"Here we are, Tessa!" I exclaim with an illuminating eagerness.
Prior to arriving, I feared I'd have to swallow my distaste and pretend I was excited, but now that we're here, I'm actually starting to fall in love! The gorgeous ocean, the soothing sea breeze, the sprouting geographical landscape. It's all so dazzling, but I wish I was enjoying this moment with Maya and Tommy in the backseat. I wanna hear Maya's childlike wonder as she points at all the places she can't wait to visit. I wanna see Tommy's hazel eyes gaze longingly into the ocean, wishing to surf those waves as soon as we unpack. Being without my besties is going to be one of the most difficult obstacles of my entire life.
Tessa stretches her long old legs and perches up on the passenger door, still having quite a spring in her step, as my dad would say. She's loving the feel of the seaside breeze as it wafts into the car, making her spotted fur flap in the wind. Her big pink tongue is hanging out as she dawdles at the window, looking at all the sights and sounds of her new home. She may be an old dog, but she's tough as nails and has the heart of an angel.
I may not be the religious type, but I always came to believe my parents when they said Tessa was an angel in disguise, a protector who had been sent down to watch over us, particularly me. That's why she can't stand not being around me, and why I screamed my head off when my parents talked about putting her down before the move. They were worried the move would be too much for her, but looking over at her, I see nothing but infectious joy.
I pull at Tessa's tail, making her stare back at me with her icy blue eyes, not barking one bit. She's so well behaved, tame like an old lady swaying back and forth in a rocking chair. I think of her spirit as that old lady, swaying back and forth without a care in the world, perpetually watching me with the intention of protecting me, keeping me out of harm's way at all costs.
As we near the exit, I see my dad turn on his blinker, indicating that we are closer to seeing our new home! After pulling off the freeway, we make our way onto some side roads, driving toward the mountain range and farther away from the ocean. I wave goodbye to the waves, ironically, and watch as the hillsides roll past us. Many of the cars simply zoom past, not even paying attention to the magnificent beauty around them. That's how most people are. They become immune to nature's magnificence. They forget how much of a blessing it is to live in such a spectacular world. None of us deserve to be in its fantastic presence, yet almost everyone takes it for granted.
I must be the outlier.
I turn my attention away from the landscape and keep looking forward, ready to see our new home. My dad turns on his blinker again, making a quick left into a development named "Mountainside Acres."
I can't help but gasp at the sight of all the brilliant houses. They all look so cozy, the leaves of their trees beginning to turn to the pale tones of autumn - pastel red, yellow, and orange. Autumn is such a lovely time to be alive, a wonderful moment to run through the leaves and feel the rain splash across your face.
As we pull up to our little home, I about faint from excitement. For once, we have an actual home. No more waiting for an elevator. No more having walls thinner than paper. First off I wanna run upstairs and see my new room and maybe even meet a neighbor or two. Maya and Tommy are going to be so jealous when I FaceTime them and give them a digital tour of the home. A part of me hopes they get a little jealous. Maybe it'll give them an incentive to fly out and visit me.
My dad backs into the driveway as I stare in awe at the beautiful clean white walls that make up our small two-story home. I love seeing the cute little maple trees planted right in front of the front door, bringing a sweet pop of color to contrast the stark white. When my dad finally manages to straighten out his parking job, because everything he does have to be perfect, I park the truck right beside the U-Haul, still taking in all the sights and sounds around me. Tessa perks up as she feels the truck shift into park, probably eager to take a potty break. I look out at the houses around me and see a beige one right across from ours, with big glass windows and a porch with sad blushing carnations, sagging down in their pots.
YOU ARE READING
Bathe in Color
RomanceParis Wills is a dreamer. His father always said he got it from his mom, an artist who was unlike any other. Her virtue was painting, and Paris' is poetry. No matter where he is, Paris finds inspiration for his poems. In the summer after his sophom...
