My Path To Serenity

Chapter three

The next morning, I woke up to the sun radiating brightly through the silky, white curtains. I had a raging headache and sweaty, clammy hands. I was hungover from last night's adventure at the casino, which wasn't the most pleasant feeling. I rolled over and looked at Jasper, who was still sound asleep. I felt the strong urge to wake him and discuss our fight last night, but I realized it'd be better to be woken up on a more positive note. He wouldn't want to be hounded about an argument from the night before as soon as he opened his eyes, so I figured I'd let him sleep a little more while I grab a cup of coffee from the breakfast bar and collected my thoughts. We had to be at church by two pm, so we had plenty of time. I rubbed my eyes as I slipped out of bed before throwing on a pair of sweats and a tee shirt. I tied my messy, uncombed, hair in a bun as I slipped on my shoes and left our hotel room. I usually don't go out in public looking like a hungover mess, but it's Vegas, and I'd assume people would understand.

When I reached the breakfast area, I scanned my eyes around the room for the coffee pot first. The atmosphere in this breakfast bar was very elegant, actually. I didn't pay too much attention to it last night, given that I was too furious to stop and appreciate the place. A kind, older custodian was sweeping the ground behind me, who had a bright smile on her face. Her pearl earrings and pink lipstick stood out to me, given that it was only nine am. She even looked fancy for a morning shift consisting of sweeping up floors, and I loved that. "Good morning, sunshine!" I grabbed the hot, fresh, pot of hazel nut roasted coffee. I was relying on this coffee to give me a boost of energy, but I think her spirit could do just the same. I turned towards the woman and nodded my head. "Good morning to you!" I felt my stomach rumbling, so I scanned across the table for something to tie me over before breakfast. They had such a wide variety of food to choose from. From apples to oranges, toast, eggs, waffles, and pancakes. They even had a sheet above each stack of food that told you the great benefits of them all. Orange: great source of vitamin c. Take as many as you'd like! The sign read. I picked up an orange before I was abruptly startled from my phone ringing quite loud. I had forgotten all about my cell phone during this trip.

It was my sister, Charlotte. "Allison?" She immediately spoke before I could even say hello. "Hey Charlotte, what's going on?" I hadn't spoke to my sister since our last argument a couple months ago. I didn't want to stop speaking to my sister, she wanted to stop speaking to me. She expected me to babysit her son every weekend, because she assumed that's just what sisters do, but eventually I told her I couldn't do it any longer. When she first had her son, I made a promise I'd be there to help as much as I could. I lived up to my promise as much as I could handle, but from sun up to sun down, I was taking care of her child while she went out and did party drugs. Charlotte had him at just fifteen years old, and I know a part of her feels like she was robbed of her teenage years. I know she misses having only the responsibility of going to school, but now she has the responsibility of being a mother, too.

I know it wasn't a dream of hers to become a mother just yet, but it's too late now. She is. She told me she never wanted to speak to me again, after I had canceled plans on watching her son, Oliver. As much as I didn't like to hear that, I gave her what she wanted. I hadn't called her or talked to her in a few months to give her time and space, but now she's calling again. "I hope I didn't wake you," she began. I sat down at a table away from the crowd of chattering people to focus on the conversation. "You didn't wake me, I've been up for a bit now. Is everything going alright?" "No." She stated, sounding upset. She took in a deep breath and sighed over the phone, trying to relax. "I'd like to apologize for how we left off, Alli." This was the first time in my life she had ever reached out to me first. Although she knew how to get on my last nerve, I couldn't hold a grudge. "I forgive you." I told her as I took a sip of my coffee. "Wow, you do? I was expecting you to tell me how wrong I was, and that you don't want to talk to me ever again." Well of course I'd talk to her again, but she's right, she was in the wrong at the time. "Charlotte, I will always be here for you, and I will always find room in my heart to forgive you." I looked around the breakfast bar to make sure no one could hear me, and I quietly said, "I just think it was wrong of you to leave me with Oliver from Friday to Sunday, while you went out to parties and got trashed. If I was watching him while you went to work that's one thing, but abandoning all responsibilities so you can escape is another. Do you hear what I'm saying?" She took in another deep breath and sighed. "Yeah, I hear what you're saying." It was silent for a moment on her end and mine. "How is he doing?" I had to ask. "Oh you know," she began, "he's a handful." I chuckled, lightning the situation. "Oh boy, that's how babies are! But hey, despite our disagreements, you both will always have me in your life." She sighed, "Yeah, he's gonna need his auntie more than ever right now. And I'm really going to need my sister." I sat up straight and raised an eyebrow. "Why's that Charlotte?" She paused for a moment before she spoke, "please don't tell mom and dad what I'm about to tell you, okay?" she begged. My stomach sank with anticipation. "I'm pregnant again."