Chapter 1: A New Home
During Labor Day weekend 2016, just before I went to Uniontown with my mom, I stopped at Sarah, James, and Henri's brand new apartment in Oakland. They moved to Oakland in early August, right before they went on vacation to Ocean City, Maryland. "Wow, this is a very nice apartment you have, Sarah," I told my best friend. "Thanks, Angel," Sarah then replied back. "I wish I could move in with you guys." "You will, someday," James, Sarah's older brother, reminded me. "Uh-huh," Henri, Sarah's other brother, agreed. "Is it okay if I come up to your room?" I asked. "You know, just to get something to eat and talk?" "Absolutely," James agreed. "Come upstairs with us." "Lead the way, James," Sarah agreed. We then took an elevator to room 203, which was their room. I then saw Sarah's bed, and James and Henri's bunk beds. "Here is the kitchen, where we have lots of good snacks," James showed me. "What kind of snacks do you have?" I then asked. "All kinds," Sarah told me. "Carrot sticks, apple slices, Triscuits and hummus, chocolate bars..." "Yum," I remarked. "Those all sound good." Sarah and James then set out some snacks on a plate, and we all sat down and helped ourselves. "So, how has your summer been, Angel?" Sarah asked. "It has been very good," I replied. "How was yours? I hear you guys went to Ocean City, Maryland for vacation. Was that fun?" "Yes, it was," James replied. "We sat along the beach and even went swimming." "You guys are lucky," I remarked. "The last time I went on vacation to a beach was in 2010 to Rehoboth Beach, and that's exactly what this summer has been like." "Why is that, Angel?" Sarah asked. "Since every summer month was similar to 2010 in temperature." "I remember that summer," James agreed. "That was the year I graduated from CMU, and I remember it being hot for much of the summer that year, just like this year." "I remember when we all first met each other, Angel," Henri told me. "I know," I agreed. "It seems like it was so long ago." "Sarah, I remember the day that we met, and it was during your parents' wedding at the Natrona Heights Presbyterian Church!" "We came up with some important rules, then," James reminded us, "which were do not interrupt when somebody is speaking, be honest, be flexible, and absolutely no, under any circumstances, hot topics! This includes drugs, sex, and politics." I then took some carrot sticks, apple slices, and dark chocolate. "A few years later, James and I got honored at a special banquet at the same church," Sarah told me. "I know, because I was there." "We didn't have food like what we're having right now," Henri remembered. "We had spaghetti marinara and salad, neither of which I care for." "Don't you like spaghetti with tomato sauce, Henri?" I then asked. "And, that sure is a lot of chocolate you have on your plate!" "I forgot, Angel," Henri then remembered. "I do like spaghetti, just not salad." I looked at what Sarah and James took to eat. They both took apple slices and carrot sticks. "I am trying to lose weight myself, and I will probably have a lot to eat in Uniontown later today," I told my friends. "So, I guess I should be going home now before Mom worries about me," I told my friends. "Bye!"