Moving to America

Chapter 28

"Hey guys I thought that I'd tag along with you today," Dad smiles, "I love snorkelling."

"I'm looking forward to it, it's the next thing on my bucket list," I answer as I rake through my drawers.

"Clara I can't find my..." I get cut off by my towel being thrown in my face. "Thanks Clara."

"Ok, I think that's us ready," Clara smiles.

"See you later." Luke nods before heading back to his room.

"Harry, be good, Alex is in charge. Listen to him and I want to hear a good report when I get back, okay?" Dad kneels next to Harry.

Harry nods and Alex takes his hand, "come on, how about we go and get your cars out?"

And with that Clara, Dad and me pile into Dad's car and head for the beach. Dad turns on the radio and Party in the USA comes on. Clara and Dad burst into song, screaming the lyrics. I wince at how bad their singing is, but end up joining in. As the song ends Dad laughs wickedly and I beam up at him.

***

I burst through the door laughing, Clara and Dad are quick to follow, clutching their sides.

"I hate you." I say to Clara through my laughing fit.

"Not my fault you can't handle my awesome jokes," Clara beams back.

"Okay, you just ruined it," I tell her, I've stopped laughing and look around to see Alex standing in the hall giving us a questioning look.

"Hi," Dad calls to Alex, "has everyone behaved themselves?"

"Yeah, yeah, we've been fine," Alex dismisses, "how was snorkelling?"

"I sucked at it, I just couldn't get the hang of it, but I feel better as Clara was just as bad." I tell him as we make our way further into the hall and away from the door.

Clara shook her head, "it was a train wreck."

Dad stands a little straighter, boasting, "I was amazing though."

Clara rolls her eyes, "that's because you've done it before."

"However, we did have fun trying, and the journey back was good," I inform Alex.

"Well then, it sounds like an okay day."

Before I have a chance to reply, the phone goes and Clara answers, "hello?"

She takes the phone through into the study and Alex and I make our way into the kitchen, in search of some food. I find a packet of Oreos and nibble away at them as Alex tells me about his day.

"Amelie?" Clara shouts through from the study, "can you come here please?"

"On my way," I shout back, I leave my Oreos on the counter with a warning to Alex not to eat them and head through to the study.

I open the door and take a seat next to Clara in an office chair that Clara motions for me to sit in. It is a swivel chair, making it very tempting to spin around, I don't however do this.

"That was you Mum, her and Rob are finishing off their holiday by coming to America for a couple of days and then they will take you home with them." Clara tells me.

"Oh," I said, I knew from the start that I had to go home at some point, I just thought that I had more time.

I sigh "well that's that then."

"Look Amelie, your Dad has loved having you here, and so have I. We would really like it if you would come back and spend your next summer holiday here, and in fact any other holiday you want to."

"Thanks," I reply numbly, still in shock that my time here is almost up. 

I always knew that what went up, must come down. My emotions went up and I have really enjoyed it here, but now I must come back down, back to earth, to the depressing, rather mundane life I live.

"Their plane gets in tomorrow and we will go and pick them up. There is room for them to stay here, that way we can get to know them," Clara smiles sadly, "I will miss spending time with you when you go back though."

"I might miss you too."

Clara's smile grows into a beam.