As she looked in the mirror, she saw nothing to be proud of. Her ginger hair was wild, her green eyes sorrowful, and her high cheek-boned face pudgy. Her weight was never a problem, but yet she never felt like she should be the weight she was. She always dreamed of becoming a role model. But as she looked in the mirror, Maria saw nothing to be proud of.
"I can't believe I'm actually going." Maria said, packing her final necessities.
"I can't believe your going either, but they always said you'd grow up too fast." Helping her daughter pack was simple, it was her departure that would be dreaded. But with Maria being the youngest, she could always pack up and live the gypsy life they wanted. Maybe she'd even visit.
"I just can't imagine, what's it's going to be like, finally meeting Perrilla and Carlyle. It's like only yesterday that I was watching season 1 episode 1. A dream come true is what it is." Maria zipped up her last bag, tugging to force it closed. "Mom I just want you to know before I leave, I love you."
"I love you too sweetie. Let me get your passport." She leaves the room, hoping to return and hear her baby wasn't leaving so early. "Here you go," she says returning, and handing her the passport.
"Thanks mom." Maria stood up, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Grabbing all her bags, she loaded them up into the huge pick-up. "And thanks again for the truck. It'll be great for car-pooling."
They said one last goodbye before Maria threw her purse in the passenger seat, and got in. "There's some money in the glovebox just in case."
Maria closed the door. "I'll be okay mom. Lana will take good care of me, I promise." Maria started the truck, her last words ringing in her mother's ear. Starting on the highway, she drove all the way to Vancouver, Canada, stopping once for the night.
Maria dialed the number she had been given for Lana. She was told not to call too much, because she was not to pester Lana. "Hello? May I ask who I am speaking to?"
"Yes, hello. It's Maria, I'm was told that I was staying with you until I could get me own place here in Vancouver."
"Ah yes, Maria. I know just who you are. Here, where are you? I can give you directions." Lana talked Maria through how to get to her house. The drive was only about a thirty minute addition to the prior thirty-six hours.
Maria pushed the doorbell, only having her purse in hand. Fred opened the door with a smile ear to ear. "Hello, Lana told me you'd be coming. She just ran up to the gas station to buy some soda."
"Oh, well thank you for inviting me into your lovely home." Taking off her jacket, Maria kicked off her shoes on a welcome mat. They seemed to blend somewhat with Lana's, only being a size and a half bigger.
Lana's black car pulled in the drive beside Maria's truck. Lana walked up with a twelve pack of beer and a twelve pack of Coke-a-Cola. Maria hung her jacket on the coat rack at Lana opened the door. "Hello!" Lana said brightly. "I'm surprised to see you got here so early in the morning."
Maria looked at the clock on her phone, realizing it was indeed only nine AM. "Oh, sorry. Was I too early?"
"No dear. I just didn't think you were gonna get here that fast. Usually there's a lot of traffic between here and Steveston." Lana handed the twelve packs to Fred, who took them into the kitchen. "Do you need help carrying in bags?"
"Well, I was gonna wait until later, but we can do it now." Maria slipped her heals back on, and headed back out to her truck. She punched the number in the keypad, grabbed her keys, and unlocked the tailgate. Hooking the keys to her belt loop, Maria grabbed first her back pack, then her duffle bag. Lana grabbed a suitcase as well as a trash bag with sleeping stuff and overnight necessities. Fred came out to close the tailgate and offered to take the duffle bag.
"Thanks for helping me bring this in," Maria said, following Lana up the stairs to the guest bedroom.
"It's no problem Maria, your our guest. We ought to treat you that way." Lana opened the door to the guest room, and put the trash bag on the bed, and the suit case at the foot of the bed. "We'll let you unpack, and we can go out for brunch, lunch whatever, when your done."
Lana left Maria alone in the bedroom to unpack. She started with her suitcase. Filling the drawers with her closed didn't take long. The had already been organized in the suitcase and duffle. Next she began on the backpack, which didn't take long, considering in was mostly art supplies, or school books she'd no longer need. Then came the overnight trash bag, which was mostly pillows, blankets, and make-up.
Before heading downstairs, Maria changed into a casual dress, and did a touch up on her eye make-up. It was only about eleven. "Ready," Mariah said walking down the stairs barefoot.
"Alright, let's go." Lana pulled on a pair of heels similar to Maria's. "I'll drive if you don't mind."
"No, I don't. It'll be a relief from the past couple days. I'm surprised I made it all the way here." They both laughed.
"That's what I figured," Lana added, getting in the car. It sat low, but not quite on the ground. "Is there anything specific you'd like?" Lana asked pulling out of the drive.
"No, not really. Just something that will taste good and is affordable."
Lana laughed, "Affordable? You act like I'll let you pay your own."
Arriving at 'Knight and Day', Maria realized they weren't that far from Bride Studios, where Lana's show was shooting. Lana ordered her 'usual' pancakes and hot cocoa, and Maria ordered an omelette. She didn't really heed the warning of their size, and ended up taking half of it back to the car in a to-go box.
But Lana didn't drive them home, she drove to the studio. "I figured you might want to meet your new extended family before your first day on the job." Lana said getting out.
"Only if it will change my fate," said Maria in a Scottish accent.