Monica Avery

the Balcony Over the Lake

Monica Avery had lived with her Aunt Minnie in Saginaw, Michigan since 3 days after she was born. Her bedroom was quant but just right for her and she had a small balcony leading out onto Lake Michigan. Monica had graduated high school 2 and a half years ago and tomorrow would be her 20th birthday! Aunt Minnie didn't have enough money to send Monica to college even though she had gotten a half scholarship for Lacrosse and had enough to pay for all the supplies and equipment she needed so Monica was hoping this birthday would be the one where her aunt would tell her she could finally go to college. Her best friend Lib was away at Yale, Lib had been the smartest kid in school since the 6th grade and had gotten a full scholarship because she had been spelling bee champion, president of the math club and had played lacrosse with Monica for 3 years.
That night after dinner and watching the Notebook Monica went to her room and went to her balcony looked up at the stars and sang. "I will find a way to fly before I am to old, I will find a way to fly and always hold my head higher then the clouds, what a dream it would be to fly." Monica's mother had written the song on a piece of paper when she gave her up to her aunt so that she would always have a piece of her mom. All she wanted was to go to college so she could become a chef. Monica could sing beautifully but she never sang in front of anyone because she had stage fright, Monica could cook anything and didn't even need a recipe and Monica was the best Lacrosse player on the Varsity team for 5 years because she started playing in 8th grade. As she drifted off to sleep she was reawaken by hearing her aunt on the phone. "I can't tell Monica she has never even met her. I don't know you, for all I know you are calling and pretending to work for Kimberly and really you want to hurt my little Monica." And then a pause. "Fine, I will tell her in the morning but if she says no and you ruin her birthday because of this I will come to Vermont myself and hurt you." Vermont? Never met her? Who was her aunt talking to and why would it ruin her birthday? Monica was very anxious and couldn't go to sleep and for 3 hours she just lay and looked out at the moon hitting the lake making it beautiful. Finally she feel asleep but as she did she was nervous for her birthday and what may happen the next day.