Almost a stranger

Summer vacation

After swimming, my mom and I went to our house. A movie night probably. One of the best parts of vacation, popcorns, and movies until we fall asleep. While we were walking in the house, we saw someone standing next to the doors. It was a tall, black-haired man who was about my mom's age- I guess. 

Molly: Turn the movie on, I'll be there in a minute. 

I greeted the man and went inside. The movie started and I almost ate half the popcorns, but my mom was still outside. I was sure she would come, so I started watching the movie. 

Half of the movie passed and my mom was still outside. The worst part, I ate all the popcorns. If I didn't hear their voices, I would say they left. After the movie was over my mom showed up. 

Abigail: You missed the whole movie. 
Molly: I know I'm sorry. 
Abigail: Who was that?
Molly: An old friend. We haven't seen for ages. 
Abigail: If you want to skip the movie night, I will read my book to the end. 
Molly: No, no. Let's watch something.
Abigail: I'm serious. If you want to talk to him for some time... I mean we have three weeks. 
Molly: No. We'll talk some other time. 

Since my mom and I are from different worlds, we always fight about the movies we'll watch. My mom likes unreal things like perfect romance or science fiction. I'm more for documentaries and old movies. Despite we don't talk about my father much, she told me that I got a "movie-style" from him. In the end, we watched "6 years"

It was love drama- of course. While my mom was crying about the movie, I was thinking about the next thing we should watch. 
When the movie was over, my mom looked at me- perfectly without tears. 

Molly: How didn't you cry on that?
Abigail: Common mom. You know me...
Molly: How can you not cry on that?

I rolled my eyes and started looking for the next movie- looking for something good. 

Molly: Don't you read the book about love?
Abigail: Yeah, so?
Molly: How can you read that if you can't cry over this?
Abigail: I think love is better described in books. 
Molly: If you say so. What's next?
Abigail: You know what? You pick another one. 
Molly: Why?
Abigail: I'll think of something tomorrow. Let's put another love movie. 

My mom immediately jumped from the couch and put "Avatar"
When it was over, my mom was crying again. 

Abigail: Oh my God mom. What's wrong with you?
Molly: With me? What's wrong with them trying to crash that tree?
Abigail: Mom. There are millions of dollars lying under one tree. There's nothing else they could do. 
Molly: You're kidding me!? There's a whole nation living on that tree!
Abigail: Well, maybe if they lived somewhere else, they wouldn't all end up dead. 

My mom laughed. We always talk like this when we watch a love movie. 

Molly: What do you want for dinner?
Abigail: Anything would be good. 
Molly: Pizza?
Abigail: Sure. 
Molly: Tuners are coming tomorrow, so we'll dine with them. 

Tuners are another family that spends their vacation here. They have a house near ours. 

Abigail: Oh no. Why them? 
Molly: What's wrong with them?
Abigail: They have a daughter that I have to take care of while you can eat and drink and have fun. 
Molly: You'll survive. She's a big girl now. 
Abigail: Really? What, 4 or 5?
Molly: I think it's 6.
Abigail: And she behaves like she's 2.
Molly: You're mean. 
Abigail: Just when it's needed. 
Molly: It's not needed now.
Abigail: Did you babysit her?
Molly: I'll order pizza. 

After a few minutes, the doorbell rang. 

Abigail: That was fast. 
Molly: Yeah. They are fast this year. 

The pizza smelled great and we started eating immediately. 

Abigail: So, when do Jacksons coming?
Molly: Next week. But I don't think Jack will come this year. 
Abigail: Why that matters?
Molly: Hot guy your age? You're right, it doesn't matter. 

I almost choked with the cola I was drinking and my mom was laughing. 

Molly: You should see your face...
Abigail: First, he isn't hot. Second, he doesn't matter...
Molly: And yet, we're still talking about him... 
Abigail: And third, I like his mom. Miss Jackson loves all the movies I watched plus, she always has great stories from the days she went to the same high school as me. 

Molly: If you say so. And she told you not to call her Miss Jackson a thousand times already. 
Abigail: What should I call her, Emily?
Molly: Yeah. 
Abigail: Sure... 
Molly: So, where do you want to go tomorrow?
Abigail: We could go to the Salvador Dali museum.

Molly: I thought something fun. Like zipline, hiking, skydiving?
Abigail: No, no, and absolutely no. 
Molly: We won't go to the museum either. 
Abigail: What about swimming and movies?
Molly: If you say so. But I will get you to do something fun this summer. 

Abigail: Like last summer when we went paddling and almost died?
Molly: We didn't almost die. We just crashed. 
Abigail: And drowned. 
Molly: We had life jackets. 
Abigail: But still. 

Molly: It won't happen this year, I promise. 
Abigail: You're right. It won't because we won't go. 
Molly: Why can't you be like every 17 years old teenager?
Abigail: Why can't you be like all 37 years old mother?
Molly: 36.
Abigail: A week from 37...
Molly: Don't remind me. 

The pizza was finished. 

Abigail: Where now?
Molly: Sleeping?
Abigail: Oh, no, no, no. It's 10 p.m. We're not going to sleep. 
Molly: What do you want to do?
Abigail: Walking on the beach?
Molly: I'll pass. 
Abigail: I'll go alone then. 
Molly: I would like to see that. 
Abigail: You'll see. 

I went to my room and put on a black dress. My curly, dark hair was loosened and I was ready. 

Molly: Is that my dress?
Abigail: Yes. 
Molly: Looks better on you. 
Abigail: I agree. 
Molly: Little devil. 
Abigail: Love you too. 
Molly: See you. 
Abigail: I'll come about midnight. 
Molly: No need to hurry. 

I ran toward the doors and started walking along the beach we were. The moon lightened the water and it looked like there's diamonds on it. And the palms looked bigger at night. I took my phone and called Joy and Kelsey. 

Abigail: Hi. 
Joy: Hi! How's Florida?
Abigail: Better than last year. 
Kelsey: You say that every year. 
Abigail: I miss you. 
Joy: I know. 
Abigail: Next year you're going with me. 
Kelsey: Good luck fighting my parents. 
Joy: We'll have 18. They can't tell you what you can or can't do. 
Kelsey: Do they know that?
Joy: Stop it. You'll go.