About and hour passed and I was still in the same place I was before. I heard my bedroom door open and someone walk in then closed behind them. "Dad, if you came to talk you might as well just leave" I said keeping my head down "Well actually it's Luke, but" He said as he walked over to me and kneeled down. I could feel his hand being placed on my back and moving up and down.
"Do you remember when you and Britt had that huge party" Luke asked, I stayed quiet "Maybe when we were in that fountain together splashin and messing around, that was one for the books" he said, yet again I stayed quiet.
"Listen, my point it is that I'm here for you always" Luke said "I know" I said with my head still in my knees. I got up and walked over to my bed and sat down. Luke walked over and sat up against the headboard of my bed. I scooted back and placed my back on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and places his forehead on my shoulder.
We sat in my bed for awhile without saying a word to one another. We were fine with not saying anything to one another. I soon got out of bed and walked over to the bathroom. I washed my face and dried it off with a towel. I threw my hair forward and tied it up the slipped on a headband.
"You want a coffee" Luke asked me "And go down there to face my so called family no thanks" I said as I sat at the edge of my bed. "They won't be here forever" Luke said "But they're here now" I argued "There leaving on Thursday," He said "But today's Saturday" I said. I grabbed a blanket that was spread on my bed and covered half of my body in it. "Grace you can't live up here forever" Luke said "I can and I will" I said.
"Hey it's Opal" I heard someone say down stairs. "Opal" I said as I shot up out of bed. "Opal?" Luke asked "My Aunt I told you about earlier" I said. "Now where is my niece" I could hear Aunt Opal say "Upstairs I think in her room" Said my cousin Jim. Before I knew it I heard Opal making her way up the stairs and into room. "Figgy" my aunt shouted as she opened the door " Aunt Opal" I said as I ran to her and gave her a big hug.
"Wait, so your Aunt calls you Figgy but no one else does?" Luke asked "Pretty much" I said. "And you must be the infamous Luke I've heard so much about" She said as she walked over to him and gave him a big welcome hug "You must me Opal" he said "Oh, please call me Aunt Opal everyone does" She said letting out a laugh.
My Aunt Opal was the best person in the world, well next to Luke and my Dad, and I guess Brittany. She was known for her red hair that naturally curled loosely. Her smile basically lit up the room with her peachy cheeks up to her eyes. She always wore the most interesting clothes, lots of patterns and bold colors.
She basically lived off of not knowing what was coming next. Opal travel's the world and always visit Africa. Africa is her favorite place mainly because she loves kids and helping people. She once spent a whole year in Africa helping local families and teaching at the school house.
"So how was the latest trip to Africa" I asked Opal "Amazing, it's like it gets better every time I go" She said "I love your Africa stories I want to go one day" I said "Sweetheart, everytime I go I always ask you but you always say-" She said before I cut her off "I'm always at school" I said finishing her sentence.
"Speaking of school how did you meet this one" Opal asked "He hit me with his car" I said. "Thats funny, but seriously how did you guys meet" She asked laughing "No, I really did hit her with my car" Luke said. Opal stopped laughing and looked at me in a serious way almost like she can't believe what she heard.
"How" she asked, "I was riding my bike back to my room after I got it registered" I said "And I wasn't paying attention so by the time I looked up I had already hit her" He said continuing on. "Romantic" Opal said even though she didn't mean it.
We continued to talk to Opal and answer all of her questions. We explained to her how Luke was Brittany's boyfriend and how they broke up. We told her about the party we had and all about the fountain. Anything she ever asked us we always had an answer to it. We talked so long it felt like Luke was part of the family, well to me he was apart of a family I would one day hope to become.
By the end of the night our faces were beat red from all the laughing we did. "Well I better get going" Opal said "Ya it's almost one" I said "Oh how the time flies" She said. She got off the bed and walked down the stairs as we followed behind. "Thank's so much for coming Aunt Opal you turned this day right side up" I said giving her a tight hug, "Anytime sweetheart, never hesitate to call and I always have an extra ticket to Africa whenever you're ready" She said to me.
"And you young man get in here" she said giving Luke a hug "It was really nice to meet you" Luke said "Likewise" Opal said. "Luke I have a box in my car that's a little too heavy for me, could you be a lamb and help me get it" She asked "No problem" he said. "I'll be right back" he said to me as he kissed me on the cheek.
Luke closed the door behind them and walked out to Opal's car as she opened the trunk. "So where's the box" Luke asked "There's no box" Opal said "Are you going to kill me" Luke asked "Of course not" Opal said "But I do want to give you this" she said as she unlocked her car door and grabbed something. "So you are going to kill me" Luke asked "No, I already told you that" Opal said. "You love Grace correct" She asked him "Of Course" He said "This was her mother's" Opal said giving him a box.
"A ring?" Luke asked as he opened the box "You're wanting me to ask her to marry me, like, right now?" He asked. "No but if you ever do, your prepared" Opal said "Thank's, this means a lot" Luke said putting the ring box in his pocket "You're part of the family" Opal said as she kissed him on the cheek, got in the car and drove off.
Luke stood at the edge of the sidewalk with the feel of the ring box in his pocket. He let out a smile and made his way back to the house. I was sitting on the couch and heard the front door open. I looked over and saw that it was Luke "Who is it" I said leaning over the couch "It's just a murderer, or Luke" he said as he closed the door.
He walked over to me where I was sitting "what happened" I asked "Oh nothing, turns out there was only a small box and she was fine" He said to me holding the box in his pocket "I'm feeling pretty tired, I think i'm just going to go to bed" Luke said leaning over the couch "Okay, goodnight" I said kissing him.
The day's went on I would tell you specifically what happened in those days but I would just be wasting your time. The same thing happened almost everyday my family would bitch about something, I would have to defend myself, Luke and I explored the town, many cups of coffee were drunk, and lots of kissing was passed around. Thursday finally came around and I just couldn't wait for my family to leave Ohio so I can get back to enjoying my vacation.
