Photo Memories | Chesapeake Shores

Chapter 1 - A Home Away From Home

"I am not going to summer school."

I spoke firmly to my mother as she ran on her treadmill, though, she had her earbuds in, I knew she could hear me. After all, I was her daughter. My mum let out a sigh and pulled out her earbuds and continued to run, looking over at me she sighed.

"Clara, we've talked about this," my mother spoke as she looked away from me, not wanting to get into it with me in the morning.

"No," I spoke as I pressed the stop button on the treadmill. My mother sighed as she pressed the button to start the treadmill back up but I pressed the button again, "you spoke about it, I never got a say in the matter and I want a say."

Mom then left the treadmill and walked away, I followed after her, hot on her heels.

"Mom, stop, for a second and listen to me." I tell her as I grab her arm to stop her, "I want to spend my summer in Chesapeake Shores with grandpa and nana and Jess. It'll be a good opportunity to spend time with my family and I could also see my dad's parents. And I'll spend the whole time helping and improving on my grades for next year and I'll help with Carrie and Caitlyn with picking them up, taking them to school, going to their ridiculous ballet and tap recitals so you don't have to waste money on Sebrina doing it all."

"It'll also be educational," I added after I took a deep breath, saying all that took a lot out of me, "I have to do a history essay on the history of my family and who better to ask then nana? Mom, please, I am begging you."

I looked at my mother expectedly as I held my hands together, pray, hoping and wishing with all my might that she'd say yes to me and I'd be allowed to go. Mom looked at me as if she was silently debating if I could go or not.

I was a lot like my mother, I could convince anyone to do anything and that was saying something. My mother had said it was an O'Brien charm something that I have, my nana said that it was because I was every bit like my mother. I was passionate about the things I do and I commit to everything I do, I never leave something half-finished and I never will. It reminded me of how I convinced my whole English class and teacher to do my aunts play for drama week, something to preform once a week for a whole week for the whole school and parents. Granted my mother couldn't come but I had recorded the whole thing for when she was ready to watch it.

"Alright." I let out a squeal and hugged my mom, she lightly hugged me back and I kissed her cheek. "But, I'm not paying for your bus fee down there." She added and I nodded my head.

"I have the money, I promise, I'm already packed," I tell her and she raised an eyebrow at me, and I smiled, "I knew you would of said so, besides I would of added that I wanted to see the historical sites of Chesapeake Shores with my own eyes and to experience it myself."

"I'll go say goodbye to Carrie and Caitlyn."

I quickly run off to the girls room and see that they were awake but still in the mist of getting ready for the day, saying goodbye to them and kissing their cheeks, I promised to buy them presents and all sorts of things.

I had said goodbye to my mom before she left for work and to Serina who had just entered the house right before my mom left with me trailing my suitcases and guitar behind her. She was kind enough to drive me to the bus station while I brought a bus ticket.

"Be careful," my mom began to list things off, "don't talk to strangers and be good to nana and grandpa."

"Mom," I stop her before she could ramble on, "I know what I'm doing, 15 years old remember?" I picked up my suitcases and guitar case as I walk on the bus but not without giving her one last hug before I got on it.