Chapter 3- Remembering Faces
As we pulled up the driveway in Montana, warmness overwhelmed me. Everything seemed vaguely familiar. Like a distant dream or a feeling once felt. I let in a calm breath of air as the car slowed to a stop. I looked out the window of my door. Staring at the house I now would call my home. I took one more breath of air before all the chaos began and I soon was filled with claustrophobia. Life would be different, better even, from this point on, I promised myself.
I was taken out of my trance when my door opened. I looked up shocked to see my father. “You did say that a man should be a gentleman,” he said repeating my words from a few months ago. Astonished he even listened with all of the potatoes in his ears; I grabbed my purse by my leg and got out of the Jeep. I went by truck to get my suitcase out, when a hand on my shoulder stopped me. I turned around, noticing it was Theda’s. My dad’s wife. “Hey pumpkin, I haven’t seen you in a while,” she said giving me a hug. I nodded my head as she was right. I hadn’t seen her in about a year, which for me is terrible.
I didn’t say anything because I was out of talking. I had talked too much in Chicago. I had said too much in Illinois. Hopefully not as many words had to come out here.
As she moved over, just slightly, I noticed my suitcase already in dad’s hands. I looked back at the trunk. He was a wizard. Either that or I was slow. And if we took a vote on it, mine would win. I let her guide me up the front stairs and into the huge house. Like the last house before they had moved not too long ago, it was up to date. The newest CD by Pink Floyd laying on the little table off to my left, fresh paint smell coming from upstairs, and of course, Gwen.
I heard her before I saw her. Loud running feet hitting the carpet floor coming around what looked like the kitchen. Full speed, as she ran into me harder than a bull trying to get the red flag at one of those Bull games. “Omigod, I’ve missed you so much!!” she said as she squeezed me into one of the family’s famous bear hugs, lifting me off my feet. I thought my lungs were going to pop out of my mouth. “Can’t…breathe…gunna…pass out,” I tried to say in one breath, saving as much air as possible. She set me down carefully adding, “Sorry.”
Who would’ve guessed that Gwen would’ve been the first one to get a word out of me since I got home? Nope, didn’t sound right. I’d keep working on it. Even if I had to make it sound right. But, that was it.
It wasn’t necessary because this was where I belonged.
“So, how was your trip?” Gwen asked. “It was good, I guess,” I replied. You know how in those movies when your parents meet your boyfriend for the first time, and they don’t know what else to say after saying hi and welcoming them into their house... that would be a perfect example of how awkward this moment was.
“Okay, well I’ll take your suitcases upstairs and I’ll yell down when it’s “okay” for you to come up,” my dad said backing up the stairs, then turning around to face forward half way up.
As I turned around to face Theda, she was gone and it was just Gwen who stood before me. Smiling and looking exited as ever, she gestured for me to go down a hallway. Having absolutely no clue where this hallway would take me, I went down it.
