Loud

Chapter 3

"Hello, we're the american exchange students that you'll be housing for the next few months or so," I told them, extending my hand for them to shake. The woman pulled out a pamphlet from her bag.

"Er...Sarah and Lucy?" She looked up. Lucky? Yes, we very much are. 

"Yes, ma'am." Lie. 

"Well, welcome to Britain! You'll have a wonderful stay here. We have a daughter and a son. This is Peggy," she continued, hoisting up the five year old girl, "and our son is at home. Probably playing video games." She looked at her husband accusingly. "We better get going now, we have a long ride ahead of us. Are those all your bags?" 

"Yes. Thank you."

"Well, come along then," she said as she began walking towards the doors. Josie and I followed her, my old sneakers clopping on the speckled airport ground.

I was wearing jeans and black boots with a plain white t-shirt. Josie was wearing skinny jeans and brown boots with a white t and a leather jacket. She looked like a kid Harley Davidson. We probably both did. 

"This is it," The woman said, opening the door to a large SUV. "Go ahead, hop in." Josie and I climbed into the car and took our seats in the middle section. "You like our accents?" We flashed shy smiles. The woman grinned. She was a real talkative person. This was going to be a long car ride. 

"My name's Lucinda, and this is my husband, Rupert. That little girl next to you is named Gwendolyn, but call her Gwenny for short." I smiled and looked at the toddler next to me. 

"Hi," she said. 

"Hi." I held out my index finger and she took it with her chubby hands. "Gwenny."

"Hi. Gwenny," she replied nonchalantly. Almost as if she knew my name was Gwen too, not Sarah. I looked over at Josie, who was being tortured as Lucinda rambled on and on and on about Britain. I picked up that she lived in a town called Shrewsbury near a forest and that it was lovely there. The rest was gibberish.  

"And then Rupert would just...and you'll love the...what's your age?...I'm not that old!" I picked up bits of their conversation. Well, Lucinda's conversation. But my real attention was focused on Gwenny. Did she know who I was?

"Where's your plants?" Maybe she did know.