Promise Me This

the big move

"Cheer up Iz," My mom says from the passenger seat, "Wisconsin is a great place to live."

"Yeah, I bet it is." I try to sound optimistic but instead my words come out dry and sarcastic. I really am trying to be supportive of my mom, but it's so difficult when I have to leave my own support system behind.

Maybe it's selfish of me to want my friends while my mom is dying, but I can't help it. I feel like I'm losing myself and nobody knows where to look for me.

"Farm life is fun." She promises. "You're going to love it."

"I hope so." I say honestly, "Because otherwise I'll have made this 20 hour drive for nothing but absolute misery."

Although I've never actually been to my grandparents house, they've always come to visit us, I imagine that they live in a tiny house. My mother and I will probably have to share a bedroom. Maybe they'll make me sleep on the couch. My back already hurts just thinking about it.

I glance at my mother and notice that she's starting to nod off. Realizing that with her sleeping this trip is going to be even more boring than I had originally planned, I turn on some quiet music.

*-*

The gps keeps telling me to pull up to this huge house. I drove past it three times before my mom woke up and told m that the gps was right.

"I thought Gram, and Gramps were farmers." I say in disbelief.

"They are." She shrugs, "on a very big and successful farm."

I pull up into the driveway and my grandparents have been watching out the window for us.

"Hello!" Gram waves to us as we step out of the car. "How was the drive?"

"I slept most of the way so it was pretty great."

"Speak for yourself." I roll my eyes teasingly. "I had to drive the whole way, only stopping at the hotel to sleep for a little bit."

"You poor thing," Gram misreads my sarcasm as something its not, "let's get you inside and show you your new room." She ushers me up the porch and through the double doors. Inside the house - no, mansion - is lavish. Decorated with expensive looking antiques mixed with modern technology.

"Now your room will be upstairs, last door on your left. Mine is right across the hall. I thought it would be best if your mother got the one down here."

I nod my head, understanding completely what she's getting at.

"I'm going to go help your mother get settled in. I trust you can find your own way."

I nod my head again and make my way upstairs. Following Gram's instruction, I go all the way to the end of the hall and open the door on the left. My jaw drops when I open the door. The room is at least twice the size of mine back home with a queen sized bed against the opposite wall. Immediately, I go to the huge picture window.

I have a view of a huge farm with a gigantic barn and pastures and fields that stretch for miles. Several tractors are running out in the fields and animals are grazing. "Wow." I mutter to myself.

I stare for a few seconds before deciding that I should probably go help unload our stuff. I walk quickly downstairs and outside. 

Gramps is trying to unload one of the biggest bags. "I can get that Gramps." I try to take it from him.

"I'm not that old yet. I can still lift heavy things." He gives me a reasuring smile.

I let it go and grab a different bag instead. I bring the bag up to my room and plop it down on the bed. I'll unpack later. Maybe.

*-*

"Are you excited for school tomorrow?" Grams asks over the omelets she made for breakfast.

"Yeah." I lie. I figure that it's easier to just pretend that I'm coping with all of this better than I actually am.

"Well that's great. I'm sure that you'll make a whole bunch of friends."

"Yeah." I'm not really worried about making new friends. I already have great friends. "Gram, do you mind if I just walk around the farm for a bit?"

"Of course not, sweetheart. Go right ahead."

I get up from the table feeling as though I just need some alone time.

I put on a jacket and hat and pull on some rain boots. It may be spring but the cold is still bitter here. I think maybe the weather is the worst part of Wisconsin.

I step outside and head straight for the pastures. Maybe watching the cows will give me a sense of peace.

When I reach the fence one of them walks up to me. I reach my hand out to stroke her nose. She lets out a loud moo and I laugh.

"She likes you," A voice says from behind me, causing me to jump. I turn around so fast I almost fall backwards.

I catch myself on the fence and feel a sharp pain go through my hand. "Fuck," I say as I look at my bloody hand.

"Sorry," the boy says, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Well you shouldn't have sneaked up on me then," I glare at him.

"I'm sorry," he says again, "You should clean that out before it gets infected. Come on."

He grabs me by the good hand and drags me toward a smaller building.

"Wait," I say. I dig my heels in the mud in order to prevent him from dragging me any further, "How do I know you aren't going to hurt me?"

He smiles at me a lop sided grin. "I think you've already done a good enough job of that yourself."

"How do I know I can trust you? I don't even know you."

"My name is Nick," he says.

"Okay, Nick," I say as I pull my hand away from his, "What are you doing on my grandparents' farm?"

"I work here."