with her mother to the store, she holds a long written grocery list and helps gather some of the items for her mom. Aisle by aisle she checks off items from the list.

"Chicken, pepper, butter....and esparagus?" she says to herself as she counts them in the cart.

"Hey mom I think this is everything, is there anything I missed or you didn't write down that we need?"

"Aside from things for this week's dinners we have everything we need" her mom replies. "You can go pick out a drink or candy if you want to before we go."

"Thanks mom" Mia says with a smile.

She walks out of the aisle and down the main path of the store down to the sections of candies and snacks. She examines her choices before picking up a small plastic container filled with a mix of nuts, raisins, and chocolates. She walks off and finds her mother at the back of one of the lines, and she helps her mom with loading the groceries into the bags. Afterwards the two drive home and Mia puts the groceries away.

Across the city Kira is in her backyard laying in a hammock. Her left leg hanging over the edge as her toes brush over the blades of grass, and her arms lay above her as she rocks side to side. She woke up earlier that day and had a bad start, her father found out she had failed her college classes and had to drop out or repay for the classes to try again. He was furious with her and scolded her for not trying hard enough. Kira stormed off from him and went outside where she lays in the hammock for hours.

She sits up after hearing her parent's car leave the house, and with a smile that she's rid of them for the time being she goes back inside. Kira goes to the kitchen for some lunch and texts Ruby. And a half hour later the two girls are walking along the city streets, Ruby helps Kira to clear her mind from the morning as they enter a bar. After a couple hours of mild drinking they leave and walk to a park, watching happy families interact with each other and having a good time.

"You feeling better Kira?" Ruby asks.

"A lot better, thanks Ruby. Hey I always meant to ask but are you and Sam living together yet?" she asks.

"I planned on it but with student loans still in the way he can't really set money aside for moving to a bigger place. And I wouldn't think my parents would have him move in" Ruby replies. "What about you? Do you have anyone you're with?"

"Have you even met my dad? He would never allow me to be with a guy" she says. "Or a girl."

"I see, well in that case you might want to move out someday" Ruby says. "Besides I'm pretty sure Mike's got his eyes set on you."

"I know he does, he may look all cool and relaxed but he's scared of talking to me one on one" Kira tells her. "I'll just wait until he approaches me first."

"If that's what you want girl, go for it" Ruby says and looks at her watch. "I need to be getting back home, I need to get dressed for tonight."

"Is it Sam?" she asks."Yeah" Ruby replies. "It's our date night."

"Have fun Ruby, I'll call you for the details when I can" Kira says. "See ya."

Kira lays down on the park bench after Ruby leaves, she closes her eyes as a cold breeze flows past her as the sun starts to set. She can hear cars start up and shut down as people come and leave, and after a few minutes she hears a couple familiar laughs. She sits up and sees Aron and Sandra in the distance as they walk along the edge of the park.

"I wonder what they're up to" she says to herself, standing up to follow them.

Kira walks behind them at a distance and listens as they talk.