6th July 2016
Once it had been decided by our Mum that Thomas and his children would be moving in to the house we hadn't moved into - let alone seen yet - in three weeks and two days from the 4th, and I had relayed the message to my sisters who were waiting upstairs, everything began to move extremely quickly. There were exactly three weeks to go, and Mum told us that we had to go and buy the correct selection of packing materials so we could start organising our things.
We were walking towards the car when Lizzie put a hand on my arm to stop me
"What's wrong, Lizzie?" I asked. She looked down and then looked back up at me, before slipping her hand into mine.
"Lucy, please... I don't know... just... can you make sure... you know... everything's alright? You will help, won't you?" she pleaded with wide eyes. I knew what she meant - this was confirmed by us both glancing at our mum for a second - and I squeezed her hand in reply. She sighed in relief, and grabbed Harriet's hand for a second too.
Harriet jerked a little in surprise, but when she saw our held hands she smiled slightly. We walked up to the car, and I squeezed Lizzie's hand again before smiling calmly at both of their upturned faces. Our Mum didn't notice this exchange - if she did, she didn't remark on it. I ran around to the front and sat on the front seat before Lizzie or Harriet could get there. I stuck out my tongue at them as they reluctantly got into the car backseat.
As the car pulled out of our driveway I looked out of the car window and took a final look at the house before it's change. This was because as soon as we arrived back with the boxes and tape, we would officially be packing, and the house wouldn't be the same.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, I leaned down to grab the CD folder from underneath my seat.
"How about a CD?" I asked, looking back at my sisters. Lizzie nodded. Harriet didn't reply but just kept on staring out of the window. "I'll choose one then huh?"
I flipped the leaves of the folder, and finally decided on a mixed artists CD which I pushed into the CD player in front of me. As the music started playing, the tension seemed to relax. Mum tried to break the ice a bit more.
"Ok, girls, so what we'll be doing when we get there is we're going to buy the boxes and packing tape and bubblewrap we need for moving!" I felt Harriet flinch from the backseat at that last word.
Lizzie quickly chipped in, also sensing Harriet's discomfort. "Where are we going to get that stuff?"
"We're going to the self-storage unit because they also have an area where they sell packing materials!" Mum said. I nodded in understanding, but there came no other response.
For the rest of the journey there was silence apart from the CD that was playing quietly.
When we finally arrived, about twenty minutes later, I was confronted with more silence as we got out of the car. I didn't know what to do - we had to talk now or we would just stay stuck in this rut. My mind was blank of ways to start a conversation, until I thought of a foolproof method for cheering up my sisters that I had found and used over the years. I was definitely glad to break the silence.
"You've got a friend in me," I started, carefully. There was a pause while Harriet looked extremely confused and Lizzie looked like she was trying to put her finger on where that song was from.
"You've got a friend in me," I continued with a grin slowly breaking out on my face.
"When the road looks rough ahead..." I sang with a dramatic arm straight in front of me.
YOU ARE READING
The Newness Of Life
Teen FictionI don't suppose that your mum has ever told you she once had another child who she gave up for adoption? Mine hadn't either. Until today. I don't know what to do about it... How do I even react to that? I don't know. That's why I've decided to write...
