Chapter 2

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The car journey from the airport to Gran and Grandpa's house didn't take very long - probably about forty five minutes. Grandpa said it normally takes longer as the traffic is often quite bad. He was chatting to me about boring stuff like the traffic for basically the whole journey without me saying much. I wasn't really listening - not because he was boring me (even though the topics were really dull), but because I was just taking everything in. The temperature, the dry weather, the cars driving on the wrong (sorry, different) side of the road, all the amazingly tanned people. I was also taking in Grandpa.

My Grandpa was nearly black he was so tanned from the sun. He had a seriously strong Australian accent and a very gruff voice. He wore the same spectacles he always wore right on the end of his nose, which Dad and Gran would always tease him about, saying how they wouldn't be doing any good sitting on the end of his nose like that. Poor Grandpa, he was always teased by everyone, he would say how it irritated him, but he never got angry and would laugh it off. That's the thing about Grandpa, I don't think I've ever seen him lose his temper or shout, and that's one of the reasons I love him so much. Whenever my parents or teachers at school would lose their patience with me because of my ADHD, I would always call Grandpa on Skype or just on my phone and I'd just rant about whatever had happened and he'd just listen. That's what I liked - he never judged, just listened.

So there he was, chatting away about boring things and he looked happy. His white hair (or what was left of it) standing out against the darkness of his skin. My focus was snapped back as I realised Grandpa was asking me a question. "What do you think then? Sound fun?"

"Ugh... sorry Grandpa, I missed that last bit..." I said, trying not to sound rude. Of course, his reply was "Haha, that's okay". Phew, the last thing I wanted to do was upset Grandpa before we'd even got home. "What I said was that your Grandmother has organised to have lunch with her friend tomorrow whose sons go to your new school - I just asked whether you thought that sounded fun?"

"Oh yeah, Grandpa, that's sounds great, thank you."

"Not at all, why, I can't wait to show off my beautiful granddaughter to all of the neighbours!" He beamed at me, just as we pulled up in the driveway of my new home.

It was just how I remembered it. Very traditional, with a white picket fence that I had helped Grandpa to put up when I was last there. That must have been at least five years ago, if not more. The house was a bungalow, so it only had one storey and no stairs. I remember my Gran saying "Well, I can't be expected to carry your Grandpa up the stairs when he can't walk anymore now can I?!" She was funny like that, my Gran. She would make fun of her age and tease Grandpa so much saying how old he was getting old and that he'd be in a wheelchair before long. This made us all laugh as Grandpa was a couple of years younger that Gran and he was still running around all over the place.

We got out of the car and Grandpa carried my luggage inside. The inside of the house was exactly how I remembered, too. The same wooden beams in the walls, the low ceiling. I always felt this house was cosy. Then there she was - Gran. Standing with her hands on her hips and her eyebrows raised. "Now honestly, Morris, I send you to collect our granddaughter and you bring back a young lady! Where's my little girl hmm? You'll have to take this lady back." My Gran teased, and then winked at me. "Gran!!!" I squealed.

"Easy there, Florence, you'll knock me over!" Gran exclaimed. She always calls me Florence.

After catching up with Gran, and Grandpa giving me a tour - which Gran and I insisted was unnecessary, as I had been there before, my grandparents showed me to my room. It was beautiful. The walls were baby blue which was my favourite colour and Grandpa told me he had decorated the room all by himself which he seemed very proud of. All of the furniture was white - white wardrobe, dressing table, full-length mirror, bed, no, sorry, DOUBLE BED! I was in love with my new room and Gran and Grandpa could tell. By the time I had calmed down from all the excitement and had unpacked, I decided that I would have a shower and wash my hair and then go straight to bed, after having a glass of milk (which I always had before bed every night wherever I was), even though it was only half past six, I was exhausted!

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