Weightless (H.S. BWWM)

Make It To Me

My phone went off early this morning at probably four and wouldn't you know it I'd received a text from the one and only Harry Styles. All it said was one word, 'Bailey', but that one word spoke volumes. I could hear him saying my name as if he was right there in my ear, using that same raspy sweet voice he used whenever he'd wake me up when I slept over. I can hear it now, his breath tickling my lobe each time he called me. The feeling continuously makes goosebumps rise on my flesh as I struggle not to think about him, his voice, or that text. Needless to say, I haven't responded.

All day today I've been distracting myself and keeping my word by trying to spend as much time with my parents as possible. My mom and I got up before everyone else and went shopping, the best diversion in the world. I bought her a Michael Kors bag and matching wallet since she's always wanted one and bought my dad a new barbeque grill and television for his man cave. The grill had to be delivered since it wouldn't fit in the trunk of the Nissan Juke I rented for my time down here but I was able to make it home with his 50 inch television before the grill arrived.

Family. Can't live with em, can't divorce their aŝses and never see them again without being seen as a bad person. It's times like these I wish I was an only child. As per usual the one thing that pulls me and my siblings apart crept in the door behind my dad carrying a huge smile and his new TV, jealousy. Everything was all fine and dandy when they thought my mom bought it but when she came out and told them I was the one doing the purchasing all eyes were on me.

By the time the grill showed up there were a million questions asked from, where I got the money and if I was spending outside of my means, to if they could hold something since I was rich now. I just ignored them and watched my parents fiddle with their new gifts. By the time I got here for Christmas the stores were either overly full, closed, or empty so I wasn't able to get them Christmas presents. I decided to make up for lost time and get them double. I wish I could've done more, it's not like they don't deserve it.

Both of my parents grew up poor. When I say poor I mean holes in their roof, sleeping two and three kids to a bed, and looking forward to school lunch for a square meal. My mom dropped out of school her sophomore year while my dad did the same his junior year. They both went on to get their GED and moved on from there, my mom getting her college degree while my dad worked hard manual labor jobs to support us. They both are now in comfortable leadership positions, my dad at a factory, my mom at a state office. To see where they came from and see where they are now in their early fifties I couldn't be more proud. Their lives taught me the meaning of hard work and dedication. They did everything they could to provide the best life possible for my siblings and I and I don't think that's celebrated enough in our family.

But of course my opinion means peanuts when it comes up in discussion. I'm the baby of the family so what I say is automatically irrelevant. For instance, when I decided I was going to move to California I had to dāmn near walk out of the door with my boxes before anyone really paid attention. I had already discussed my desires with my parents and although they weren't thrilled to have their baby girl move across the country they also didn't try and stop me. I don't think they really believed I would do it. It wouldn't have been the first time I had an idea to do something and then forgot about it months later so I doubt they gave it a second thought. My siblings however were, as always, a little tougher to deal with.

We were at a rare family dinner for our mom's birthday about a year before I moved. I'd slaved in the kitchen cooking all of mom's favorite dishes for hours while she was at work. By the time the family arrived I'd made pork chops, mashed potatoes, baked macaroni and cheese, rolls, and Italian crème cake for mom's birthday cake. The evening was going well and I began serving the cake after my mom made her wish. Despite my aversion to all things coconut I even served myself a piece before taking a seat and sharing the news that I wanted to move.