Return To Your Roots

I Can Just Kiss Good-Bye My Happiness

I Can Just Kiss Good-Bye My Happiness

I can’t believe it, I just can’t believe it. You’d think my mom would want to stay near the ocean. But no, she just had to go through another ‘phase’ and decided to go back to her roots. I tried convincing her that the ocean is our roots, but does she listen to me? A seventeen-year-old girl? No!

So now, I’m watching as my view of the ocean, of my home, disappear from view. Mom continues making excuses about how “She only really wanted to stay here until WWII was over, and then return to London.” and she keeps saying how “I’ll Just love it there! I can meet new friends, and try new things! Oh how wonderful this all will be! I don’t care that I’m tearing my child away from her birth right, I just want to go through another annoying phase!”

Well Whoopdy-doodle-do. How friggin exciting. I’m dying of excitement here Mom. You see this? My body could go limp from excitement any second now.

Sarcasm!

Even with my mom jibber jabbering the whole way, I managed to tune her out for most of the car ride. Eventually, she must’ve noticed I wasn’t listening because she went silent. I had no problem with this, unlike my mom, I prefer to sit in silence and just stare out at the scenery passing by.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

After half a day of driving, we pulled up in front of my Aunt Margret’s small three bedroom home. Well, that’s only if you count a bed in the attic as a room. Which is were I was going to be sleeping.

Aunt Margret was already running out the front door to greet us when I climbed out of the passenger seat. Mom was not too far behind me as Aunt Margret pulled me into a hug “Oh! Look at you! You’ve grown so much! I haven’t seen you since you were a little baby! Oh, you look just like your mother! But I see you have your fathers hair! Oh, I’m babbling aren’t I? Come in, come in! Oh Barbara, how good to see you! I haven’t seen you since Katherine was just a baby either! You don’t know how I excited I was when I got your letter! Oh I’m still babbling aren’t I? Come on in! We’ve got so much to catch up on!” Aunt Margret finally took a breath and took our bags before leading us into the house.

I glanced up at Mom, she was smiling a mile a minute. Well at least Aunt Margret wasn’t the strict ‘do as I say, when I say it!’ types. Sure she seems to be a bit hyperactive, but it’s better than the latter option.

Aunt Margret put our stuff in each of our rooms, which wasn’t much. We had never been very wealthy, all we really owned as far as personal items was only enough to fill about a bag or two each of us. All my mom really owned is about five dresses, an over coat, an extra blanket for when it gets cold, and our small stash of spending money. All I have is really about two dresses, four pares of trousers and matching blouses, an overcoat, an extra blanket, some books, and whatever I’ve managed to find in the ocean over the years.

I put my jar of small shells on a small bed side table, and began taking out the bigger ones I’ve found. Conch shells and star fish were soon decorating my room before long. Now I can’t forget about home. Now I’ll always make sure to go back.

After putting my few books on a shelf by the bed, I sat down and admired my work. It wasn’t much, but it was going to have to do. But of course, I didn’t have much time to rest since I heard a knock on the door “Katherine, can I come in?” I heard Aunt Margret call out cheerfully.

I smiled, I officially decided I like this woman. “Yea, sure. Come on in.”

Aunt Margret opened the door and bounced in, a grin spread across her face as soon as she saw the room. “My has it been a while since I’ve seen shells like these.” she commented, then she looked at me “Katherine, your mother is resting from the trip. But I wanted to know if you would like to go to the shops with me? I can give you some money, you could buy some more clothing. Or books even if you’d like.”

I smiled “You really don’t have to spend all that money on me-”

“Oh nonsense! You’re my niece, and besides I have to make up for all of those Christmases and birthdays somehow!”

In the end I gave in, the new books were just too tempting to me. So Aunt Margret and I left the house and began the long walk to the shops. It must have been about a five mile walk, but when we got there I could clearly see that it was well worth it. Dozens and dozens of shops lined the streets, there were so many that I had no idea where to start. Aunt Margret turned to me and handed me some money before saying “Don’t spend it all in one place!” and then she walked off, but not before calling back to me “Meet me under the clock at five!”

I smiled and waved to her, then began to look around me. I began walking down the street, looking at all the shops and the signs in their windows. About a block down from where I first started, I finally found what I was looking for. It was a small bookstore, but I could see the rows and rows of books inside.

Smiling, I pulled open the door and walked in. I was immediately hit with the smell of old leather and yellowing pages…

I loved it.

I began walking through the shelves of books, running my hands across the many titles. I found books on ancient history, Amelia Earhart, foreign countries (some I had never heard of before), and even some about magic and myth. Those were my favorite. I loved reading about knights in shining amour with swords and shields, charging their way into battle. Or a witch casting a spell on a prince to teach him a lesson.

I’m not sure why I enjoy these so much, maybe it’s because my life is a myth. To people other than me and my family of course.

I was about to pick up a book and begin flipping through the pages when I could hear two people arguing in the line of books in front of me. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not usually one to eavesdrop. But for some reason I was drawn to their conversation.

I stopped shuffling through the pages of the book and listened instead. I could only catch snippets of their conversation because their voices were muffled by the books. I heard a young mans voice speak first “I’m tired of being treated like a child!”

“You are a child.” responded a slightly younger woman’s voice.

“I am not a child! I’m a king, I’ve fought in wars!” said the young mans voice.

“Not in this world you aren’t.” sighed the girl.

After a short pause, the young man spoke again “What are you doing?”

“N-nothing.” said the girl “Come on.”

I heard the sound of shuffling feet, so I ran to the next row of books and put my head down, pretending to read. I could hear them walk away, but I was too busy thinking about what they had just said. What did he mean by he was a king? And when the girl said “Not in this world you aren’t.” what had she meant by that?

Two hours later the clock chimed five, I met Aunt Margret where she told me to with my new books. I was still curious as to what those people had meant, but I decided to just ignore it. I figured it was just a couple of weirdo’s who read too much fiction and brushed it off.

I went to bed that night dreaming about a land where magic and creatures didn’t have to hide themselves from rejecting humans.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HIIIIIYAAAA!!! okay, so I know this is short but heyy...I've been writing shtuff all day and soooo I didn't really feel like making up something to add to this...This is onlt chapp-di-doo-da numero uno tho! So don't worry, I'll hav another up soon!

Can anyone guess the two people talking behind the shelves? I shure hope so, especially if you've seen Narnia 3!!

Andddd...I feel REALLY stupido right now...but do any of you know how to put up a photo on here that's NOT on photo bucket??? Is it evn possible?? If not, thts okay. But if it is, I WANNA KNO!!

No pressure or anything ;P FAN/COMMENT/VOTE