Summertime Madness

Chapter || 3

Walking into the house it held an eerie ambience. I was expecting a little more than this really, but to no avail my parents were either disinterested in what I had done with Graham all day or currently asking him about it upstairs. The day had been really long and my legs were killing me. It was funny how Dean seemed to make me forget about those types of things. Things just seemed different when he was around. Everything was better somehow.

I walked up the with all of my bags and drop them at the top of the staircase. Exhaustion was creeping up on me. There were so many things taking a toll on me right now. I had the stress about having to leave White & Case behind, and the continuing fight with my Mom. Thoughts about what Dean had said to me about my Mother being right and having to enjoy your life and spend time with family lingered in my mind. I lightly chuckled at myself for thinking it made sense when he said it and not when my Mom said it. I desperately didn't want to become one of those girls, but I guess hearing it from someone else made it sound more reasonable. It also helped that, that someone else had a smile that made the sun seem like a dim light.

The chatter down the hall directed me to the room my parents were staying in while we were here. It was the first time I was seeing it. It looked exactly the same as the rooms Graham and I were staying in. I realized that my parents hadn't taken the master bedroom. They probably thought that it should somehow forever be Mira and John's room. I stood at the foot of the door and looked at Graham describing the day we had to our parents. He was exaggerating bits and pieces of it, and it all seemed very theatrical coming from him. There was a smile on my face as I saw him telling my parents about what we had done. It had been an amazing day and there was nothing that could make me happier than knowing Graham had enjoyed just as much as the rest of us.

As I was looking at the three of them talk my Mom lifts up her gaze and notices me smiling at them. She simply smiles back and gestures me to come over. I didn't want to give my Mom the impression that I had given up on my internship, but this fighting and holding grudges was really weighing down on me.

I lazily walked over to where they were sitting. It was a small couch and my parents were sitting on it while Graham made his exaggerated gestures. I sat between both of my parents and my Dad put his arm around me. It felt nice being like this again. Like the happy family we are. Like the happy family we are meant to be.

Although I liked this feeling of completeness and normalcy I didn't want to concede on my wishes. I was about to tell my Mom that even though I wasn't mad at her anymore that I still really wanted to find away to please her and still work during the summer. Before I could get any of that out though my Mom looked at me and whispered that we would talk later.

For the rest of the night we talked about the most random things. From old memories of things we had done as a family, to embarrassing stories. There was nothing that could have been better at this point. Things were starting to go well. The pieces were starting to fall into place.

Graham was starting to show signs of sleepiness. He was yawning and his eyes kept opening and closing. But like the true ten year old he was he refused to go to bed earlier than twelve at night during vacation.

"Graham, honey. Why don't you go to bed? It's late out and you've had a long day." My Mom gently added.

"No Mom. I'm..." He yawned again. "I'm not even tired." He had a sheepish look on his face that made me laugh out loud.

"C'mon Graham cracker no one's going to think any less of you. We did lots of things today. It's fine if you get tired every once and awhile. Besides don't you wanna go out with Abby tomorrow?" Bribing Graham was an easy task and I think I found his new weakness here on the island. "I don't know if Graham told you guys, but Meredith, Abby's mom said that if Graham wanted to that he could spend the day with them tomorrow. She didn't say what they would be doing but Graham and Abby got along so well I think they'd have a nice time together."