Memories

Chapter 3

I carry the last suitcase downstairs to the other one and the box. I then take all of them out and wait there for the bus. While I'm waiting I'm thinking about grandma. We talked yesterday before we went to sleep and said our goodbyes then, because she went somewhere today morning.

The bus noise brings me back to the presence. The kind driver gets out the bus and helps me with my luggage.

I get in and put the box on my lap while the driver put the two suitcases in the trunk.

I look out the window while the bus drives. I try to remember Esitys.

I close my eyes and try to remember anything. I remember that I used to look out of my bedroom window and observe the sky.

I always used to look in the sky and try to find out which one is a planet. Now I can read the sky like a book. I think.

I don't remember how the house looked like. I just remember that it had stairs and the floor was made of wood. I also remember that close to the house was a forest I always wanted to go.

The look of my parents is in my mind but kind of blurry.

I know their names though. Amary and Ficus. My grandma told me, they had an arranged marriage.

I don't know if they fell in love after that, hopefully. I mean, I'm here and they were married for years. Both had dark brown eyes and brown hair. But I have blue eyes and brown hair.

Grandma has blue eyes though.

The only grandparent I have left is grandma.

My father's parents are either dead or somewhere else. They never cared about my father or his family. Only about business and their reputation. My grandfather died after my mom and father got married.

Grandma told me, she never liked the parents of my father anyway because they were always too serious and never smiled. Grandfather and the parents of my father wanted my parents to marry.

Grandma didn't want my mom to marry a man she didn't want to, but she couldn't do anything against it.

I look up to the sky, seeing that it is already late. I admire the sight of the sky. I see Jupiter. My favorite planet.

When the bus makes a quick stop at a gas station I get out and walk to the toilets. Fortunately, in the bus are just a few people.

I don't want to talk with anyone or hear voices if I sleep. I can sleep with noises, but I don't like it.

After washing my hands, I get out of the small restroom and walk back to the bus. I sit down in one of the backseats again and before I notice I fall asleep.

I wake up with the sun hitting my face. I look around to see a few people asleep. The driver seems tired. I feel bad. We all can sleep while he must drive us miles to another village.

If I could drive, I would drive for him, but I can't. And I think I prefer seeing him tired instead of killing him and the other people here.

When I look out the window, I see a sign named 'Esitys'. Already here?

I see small houses, some trees and people. I can already tell that Esitys doesn't have as many people as Prestanda.

If you would go out in the afternoon or nights the streets won't be empty.

But in Esitys I don't think anyone would go out at that time.

The bus stops already. I get out and take all my things. I search for the house number 22. When I find, I look at it. Is this the house I should live in for the rest of my life?

It is not ugly though. And not small either. It has probably two floors and one attic.

The attic I remember. The bistre-colored roof is formed like a triangle and has a small window.

The ivy is hanging from the roof to the also bistre-colored wall. The house is still clean even though nobody lived in here for the past years.

I mean after my parent's death the house belonged to grandma and she didn't come here often. Or ever.

I don't remember her coming here. So, why was it so clean?

I sigh and get in. The door doesn't crack when I open it. At least that.

I carry the suitcases with me in the house. When I look at it some flashbacks come back. How I sled down the staircase railing as a kid when no one was home. I frown and walk inside.

I get in and look around. There is some furniture, but they have white covers on them which I take off.

As soon as the covers were off, the furniture is showing. A brown couch, white shelves, a brown table and a lot more. The house is decorated white and brown.

That's perfect for my plants. Green matches brown and white so I don't have to worry about it.

I decide to not go upstairs for now and first clean and decorate the first floor. Means I must clean the hallway, kitchen, one bathroom and the living room.

Starting with the hallway where I clean the floor and the decorations like the old vases or the picture frame without a picture in it. Great.

After the hallway I clean the kitchen and I continue with the living room and bathroom. Before I know it is already dark I just finished cleaning.

The kitchen and the living room were the ones who took me the longest time.

With a sigh I let myself fall on the couch. I look around and feel proud of myself, something that happens rarely.

It isn't as dirty as before. It is clean and more decorated. My plants do a great job.

The plants let the place look alive again. When there is a knock, I groan. I just sat down and now I must get up again.

Who knocks on other people's doors at 23:25 anyways?

I get up and open the door. There is an old lady. She kind of reminds me of grandma. She smiles like her and has the same short, white curlers like her. My heart beats faster when I think about grandma. Then I start to analyze the old woman. Her features and her body language. Hm, she doesn't look nervous at all. She is smiling and looking at me. Her eyes sparkling with curiosity and excitement. She interrupts my thoughts when she starts to speak: "Hello darling, so you're my new neighbor that they talked about."

"Well, I'm not your new neighbor. I would say the old one who came back".

She looks at me confused: "What do you mean?"

"I lived here once with my parents. Around 12 years ago and now I came back."

I notice how her smile drops, and she looks at me with guilty eyes. "You're Amary's and Ficus's daughter? They died in an accident." I nod. Wow, she remembers the name of her neighbors of 12 years ago.

She gulps and then gives me a plate which I didn't even notice at first. "Here, I made them for you. And uhm I'm sorry for your loss, I guess."

I smile nervously and take the plate with the self-made cookies. "Oh, thank you". She then just nods and walks back to her house that is close to mine.

I close the door and walk back inside. I put the cookies on the table and sit down on the couch again. I was so tired I could fall asleep right now. But instead, I think of the strange neighbor. First, she acted cute and sweet but then her smile dropped. Just like that.

Did I say something wrong? Did I do something wrong? Was I being rude?

Oh, I for sure did something wrong. I hug my legs to my body as I think about what the reason could be.