Take My Soul

Chapter 17- The Roberts Family

"Leslie, come on, we have to go!" My mom's enthusiastic voice reverberated through the hallways of our home. The excitement in her tone was palpable, and I could feel my heart racing along with hers as we prepared to embark on a trip to our vacation house. Today, we were scheduled to meet the Roberts, our longtime family friends, in just forty minutes. As I hurriedly gathered my belongings, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of nervousness in my stomach. It had been a while since we last met, and I couldn't help but wonder if things had changed. We had spent the last winter break together, celebrating Christmas and New Year's, as we always do. The memories of those happy times flooded my mind, reminding me of all the fun we had. But now, as we prepared to see them again, I couldn't help but feel guilty for not staying in touch. It had been two or three months since we last spoke, and I couldn't help but wonder if they were disappointed in me for not keeping in touch. As I rushed out of the door, I was filled with a sense of anticipation and guilt, hoping for the best but fearing the worst.

The car rumbled to life as my dad excitedly asked, "Are you guys ready?" We all responded affirmatively, but my mom's response was the loudest. At only 37 years old, she still had the energy of a teenager, especially when it came to seeing her best friend, the Roberts family. Although I was happy for her, I couldn't help but wonder if she was eager to see them yet again. We were all excited to see them, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of nervousness. I wondered if they still liked me or if something had changed since the last time we saw them. The car started moving, and we set off on our journey to our vacation house. The sound of the engine filled my ears as we drove down the road, and I could feel the wind whipping through my blonde hair. We had exactly forty-one minutes until we arrived, and I couldn't wait to see what the day held in store.

Over the past two weeks, I have been on a mission to purchase everything that I need for my upcoming vacation house stay with the Roberts family. I wanted to make sure that I had all the essentials, and I had a lot of planning to do. I decided to go shopping and spent a total of $656.78 from my savings. While it was a bit of a splurge, I knew that I was making a smart investment in myself and my comfort. During my shopping spree, I was able to snag some amazing deals and get my hands on some fantastic new pieces. I picked up two gorgeous jackets that were perfect for the chilly winter weather, two stunning dresses for those special occasions, and four pairs of shoes that included boots, heels, running shoes, and even UGGs! I also made sure to get some comfy tops, sweatshirts, leggings, sweatpants, and all the favorite snacks of each of the Roberts brothers. I didn't want to leave anyone out! One of the most exciting parts of my shopping trip was finding a special gift for James. I can't give too much away, but I'm sure he'll love the thoughtful surprise I have in store for him. Overall, I'm thrilled with my purchases and the great deals that I was able to get. All of the clothes I bought were on sale, so I saved quite a bit of serious money while still getting everything that I needed.

As we were headed to meet Emily, my mom began to tell me for the umpteenth time the story of how she met her best friend. It was a story that I had heard many times before and had grown tired of. Nevertheless, my mom seemed eager to narrate it again. She started by saying, "Back in high school, when I was a junior, I decided to wear this fuzzy sweater that had the words 'I'm perfect and you're just jealous' on it." She then paused and laughed, acknowledging the absurdity of her teenage self's fashion choices.

She was eating her lunch alone, as she claimed to be too classy to sit with anyone else. However, the truth was that she had no friends at the time. Sorry, Mom, but you have to face the ugly truth. The truth hurts. She then spotted Emily, who was also sitting alone and wearing the same sweater. My mom approached her and they shared a moment of connection, laughing together like maniacs. From that day on, they became inseparable and started sitting together for lunch and hanging out regularly, and eventually became the best of friends.

My mom ended her story with a wide, slightly creepy smile that I had grown accustomed to over the years, which always gave me chills. Despite hearing this story countless times, I couldn't help but appreciate the bond that my mom and Emily had formed over the years.

Then, she started talking about the clothes she recently purchased. However, to my dismay, it became evident that she still had a poor sense of fashion. My eyes involuntarily rolled as she mentioned her love for embellished denim skirts. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, I mentally face-palmed myself and decided to give her a few tips on how she could improve her fashion sense. I talked about the importance of choosing the right colors, wearing clothes that fit well, and accessorizing appropriately. To my surprise, my Mom listened intently and nodded along as I spoke. She even said that she understood fashion better now and looked out of the window, deep in thought. I couldn't help but feel proud of myself for helping my Mom improve her fashion sense.

As the car drove closer to our vacation house, I found myself lost in thought, staring out the window. The sight of the familiar black SUV parked outside our holiday home caught my attention, and my heart began to beat faster with a sense of anticipation. Eventually, my dad pulled the car to a stop, and my eyes remained fixed on the SUV as he parked next to it.

Despite my eagerness to get out of the car and start our vacation, I felt a sense of reluctance and unease that kept me slumped in my seat. I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right and I found myself dreading the idea of stepping out of the car and facing the Roberts family.