Lavender & Moss

I

As the raindrops danced on the car window, Ianna couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.

"So mom just decided she didn't want me anymore." The girl spoke, the only other sound being the rain hitting the glass and an occasional boom of thunder.

"You know it's not like that. Your mom just.. Needs some help right now and this is what's best for you." Her aunt calmly explained as she drove them through the town. The big, tall evergreens passed them by out the window. She was bitter. Afterall this was the start of her senior year and she just had to pack up and move to a completely different state, leaving behind all of her friends and everything she knew.

I guess you could see it as a fresh start but Ianna had nothing to run from. No reason to start over.

The rest of the ride was quiet and they eventually pulled into the driveway of a small two- story white house. Typical of houses in Oregon it was surrounded by pines and came with a comfy feel to it.

Her aunt helped her take her bags in and showed her to what had been the guest room previously.

"We'll work on making this space your own, I promise. I want you to feel at home here, okay?" Her aunt told her as the woman stood in the doorway of the room and let the girl look around.

"I had my own space." The girl sighed, not to be difficult but it was just that she had a room that she had decorated just how she liked. She had used the money from her bakery job to buy decor and things she liked.

"Well... I'll give your mom money to pack up your things and ship them here. Really, Ianna. Whatever we have to do. I know this isn't easy on you." Her aunt was understanding and she loved her for that. The woman pulled her niece into a hug. "You know, I took today off work to get you settled in... What do you say after dinner we go get some things to get a head start with?" Ianna smiled at the woman and gave her a small nod before she left the girl to unpack.

She put her toiletries into the bathroom before putting her folded jeans into the wooden dresser that sat against the far wall of the room. She put away the clothes that she could, but didn't have any hangers so left some in her suitcase for now.

"I figured you could have the rest of the week to get settled in before you start school next week. I work nightshift on Friday so I can take you in the morning to finish up all the paperwork and stuff for your classes." Her aunt spoke as they sat down on stools at the island to eat a pasta dish that her aunt, Becca, had made. The TV played in the background behind them since the livingroom was connected to the kitchen.

The kitchen was kept very neat. All of the bowls and plates seemingly matched with everything being baby blue. The stainless steel appliances made the kitchen look timeless. And the white and grey marbled island and countertops pulled everything together.

It wasn't a terrible place to call home. She would just miss all of the things that had grown familair to her over the years.

Leaving behind your whole life is never easy.

Dinner with her aunt was nice, truth be told she and her mom never really had dinner together. Maybe when she was younger but ever since she turned fifteen everything was left up to her to take care of herself. She would get up, go to school, come home and do homework in her room or at the library then make herself some dinner and eat alone before getting ready for bed and doing it all over. So maybe this change wasn't such a bad thing.

After dinner was over she and her aunt went into town and to the store to pick out some decor like her aunt had told her.

She didn't get a ton of things, keeping in mind that her aunt said there was a possibility to get her own items from home.

When they got back to the house Ianna spent some time hanging up the rest of her clothes with the hangers she picked up while out.

She threw a couple of decorative pillows on the bed and hung a few things up on the walls. The gold decor she picked out went with the baby blue theme her aunt had painted the house in nicely.

A soft knock was heard at the door before she heard her aunt's voice, "Nizhóní"

"Thank you." She gave her aunt a small smile as she turned towards her.

"Your mom never worked hard to keep the culture around for you, did she?" The woman knew her neice knew where she had came from and some of the culture and language but to be far Ianna's mother wasn't ever necessarily fit to be a mother and after the girl's dad had passed everything went further downhill from there.

Becca was just sad she hadn't gotten the girl sooner.

"Ahéhee'" The girl responded, showing a bit of her knowledge. It put a smile on her aunt's face.

"I know we just got you some stuff but you're also welcome to anything in the house. Im heading to bed but if you need anything you know where to find me." Becca told her. The girl nodded. "Yá'át'ééh hiiłchi'į'"

"Night."

After showering and getting ready for bed Ianna layed down quietly and stared at the ceiling for what felt like ages, rethinking her whole life and how she got to this point.

None of it was her fault of course but it didn't stop her from thinking about what she could've done differently.

Eventually she drifted off to sleep late in the night.