The Crow And The Butterfly

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Christmas was just as expected. Everyone was dressed up in beautiful attire. Everyone looked classy as if they fit into society. When the clock struck 4 pm my aunt Lora and her family came in with their country clothes and ugly sweaters. I giggled to myself when I saw them. They looked as if they were lost. My mother walked up to them and hugged them one by one. Then she turned to me.

"Camille, why don't you show Claire to your room?" I smiled a little to show I cared but really didn't.

"Sure." I said. She followed me up the stairs to my room.

When I showed her she wouldn't shut up. She loved every little thing and then she kept talking about her new baby horse, that she had got for her birthday a year ago.

"Camille..... Camille.........Camille!!!!!!"

I shook my head to rid my thoughts.

"Yeah? Sorry."

"Would you like to say grace?" Uncle Wane asked. I looked around I was at there dinner table.

"Nooooo." I said, "I don't know how."

"Claire," Aunt Lora said nodding her head.

Everyone bowed their head and she began to pray.....

"Dear God, please bless this food for the nutrients of our bodies. Thank you for the garden we got the vegetables out of. Thank you for our farm. You have truly blessed us and we all love you and praise you for everything we go through...."

Everything they went through? I thought. What does that mean. I looked as they prayed. They all had their hands folded, their heads bowed.  Then Claire finished her prayer.

"...... Amen."
"Amen." Everyone echoed.

"Amen." I said quietly and delayed.

We began to eat fresh salad from the garden.

They started asking me questions of why I was visiting, and I assumed that mom told them. So I lied and told them I came down to shop.

"..... So.... You didn't want to visit us?" Claire asked.

"Uh...... Of course I do. But I need to shop too. I haven't done that in three days.

"I knew you didn't change." Claire said.

"Claire!" Uncle Wane said.

"No she's here for her own selfish reasons. That's probably why she's really here..... right?"

I starred at them embarrassed.

I left the table and went up to Claire's room.

Later Claire came up to her room.

"Look I'm sorry for being a jerk. I'm just under a lot of pressure."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

She walked to the window and spoke.

"We are losing the farm. So I've been training everyday for a completion to win prize money to save our farm."

"Why do you love this place so much? I mean is muddy, stinky. You would be better off in the city."

"Um no you would be better off not here. Don't you see I love this place. It's who I am..... A country bumpkin."

"Where.... Where did you hear that?" I asked.

"Don't you remember you called me that last Christmas."

"Oh I-"

"Look it's getting late and we have to wake up early tomorrow."

She got dressed and went to bed. I climbed into the extra bed and looked at the clock.

It's only 9 pm. I told myself.