The List

4. one down

The List

-forget-me-not-

4

one down

The next three days were spent unpacking and shuffling furniture. Rob and Jenny left after Day One which meant I was stuck with Gloria and Dad, who were constantly arguing about where things were meant to go. I didn’t see the point of it all really; a sofa is still a sofa no matter what angle you set it at.

I was in charge of unpacking the kitchen, which was relatively easy and the upside was, I got to pick where everything went. Gloria looked like it physically pained her to give me control over what she considered her territory but if she didn’t help Dad move in the heavier furniture, we’d never unpack.

Since the school term had already started a few weeks ago, I was reluctant to enter in the middle of September and draw attention to myself. Gloria had compromised so the first of October was my first day. I found myself hating the day with a fervour; as much as I’d enjoyed leaving my old high school in Tucson, the idea of being the new kid Senior Year was daunting.

However, I had a plan.

Two days before October 1st (or as I was affectionately calling it E-Day, E for Execution), I decided to make use of the new kitchen, convincing Gloria I just wanted to test that everything was working. As Dad and she worked out the logistics of the living room and dining room, I scrawled down a list and used that dastardly GPS Jane to find directions to the nearest supermarket.

Gloria looked unimpressed and disappointed because she had gotten it in her head that unpacking boxes should be a family experience. I told her in a frank tone that it wouldn’t be much of a family experience when two of the members couldn’t talk to each other. She let me go with thirty bucks and a reluctant ‘be careful’.

So I wandered out in my jeans and a t-shirt, looking more human than I had in weeks. I followed the directions I’d scribbled down, making my way into the busier area of town. We were apparently just near to the main strip of shops but damn if the walk didn’t kill me first. While I didn’t exactly relish the idea of ditching the jeans and displaying my chicken legs for everyone to see, I knew without a doubt that this had to be the hottest Fall I’d ever had the displeasure of walking in and something had to be done.

I tugged at my hoodie and just let it slump over my arm as I continued into the busier streets. I passed a cinema, a mall, a gym and a park but for the life of me, I couldn’t see a pool or an air conditioned grocery store. Well of course they don’t have a pool, I snapped at myself, my face flushing with the heat. “They’ve got the whole damn Pacific!”

A couple walking past me turned and stared at me, bewildered. My face went a deeper red as I picked up the pace and finally found what I was looking for. Just a plain old grocery store that would have everything I needed to bake cookies.

Perfect.

***

When I finally came out of the store, checking and double checking I had everything (because I’m just paranoid that way), I tucked the bag under my arm and squished my jacket into the top so I didn’t have to carry it as well.

I had a plan. I couldn’t make an enemy out of the first teenager I actually knew in this foreign town so I was going to win Louise Fletcher over with a batch of choc-chip cookies which were bound to make her cave.

If that didn’t work, I still had my idea of crawling into a hole for the rest of time.

I took in a little more of the town as I walked back- there was actually quite a lot to do, I noted, semi-pleased. Not that it’d be any use if there wasn’t someone to do it with. I smiled a tiny, sad smile as I thought about how much Emily would’ve liked this place. Beaches, blue sky, nice house, good town.