whale on the Island

~Connections~

I can't even tell how many hours I've been up at this point. Deep cleaning this entire house, with old Hispanic bangers in the background has me spent. Andrew and Scarlet worked on the outside of the house. Cleaning up the porches. The electric company and movers came. So the street in front of our house packed with cars and U-hauls alerted the neighborhood of the newcomers.

Our front door is open since we still don't have the AC set up yet. It's so fucking hot, ama need three showers to feel clean after all this. "Hi?" I hear a lady's voice along with a knock at our front door. "Hello?" I respond wiping the sweat off my forehead. "Mom!" I shout.

"What!" I hear Mom shout back from the bathroom. "Come here!"

Mom comes out of the bathroom holding a bucket of supplies. "What Ava?!" Mom grits through her teeth. I just point at the lady and man standing by our open front door.

"Oh hi" Mom goes to her bright and cheerful persona. "Hi sorry to intrude, but we saw the U-haul truck and thought we should introduce ourselves. My name is Lana, and this is my husband Scooter" Lana points between her and Scooter. "We also brought you guys some food" Lana hands Mom a plastic Tupperware. "Oh wow, thank you so much. My name is Cherry, and this is my daughter Avalon" Mom introduces us. I just give a small awkward wave with a tight lip smile.

This is how Mom ends up knowing the whole goddamn neighborhood. Back at home so many random people will come up to me and know my whole life story. I would just smile back at them nodding at each thing they would say. Because I didn't fucking know them. Or I just don't remember them. But they would always know Mom.

"I have another daughter, Her name is Scarlet. She's out back with my Husband Andrew" Mom explains to Lana. Mom and Andrew aren't legally married. Andrew hates government shit, so they are married mentally. They even have rings. So in my book, they're married.

"Ah, that's wonderful. You seem to have a fulfilling household." Lana comments. Oh, Lana how right you are, but fulfilling of a headache. I just continue to clean as Mom and Lana talk more. Poor Scooter seems like he doesn't want to be here. But it's part of his husband's duties to be dragged along with the wife buddy.

At some point, Lana and Scooter take their leave. We moved the mattresses to our rooms. The rest of the morning is spent organizing our stuff in our rooms.

"Ava?" I hear Mom's voice with a knock on my door. "Yeah?"

She opens the door to my room holding the doorknob in her hands. "Once you're done here, take a shower and go look for work"

Jesus we just got here yesterday? I've been working for as long as I can remember, I do help with some bills plus my half of the car insurance for my car. I also cant forget I need money for my... hobbies. "Right, I still have to make time to change all the car stuff for the state of North Carolina"

Mom just gives me a small nod before closing my door. I finally finish up my room and go shower off all the sweat of the morning. "Can I come!" Scarlet pounds on the bathroom door. Can I ever do anything alone? Well, I did last night, Plus she hasn't had a chance to see anything other than the house. "Alright" I reply opening the bathroom door. Fuck I shouldn't have smoked before agreeing to bring her. It's one thing to drive under the influence alone, but another to be a horrible big sister and compromise her safety.

Whatever I'll just drive extra careful. We get into my old beat-up grey Mazda protege. I put on the GPS to our first location which is Heyward's Seafood. I really hate seafood, but money is money. As long as I don't have to eat it I'll be fine. "Can I put on music?"

I hand Scarlet the Aux cord. Scarlet and have similar music tastes so I'm just jamming to the music as I drive. I'm driving super slow going around 20 MPH. I'm still high so I'm just trying to be extra careful. From the corner of my eye, I see a blondie head of hair running towards the street. I pressed my breaks hard but it was too late. I hear what I assume is me hitting the person.