**To start from the beginning of the story, click here.**
“So, Lily, how’s school going?” my uncle, Evan, asked me with a whiskery smile that he’d had forever it seemed.
“Okay, I guess. I’m still trying to decide what to major in, and my friends and I are still trying to find a place to live next year,” I replied rolling my eyes and shaking my head.
He made some noncommittal remark. His attention turning back to my parents they started to discuss recent events. I sat there for a while listening to them hash over events. They all had to talk about everyone’s health, their parents health, their friends health. The list of people went on and on. The reminiscing, like eulogies for the past that was long gone, so long ago that they had to remind each other of what had happened. Finally I stood up abruptly and walked toward the back door. Opening it I walked out into the backyard. Everyone looked up at me, but I kept walking. My mom asked where I was going, but without answering I shut the door. The green yard sloped down to a stream that ran lazily between the backyards of the houses on either side. Walking down towards it I kicked off my sandals and waded in up to my knees. The chill of the water felt great in the heat of the afternoon. I leaned over and splashed some water up with my hand.
Feeling like someone was watching me I looked over at the houses across the stream. A guy about my age was standing in the backyard of one of the houses looking at me. I tilted my head against the sun and my shyness and smiled tentatively at him. He smiled back at me just as someone yelled, “Hey Garret, are you coming.” Then he turned and walked in the house.
I smiled to myself. Swinging one foot I kicked at the water. Then I crouched down in the water until it was up around my neck. I leaned back and floated on the water. My light short dress, once dry and swirling in the light Colorado breeze clung to me like a like a shroud. Standing I turned to look at the house my long hair streaming with the water down my back. My cousin, Kally stood in the shadow of the porch. I walked toward the bank and walked up into the yard towards her. We approached each other warily like strange dogs, testing reactions that hung as tangible in the air as a scent. Unsmiling we stopped barely a foot apart.
As one we reached for each other in an embrace that covered the miles and the years and brought us up to the present. Smiling we looked at each other.
“I was so worried that something would have changed,” I said to her with a smile as wide as the sky and as bright as the sun.
“Me too,” Kally answered with a matching smile. We hugged again and linking arms we walked up to the house.
I realized that Kally and I could live as far apart as the earth and the moon and it wouldn’t change a thing. We’re friends and that’s how it’s always going to be. Neither time nor distance will separate us.
El Fin
Showing posts with label Reunion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reunion. Show all posts
Reunion Part 6 - Short story
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
***To start from the beginning of the story, click here***
Waking up some time later because of the change in motion, I realized that we were almost to their house. I sat up and pushed back my long hair. A few minutes later we pulled into my uncle’s driveway.
My mom’s “Lily, are you coming?” dragged me back. I got slowly out of the car and walked around to get my bags. Looking expectantly towards the house, I waited, but no one came out.
Swallowing hard, I grabbed my bags and hung back to be the last to walk up to the house. As we approached the door, it swung open.
My uncle walked out, a big smile lighting his face.
“Hey, you finally made it,” he boomed in a voice that had been a part of my life for as long as I could remember. He gave each of us a hug. Even as he hugged me I kept an eye out for whomever else might come out.
“Come on in,” he instructed, holding the door open for us, “the kids went over to their grandma’s house. They won’t be back for a while.”
Looking over at me my uncle said musingly, “You two girls used to wait around the house all day until the other one of you got there. It was as if you couldn’t bear to waste a minute of your time together.”
I nodded and looked away.
My face must have shown my disappointment because my mom came over and squeezed my shoulders and smiled at me. Smiling weakly back at her, I put my arms around her and give her a squeeze. Then pulling away I followed Joe into the house.
*To be continued, click here to read Part 6.**
Waking up some time later because of the change in motion, I realized that we were almost to their house. I sat up and pushed back my long hair. A few minutes later we pulled into my uncle’s driveway.
My mom’s “Lily, are you coming?” dragged me back. I got slowly out of the car and walked around to get my bags. Looking expectantly towards the house, I waited, but no one came out.
Swallowing hard, I grabbed my bags and hung back to be the last to walk up to the house. As we approached the door, it swung open.
My uncle walked out, a big smile lighting his face.
“Hey, you finally made it,” he boomed in a voice that had been a part of my life for as long as I could remember. He gave each of us a hug. Even as he hugged me I kept an eye out for whomever else might come out.
“Come on in,” he instructed, holding the door open for us, “the kids went over to their grandma’s house. They won’t be back for a while.”
Looking over at me my uncle said musingly, “You two girls used to wait around the house all day until the other one of you got there. It was as if you couldn’t bear to waste a minute of your time together.”
I nodded and looked away.
My face must have shown my disappointment because my mom came over and squeezed my shoulders and smiled at me. Smiling weakly back at her, I put my arms around her and give her a squeeze. Then pulling away I followed Joe into the house.
*To be continued, click here to read Part 6.**
Friday, September 5, 2008
**To start at the beginning of the story, click here**
“So what do you guys think we’ll do once we get there?” I asked.
“We’ll probably just hang around the house tonight and catch up. Then go shop for stuff to take up into the mountains with us,” mom answered.
I waited, but seeing no other information was forthcoming I pressed on, “What time do you think we’ll leave tomorrow?” I questioned, knowing that it would more than likely be earlier than I wanted to get up.
“As early as we can,” dad replied.
Giving up, I leaned back and sighed. I knew it, it seemed like I always had to get up earlier than I wanted to. Oh well, I thought to myself, the mountains are worth it. I closed my eyes picturing their grandeur and inevitably thought of Kally and all of the time we’d spent together there. I thought of all the time we’d spent together telling stories and secrets, the late nights we’d talked and giggled until being told to go to sleep and then of the long period of time that had passed since we’d even written to one another. Since then my friendships had all been rocky. I hadn’t had any other friends with whom I could share everything and know that they would understand.
Kally and I had spent the weeks we had together forming our own personal club ( the two of us being the only members), imagining the life we would share. We would go to the same college, then after that we would live across the street from each other. We would marry guys who were friends, and our children would grow up friends. The plans for our future went on and on. After a while my thoughts trailed off as the monotonous motion lulled me to sleep.
**To read Part 5, click here.**
“So what do you guys think we’ll do once we get there?” I asked.
“We’ll probably just hang around the house tonight and catch up. Then go shop for stuff to take up into the mountains with us,” mom answered.
I waited, but seeing no other information was forthcoming I pressed on, “What time do you think we’ll leave tomorrow?” I questioned, knowing that it would more than likely be earlier than I wanted to get up.
“As early as we can,” dad replied.
Giving up, I leaned back and sighed. I knew it, it seemed like I always had to get up earlier than I wanted to. Oh well, I thought to myself, the mountains are worth it. I closed my eyes picturing their grandeur and inevitably thought of Kally and all of the time we’d spent together there. I thought of all the time we’d spent together telling stories and secrets, the late nights we’d talked and giggled until being told to go to sleep and then of the long period of time that had passed since we’d even written to one another. Since then my friendships had all been rocky. I hadn’t had any other friends with whom I could share everything and know that they would understand.
Kally and I had spent the weeks we had together forming our own personal club ( the two of us being the only members), imagining the life we would share. We would go to the same college, then after that we would live across the street from each other. We would marry guys who were friends, and our children would grow up friends. The plans for our future went on and on. After a while my thoughts trailed off as the monotonous motion lulled me to sleep.
**To read Part 5, click here.**
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
**To start at the beginning of the story, click here**
Suddenly, the van headed off to the right and off balance I fell over, knocking my head on the window. Dad followed the exit ramp and drove into the first gas station. Rolling my eyes and grumbling, I climbed out of the car stretching my aching limbs. Turning, I waited for my mom and we walked into the store together.
“Do you need to go to the bathroom, Lily?” my mom asked me in a resonant voice. Blushing, I mumbled no and walked in the opposite direction. A cute cashier guy looked at me and smiled, but lost in my own world, I ignored his attention. I headed for the magazines with my head lowered and plowed into someone. I looked up relieved to see that it was Joe until I saw the frown that had darkened his features.
“I’m sorry Joe, I wasn’t watching where I was going,” I said, calmly, hoping to smooth over the moment. His features softened, but he didn’t say anything he just turned back to the magazines. I rolled my eyes again and started flipping through a magazine. Smiling at my dad when he came in the door, I noticed his harried look that he always gets when we travel.
On the road once again, I leaned forward to attempt a conversation with my parents.
“So what do you guys think we’ll do once we get there?” I asked.
**To read part 4, click here.**
Suddenly, the van headed off to the right and off balance I fell over, knocking my head on the window. Dad followed the exit ramp and drove into the first gas station. Rolling my eyes and grumbling, I climbed out of the car stretching my aching limbs. Turning, I waited for my mom and we walked into the store together.
“Do you need to go to the bathroom, Lily?” my mom asked me in a resonant voice. Blushing, I mumbled no and walked in the opposite direction. A cute cashier guy looked at me and smiled, but lost in my own world, I ignored his attention. I headed for the magazines with my head lowered and plowed into someone. I looked up relieved to see that it was Joe until I saw the frown that had darkened his features.
“I’m sorry Joe, I wasn’t watching where I was going,” I said, calmly, hoping to smooth over the moment. His features softened, but he didn’t say anything he just turned back to the magazines. I rolled my eyes again and started flipping through a magazine. Smiling at my dad when he came in the door, I noticed his harried look that he always gets when we travel.
On the road once again, I leaned forward to attempt a conversation with my parents.
“So what do you guys think we’ll do once we get there?” I asked.
**To read part 4, click here.**
Sunday, August 31, 2008
**To read part one click here**
We’re making our yearly pilgrimage to Fort Collins, Colorado to see my mom’s brother and his kids. His daughter Kally is not only my cousin, she is also my best friend. Not having seen her in a couple of years, I thought about seeing her again. I smiled at the thought of her. I had always wanted to look just like her, with her naturally curly brown hair and soulful brown eyes. Not so many years ago after telling her how much I had always envied her looks she told me that she had felt the same way about me. She had always been the one whom I could tell anything and she could tell me anything, even though it had often been done through letters, instead of in person. It had never made a difference. She’d always been the outgoing one, while I hung back shy. Her energy and excitement had affected me over the years, though, and I became more extroverted. She had done whatever she wanted and had hauled me along. Her parents had gotten a divorce a few years before. Soon after it her mom had moved to Spokane, Washington and had taken the kids with her. Kally and I had been friends practically since birth and we had always lived apart. We had written to each other all our lives, but with her move and both of us starting college, our correspondence had lessened and finally ceased. It had been so long. I wondered what she was like. I wondered what she looked like and what she’d been doing.
“What did Uncle Evan say Kally said when he told her we were coming?” I asked for at least the tenth time.
“He just said that they were all excited that we were coming,” my mom replied shortly.
Wriggling once again, I looked at Joe and marveled at his ability to sleep through all of this. In his sleep he had slumped over in an awkward position and it looked painful.
**To read Part 3, click here.**
We’re making our yearly pilgrimage to Fort Collins, Colorado to see my mom’s brother and his kids. His daughter Kally is not only my cousin, she is also my best friend. Not having seen her in a couple of years, I thought about seeing her again. I smiled at the thought of her. I had always wanted to look just like her, with her naturally curly brown hair and soulful brown eyes. Not so many years ago after telling her how much I had always envied her looks she told me that she had felt the same way about me. She had always been the one whom I could tell anything and she could tell me anything, even though it had often been done through letters, instead of in person. It had never made a difference. She’d always been the outgoing one, while I hung back shy. Her energy and excitement had affected me over the years, though, and I became more extroverted. She had done whatever she wanted and had hauled me along. Her parents had gotten a divorce a few years before. Soon after it her mom had moved to Spokane, Washington and had taken the kids with her. Kally and I had been friends practically since birth and we had always lived apart. We had written to each other all our lives, but with her move and both of us starting college, our correspondence had lessened and finally ceased. It had been so long. I wondered what she was like. I wondered what she looked like and what she’d been doing.
“What did Uncle Evan say Kally said when he told her we were coming?” I asked for at least the tenth time.
“He just said that they were all excited that we were coming,” my mom replied shortly.
Wriggling once again, I looked at Joe and marveled at his ability to sleep through all of this. In his sleep he had slumped over in an awkward position and it looked painful.
**To read Part 3, click here.**
Thursday, August 28, 2008
***After reading PioneerWoman's romance story, or part of it at least, I decided to post a story. this is a fictious short story I wrote in college, enjoy**
Sitting in the back seat behind my mother, I looked over at my father, confidently maneuvering the car through some heavy traffic. Then I looked at my brother next to me and thought how alike and yet completely different father and son are. Like me, my brother had inherited a fierce temper and a reserved nature from our mother. That sounds like a weird combination, I know, but believe me that is exactly what we have. My father, on the other hand, is very laid back and he rarely loses his temper.
Lately though, conflicts between my younger brother Joe and my parents had been driving all of us over the brink. Having already passed through this teenage rebellion my brother had sunk into, like a leaf pulled into a whirlpool, I wanted to reach into his head and push the button that would give him the understanding and tolerance that maturity would bring. If only it were possible. Sighing deeply, I thought of the years it could take for him to reach this understanding. I shook my head. Maybe having children was overrated. Fidgeting against the uncomfortable press of the seat, I searched for a less painful position. I swear the car seats get harder, and this trip gets longer every year.
**to be continued, click here to read part 2**
Sitting in the back seat behind my mother, I looked over at my father, confidently maneuvering the car through some heavy traffic. Then I looked at my brother next to me and thought how alike and yet completely different father and son are. Like me, my brother had inherited a fierce temper and a reserved nature from our mother. That sounds like a weird combination, I know, but believe me that is exactly what we have. My father, on the other hand, is very laid back and he rarely loses his temper.
Lately though, conflicts between my younger brother Joe and my parents had been driving all of us over the brink. Having already passed through this teenage rebellion my brother had sunk into, like a leaf pulled into a whirlpool, I wanted to reach into his head and push the button that would give him the understanding and tolerance that maturity would bring. If only it were possible. Sighing deeply, I thought of the years it could take for him to reach this understanding. I shook my head. Maybe having children was overrated. Fidgeting against the uncomfortable press of the seat, I searched for a less painful position. I swear the car seats get harder, and this trip gets longer every year.
**to be continued, click here to read part 2**
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