There was a small reception at the house. Aunt Judi had caterers there to get ready before the funeral ended. She hired a planner, because she didn't want to be in the house more than she had too. She let me and Michael stay in the car as long as we wanted.
"Do you want to go in?" I asked Michael, looking over at him. We were both sitting in the back of Uncle Ray's rented SUV. He was looking out the window, watching the guests stream in, holding food and flowers.
"Not really." He mumbled, adjusting his arm cast. I watched him for a few more moments before speaking again.
"I don't want to move to California." I said, tugging at a loose thread on my dress.
"Me neither. But we kinda don't have a choice." He finally looked at me. "I guess we'd better go in and get sympathy while we can."
"Do you need help getting out?" I asked, opening my door and sliding out, squinting in the bright sunlight. Sunlight seemed viciously innappropriate on a day like this. I walked over to his side, opening the door and wrapping his arm around my neck, helping him out.
"Usually," He joked, leaning against the car while I got out his crutch. "It's me helping you." I saw a small smile twinge at the corner of his mouth. That made me smile big.
"The tables have turned, dear brother." We both walked to the front porch, a sight for sore eyes, with me in an arm cast and a bandage over a large cut on my forehead, multiple cuts on my arms and chest, and Michael, with his broken leg and arm and one crutch. Walking up the stairs was no easy task, but we made it to the front door.
"Ready?" I asked him, reaching for his hand. He nodded and we walked in the house, hand in hand. The noise quieted down when we came in. Aunt Judi rushed over.
"Finally." She tried to smile. "You stayed in the car longer than I expected. The reception is almost over." She turned and looked at the guests, milling around, nibbling half-heartedly on food that was set up on trays. "You can go pack if you want." She said, getting the fact that we didn't want to stay in here. We nodded and walked/limped to our bedrooms upstairs, avoiding everyone.
Michael and I parted ways at the top of the stairs and walked to our bedrooms. Everything in my bedroom seemed so...old. Not physically, but mentally. Everything reminded me of my old life. I sighed and walked to my closet, pulling out my two roller suitcases. Setting them on the bed, I turned back to my closet and began yanking clothes out, folding them precisly to get my mind off of things.
Across the room, my phone beeped. Before I even looked at it, I knew it was Jules again. She had been texting and calling me nonstop. I knew she was at the funeral, but I don't think that she stayed long here. Although she might be down there with Parker.
Where R U?
Can we talk?
I need to see you!!!
Maybe B4 you leave for Cali?
I'm downstairs w/ Parker.
We're coming up.
I looked up at my door just before a knock sounded. Crap. She knew I was in here, and I couldn't hide now. My closet was almost empty, and my bed was impossible to get under. I could climb out the window, but there was no tree or anything to go down to get to the ground. I contemplated the idea, but no for long, because the knocking persisted.
I walked over to the door and rested my head on the soft polished wood. "Jules, I don't want to talk."
"I need to see you before you leave tomorrow!" She whined through the door. I knew I was being selfish for not wanting to see her, so I opened my door and stepped back. She began to hug me, but I held my hands out.
"No hugs, not yet." I asked her, and she nodded and sat on my bed.
"Are you excited to be moving?" She tried to change the subject.
I shrugged. "Under the circumstances, no." I closed on suitcase and wheeled it over to my door. I began filling the other with clothes and shoes.
"Oh, sorry. Well, you're going to be starting a new school. Are you excited about that?" She looked at me, hoping she hadn't said the wrong thing.
"Not really. I won't have any friends there." I heard her breathe a sigh of relief.
"Thank God. I'm irreplaceable, right? Right?" She jumped off the bed and walked over to my bookshelf. "Want me to pack these?" She asked, thumbing through the books.
"Sure. There's a box over there somewhere the movers left." I watched as she found the box and began neatly stacking books in it, taking time to read the backs of some, just like my mom used to do before she moved them anywhere. I don't know why, but I couldn't hold back the tears this time. They began streaming down my face, and my chest tightened. She looked up and dropped the book, rushing over to my side.
"Oh, my God. Are you okay?" She rubbed my back, pulling me close. I shook my head.
"It's going to get better. I promise you." She kept repeating, rubbing my back and humming. "Just think, soon, you'll be in sunny California, starting a new life. A fresh start. I've always wanted a fresh start. A new place. A new life. A do-over. It's okay, Hayli. I promise, I promise, I promise."
I knew she was trying to get my mind off of things, and it worked in a way. I wiped my eyes and looked at her. "What if I can't do it?"
"Don't say that! I know you. You're the strongest person I know!" She said, handing me a tissue from a little package in her pocket.
"Where's Parker?" I asked, wiping my eyes.
"He's in Michael's room." We both got up and headed for the door. "I can come visit in California, right?" She asked, and for the first time in days, I laughed.
Not edited (again!) sorry!!!!!! You know the drill::comment/fan/vote!
