The week after my birthday I made a visit to both my parents' grave and brother's. The other weeks went by in a rush and soon I was packing my one suit case in the trunk of my aunt's car along with the laptop I managed to buy from saving money from work, and any other possessions I had.
Leaving around ten we hopped into the car and pulled out of the small parking lot. All the kids stood around Hastings and waved good bye. My aunt pulled out on to the busy main street connecting Camano Island to the town, away from the place that had been my home for the last eight years.
We drove out of Stanwood, a little town off I-5, to the Edmonds-Kingston ferry terminal. While on the ferry I began reading the book I received from my aunt. It was interesting. Cold ones, the first wife. We took the 101 off of Kingston, north and followed it. We stopped in Port Angeles for lunch. Then it was straight to Forks, still following 101. The route we had taken was quicker then going down and around the Puget Sound then up the Olympic peninsula to Forks. Over all it took around four hours to get to the Forks City Line.
The trees began to get greener and closer together, crowding against the road as we skirted the Olympic National Park. The closer we got to Forks the wetter the world seemed to become. Going down the road, ten miles per hour over the speed limit, "The City of Forks, Welcome" flashed in my peripheral vision.
Out of nowhere lights began flashing, and a siren flared to life, my aunt glanced in the rear view mirror, slowed down and flicked on her right blinker. She pulled over to the side of the road, onto the shoulder. I sighed and pulled out the book and started to read from where I left off.
The officer pulled up behind us, got out of their cruiser and began to walk up. The person tapped on the window, my aunt rolled it down and the officer leaned over and looked in the cab.
"Stella do you know how fast you were going?" He smiled.
"Eighty." she said.
"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" He asked it was starting to turn into a casual conversation.
"Home, before it gets too late" Aunt Stella said leaning back "I'm bringing Kerria home for good; I'm now her legal guardian." she was beaming.
The police officer leaned in the window and looked at me, "Kerria? I didn't recognize you; your hair has gotten so long."
At the mention of my name I looked up. A smile graced my face.
"Hey Charlie! How are ya?" I asked the familiar man who had been like a father to me.
"Good, though, I found out that Renee is getting married soon" His face lowered.
"Hey, cheer up you'll find someone." I said trying to lift his spirits.
"Well hunn, we should get going." Aunt Stella said.
"I'm gonna let this one slide for now but you better watch it next time." Charlie said backing off the car. "Why don't you and Kerria come over for dinner tonight?" He asked before we left. Aunt Stella nodded her head; Charlie began to walk back to his cruiser as we drove off. We came to town not five minutes after.
We turned off Forks Ave. towards the super market entrance. Aunt Stella drove past slowing down to the restricted 25 in the neighborhood, I happened to be looking out the window and saw Tyler's van sitting in the parking lot. There was an unfamiliar car in the almost empty lot, a man with blond hair stepped out, shut the door and walked towards the super market.
The light turned red and Aunt Stella brought the car to a stop. I kept watching, someone was sitting in the front seat. I strained my eyes to see who it was. A girl, blond hair, pale skin. That was all I could make out from the angle of our car. A second car pulled up. The blond stepped out and greeted the others, a second girl and three guys.
They all looked about my age. The second girl was short with short brown hair, and pale skin. One of the guys was very buff and had a military style hair cut, and pale skin. The second was some how familiar with blond hair, and pale skin. The third stood apart from the others, dark bronze-ish colored hair and kind of lanky, and… you guessed it pale skin.
The blond girl walked up and kissed the buff guy, apparently they were together. The familiar one and the dark haired girl were holding hands.
The light switched green and Aunt Stella put the car in forward motion. At the light we turned left. Then made a right at the next intersection. We followed that road down a few blocks then made a left onto 7th Ave. We followed that around a corner on to 8th Ave. Aunt Stella pulled into the third drive way down and shut off the ignition.
"We're home!" she exclaimed, looking at me.
I got out of the car and grabbed my things from the trunk. Aunt Stella was at the top of the steps unlocking the door. I made my way up and stepped through the door into the kitchen. I made for the stairs in the living room to the second floor. Once at the top of them I went through the door way to my left. Dropping my bag on the bed I laid down, exhausted.
Sitting up with a groan, I began to put my clothes into the dresser. I set my laptop up on the desk beside the door. Once all the preliminaries were finished I set about the little things. Hanging pictures from the kids on the walls, putting books into the bookshelf, things like that.
Aunt Stella called me down to go over to Charlie's.
"All ready Aunt Stella" I said coming down the stairs.
"How many times do I have to say it, call me Stella, when you say 'Aunt Stella' it makes me feel old." She shivered.
I rolled my eyes. Stella and I shrugged on our coats and left the house Charlie lived two blocks down, we planned to walk.
Dinner with Charlie was…interesting. Stella and I made dinner after Charlie burnt the first pan of bacon. We made chicken and wilted spinach salad.
There was little conversation unless it concerned me or it was about something random, the weather, last trip to the grocery store, taking out the garbage, last thing they watched on TV. Pretty much anything that came to mind. I didn't talk unless one of them asked me a question. After we finished I cleaned the table, and Stella and Charlie talked a little more. A while later we left.
Back home, we… Home I never believed it would happen.
When we got back Stella kicked off her shoes and coat, I did the same. We hung them up in the front closet and I headed for the bathroom. I hopped in the shower then brushed my teeth and changed into my pajamas. It was just after ten but I felt like I had been doing nothing but outdoor activity all day. Walking down stairs I said good night to Aunt Stella then it was back up to my room.
Turning on my bed side lamp I opened the book and continued to read. My mind kept going back to the five people in the parking lot. Finding I couldn't concentrate I bookmarked my spot, closed it and turned out the light.
I dreamt for the first time in three weeks.