English summer

Anticipation

I knew before I opened my eyes that morning that it was going to be a great day. It wasn't anyone's birthday, no celebrations or day trip in store for me, it was Friday the 22nd of July. The last day in school before the summer started, the last day in school before I flew to London and began a six week adventure, I couldn't wait!

My alarm hadn't gone off yet so I allowed myself a few more minutes to enjoy the butterfly's rising in my stomach at the thought of what lay ahead. A whole new city to explore! Time with my dad, who I hadn't seen since he left the year before, it had been difficult adjusting to life with just me and mom but I didn't miss the arguments, uncomfortable silences and disappearances. Mom now had a full life with new friends, her clubs and a part time job and boy was I ready for a fun filled summer after all those tests at school!

My alarm went off suddenly, jolting me from my thoughts, I threw the bed covers off and stretched. With a big smile I jumped out, grabbed a towel from my rail and headed for the bathroom.

One long, hot, steamy shower later as I was towel drying my hair I could hear my mom calling from downstairs telling me my breakfast is ready. Good, I was starving! I yelled that I would be down soon, hurried back into my room to select some clothes. I chose a simple pale blue sundress with a faint daisy pattern, open toe wedges to match and a lemon and silver coil bracelet. A little blush on my cheeks, a dash of mascara and a lick of lipgloss later I was almost ready to go. Glancing at my happy, glowing face in the mirror I added my favourite pair of small silver hoop earrings and quickly blow dried my hair. Checking the time I decided to leave it loose, I removed the charger from my phone and slipped it into my tote bag along with some oversized sunglasses and made my way downstairs to the kitchen.

Pancakes! I smelt them halfway down the stairs and smiled, I knew mom had made them because it was our last day together, I giggled silently trying to imagine what she had concocted this time. It was a ritual of ours since dad left, a kind of coping mechanism, both of us adjusting to life on our own we lived on pancakes for a while and to make them fun mom would fix them into different shapes or stack them into houses. We hadn't done it for quite some time, it made me tear up a little. I took a deep breath and entered my favourite room in the house to see her sat at the table, a coffee cup in her hands and newspaper in front of her, hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail, wearing a tank top and no doubt khaki shorts. My eyes drank her in and we smiled at each other, then laughed excitedly. I know she was going to miss me and I her but she wanted this trip for me just as much as I did.

The sweet smell of pancakes filled the bright kitchen and I sat down, dropped my bag next to me and leant on the dove grey circular table waiting to see what creation she had made.....I could've guessed! She moved the paper to one side and revealed an aeroplane shaped pancake, flying among fluffy clouds of cream and strawberries sliced into a V that I suspect were supposed to be birds. Slight fail but an endearing one. I laughed and told her I loved it then tucked in silently while mom suddenly became busy; tidying away her breakfast dishes, cleaning the cream tiled counter tops, telling me about her plans for the day and avoiding discussing what would be happening at 5 o'clock that evening. Satiated, I pushed away my plate and announced it was time to go, bus was due soon and I was eager to get the school day over. I grabbed my bag, gave her a huge bear hug and left quickly through the sliding doors into the warm Californian sunshine.

As I walked around the house I was flooded with the happy memories of my childhood before things deteriorated between mom and dad; learning to ride my bike with dad shouting encouragement, him shooting me with the hose as I ran between bushes playing hide and seek, helping mom plant rows and rows of tomato plants that never seemed to flourish - she wasn't exactly green fingered! As I shut the worn wooden gate behind me the soft smile left my face as i saw my best friend Colette waving madly at me from the bus stop, gesturing for me to hurry up as the school bus approaching.