Life's Challenges.

Part four

4.

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          By now we were back in Emily’s room. Now we were watching a movie on her lap-top. It was a burned c.d. so neither of us knew the name.

''You know, this movie reminds me of my mom and dad when they were married. She grimaced as she said were.'' They were high school sweet-hearts. Mom was captain of the volleyball team and dad was the coach’s son. Grandpa was the volleyball coach. Dad came with on the weekend to meet his girl friend. She stood him up so he played volleyball with the girls for awhile. Mom was the best player so grandpa held a bet against dad that he could not beat mom at a one-on-one game. Daddy lost the bet. My mom won. Dad said that he wanted to get her number so he could call for a re-match. That was his cover story. Then he called mom a week later and told him that he was ready for a re-match. Mom came in a pair of jeans and a tank top and she brought her bag of game things. Dad said there was no use and he walked her to the court where he surprised mom and had a dinner and everything waiting for mom right in the middle of the sand. After-wards dad took mom for a walk on the beach. Mom and dad went to school next month and graduated together. Right after graduation they found an apartment and moved in together. A year later dad proposed and they got married in 7 months, got a new, much bigger house, and had me. While mom was pregnant dad went into Iraq for 5 months. Mom was 5 months pregnant. She was mad that dad would not be there for my birth but dad came home the day she had me. He surprised her by waiting in the room for the doctors to bring her in. Him being there sent her into shock and she passed out before I was born. Dad was real upset and he had to leave the hospital to calm down. When he came back, mom was awake and holding me. They went home the next morning and I grew up. 5 years later, mom and dad got into a fight over dad getting rid of the dog that he had because he was chewing everything up. That’s when they got divorced because that was not the first fight they had. Dad said they fought many times before that over small, different things. Too many for dads short nerves. Dad has not had a girl friend except for one since. He says he does not want any more drama. Her name was Mikala. She and dad split up after 2 months because she said his life was too fast and busy for her. At the time, dad was going back to college for a master’s degree in physiology. He passed and never attempted to get a job anywhere. He said that after Mikala broke up with him, it made him realize that he did need some more time with me. That was when I was 6 years old. We were living in Nebraska. Then we moved here to be with dad’s parents for their last couple years. They were in a nursing home by then. Grandma died of old age and Grandpa died of cancer two years later. By then I was ten years old and that was the first time dad told me the story about him and mom. He said by then I should be old enough to understand the full story. Now I’m 13."

My age.

 "And homeschooled. I don’t go to public schools because I had been bullied starting when I was 11. I got pulled out by my dad a year later. Last year. They said that it was fine that dad could teach me because of his degree. Here I am now and that’s the story of my life. So far.'' I noticed by now that her eyes were tearing up. That was quite the life story. Quite interesting actually. Mine was pretty sad. Or at least to me it was sad but that was probably because it was mine and I had to think about and live with it so many days, months, years, minutes. To her it might be interesting.

''You know you did not have to tell me that if it caused you so much pain.''

          She laughed. ''No its fine. You’re the only one I have told it to so its good that I got it off my back. Maybe I can think of some other things now beside my mom.''

Interesting.  '' Well than its good that you told me. That was very detailed and a good story. I really hope your dad finds someone to accompany him.''

          ''Yeah, whoever it is that he finally finds I hope that they are very nice and have other kids. I’m tired of being here alone. Being the only child is fun but sometimes it gets boring, having no-one to hang out with.''

          ''Yeah, I get it. I'm an only child too. I didn't know that you were the only child. Don’t you have a small brother in a wheel chair?''

She laughed lightly. ‘No, he is a kid we take in once a week for rehabilitation. He is a foster child. He was injured in a car accident when his parents died. He got a concussion that erased his memory so we take him in twice a week and create memories for him to have when he gets older. It also gives him a chance to communicate with other people beside his doctor/nurse and the one other child that he shares a room with. My dad has thought of adopting him but he said he does not have enough of a financial balance to support two children plus himself. That’s why he is going to wait until he gets married to the right girl to have another child so that there will be at least someone here and someone always at work. My dad said he does not mind if I'm home alone but does not like to leave me here often because he does not want to leave me lonely. I don’t like to be left here without someone else either because I get bored or have nothing to do. I get extremely bored. Like this weekend. I will have nothing to do and dad is going out of town for the whole weekend. I would have someone come over but all my friends have things to do.''

'' Well, I'm having a couple people over this weekend because my mom is also going out. I would say that you could come to my house but that would be kind of weird for you don’t you think?''

          ''You know what, that would not be a bad idea. Maybe i could bring a few people over to and we could all hang out.''

'' I thought you said none of your friends were available this weekend."

          "I still have two more people that I could call. They are not from around here but it does not matter. Friends are friends...”

After eating Emily and I went back in her room to hang out. Brad and my mom were watching a movie.

"ALEX, EMILY!!!'' I heard brad call from the other room.

          ''I bet it’s time for you to go."

"Most likely."I replied.