Charlie's POV:
"There he is," I heard Jesse call out as I approached the pond. Even from where I was at I couldn't see that my friends had already arrived at the pond. It was the same group as when we got together before Christmas except that Adam and Anthony weren't here.
"Sorry," I told them. "I lost track of time," I explained as I sat down on the bench beside Averman and stated putting on my skates. Actually I had been waiting for Coach Bombay to get home. I hadn't felt right leaving Adam alone although I couldn't explain why. When both Bombay and Mrs. Banks had showed up I left quickly. I got the impression that they had wanted to talk to Adam and that they wouldn't want me around.
"So you're not going to go off on someone today are you?" Peter asked with a smile on his face.
"If you are I'm moving right now," Averman said from beside me.
"You're safe Averman," I told him. "I'm in a great mood."
"That's almost as scary," Averman commented.
"Yeah, I don't think we've seen you in a good mood ever since we got to Eden Hall," Guy said from his spot on a nearby bench.
"Cute," I told them still smiling. I had to admit they were right. Ever since Gordon had first told me he wasn't going to coach us at Eden Hall I had felt like I was angry at the world. And after that I just kept finding things that would keep me unhappy. I was determine to change that though. I was determined to be someone that my Mom and Bombay would be proud of. That Hans would've be proud of.
My friends started getting out on the ice and skating around. I hurriedly laced my skates so I could go out and join them. By the time I finished lacing my skates Connie, Guy and Jesse were passing the puck between each other. I skate over and intercepted a pass Guy was making to Jesse.
"Conway steals the puck," I said acting like an announcer. "He gets pass the defense, lines up the shot, and shoots," I intoned as I sent the puck flying toward the one goal.
"And the shot goes way wide," Jesse said as the puck completely missed the net and ended up in the snow on the side of the pond. "Nice shot Spazway,"Jesse said placing a hand on my shoulder.
"So I'm a little rusty," I said with a shrug. "So are we going to do the same teams as before?" I asked my friends as the rest of them joined us. Karp had rescued the puck from the snow bank.
"Yeah, why not," a couple of my friends say and the others nodded.
"It'll save us from having to pick teams again," Jesse commented.
"Besides I think we were winning when the game stopped last time," Guy said.
"Yeah but that doesn't mean you're going to win this time," Jesse told him. "After all you guys won't have Adam this time."
"Are you saying we can't win without Adam," Guy challenged.
"You said it I didn't," Jesse said still taunting Guy.
"Okay, we'll show you," Guy said. "Let's get this game started."
"Well, if this game comes to an early start it doesn't look like I'm going to have anything to do with it," I said.
We set a thirty minute time limit and started the game. I took the first face off against Guy and lost. I think Jesse's words had lit a fire under Guy and his team. Guy, Connie and Averman quickly moved the puck down to the net that Goldberg was protecting. Despite Tammy's and Peter's best efforts to stop them Averman was able to take a shot at the net and the puck went by Goldberg.
I let Jesse take the next face of with Guy but it had the same outcome. Guy hit the puck over to Connie who headed toward the net. I tried to cut her off but she did an spin move around me and made a bee line for the goal. Tammy tried next to stop her but Connie sent a pass back to Guy who took a shot at the goal. Goldberg deflected Guy's shot but Connie picked up the rebound and sent the puck sailing back toward the net. This time the puck went by Goldberg and into the net making the game 2-0 in their favor.
It was a long afternoon for my team. We did manage to make some attacks on their net but at the end of the half hour the score was 9-4 in favor of Guy's team.
"Good game," I told Guy as we sat down to take our skates off.
"Thanks," Guy said.
"So how is everything going at home?" I asked him.
"My parents made the announcement today. Abby did not take it well," Guy told me. "I think the twins are two young still to really understand what is going on."
"How are you taking it?" I asked him.
"I don't know," Guy told me. "I've been wanting them to tell everyone so I could stop pretending everything was okay. Now I kind of wish we could go on pretending."
The two of us were silent for awhile. Around us the others were chatting easily amongst each other. I saw Connie and Tammy whispering to each other and giggling.
"They're making Abby and me chose which one of them we want to live with," Guy said quietly.
"That's rough man," I told him. "Do you know who you're going to choose."
"No, either one I choose just means that I hurt the other."
"Well, at least we go back to Eden Hall next Monday. I think dealing with our families this holiday didn't turn out exactly how we thought it would."
"No, it certainly hasn't" Guy said thoughtfully.
Guy's POV:
I had been thinking about my decision the whole afternoon. I had talked things over with Connie and still I was no closer to knowing what to do. My conversation with Charlie though had pointed out one thing I hadn't thought of earlier - that I would be leaving for Eden Hall soon. Maybe it didn't really matter who I lived with. I wouldn't even be around most of the time except for the summer months.
"Guy," Connie called out breaking through my thoughts, "want to come over for dinner?" she asked me.
"Yeah, sure," I told her. "I'll talk to ya later Charlie," I told my friend as I put my skates in my bag and stood up.
"Okay," Charlie told me as he finished putting his stuff in his bag. I saw him and Fulton walk off together as Connie and I left the pond together.
"You sure your Dad isn't going to mind me just showing up?" I asked her as we headed back toward her house.
"Of course not. You can help us make the dinner," Connie said with a smile.
"Wait a second. You didn't mention that I had to work for my dinner," I told her.
"Oh, come on it will be fun."
"Since, when do you find cooking fun?"
"Since my Mom suggestion that I find something I could share with my Dad so that he can feel like he's more part of my life without all the questions. He seems content with the situation and I'm actually having fun," Connie said.
"I'm glad," I told her honestly. It was good that somebody's problems were going to have a happy ending. "Although eating you're cooking might be scary," I told her and received a playful punch on the shoulder for the comment.
"I'm actually pretty good," she said.
"I'll believe it when I taste it," I told her. "So are you starting to accept things?" I asked her.
"I guess," Connie said. "Part of me is still angry that after fourteen years he finally wants to be an active part of my life. All those games I spent wishing I would see him in the stands. Now, I'm still not sure I want him in the stands at any hockey games."
"Give it time," I told her.
"Now you're starting to sound like my mother," Connie told me.
"I'll take that as a compliment," I told her.
Connie and I walked in silence the rest of the way to her house. It just felt good to be with her and I forgot all about my problems for a little bit.
When we got to Connie's house I called my mom and told her that I was going to stay at Connie's for dinner. As I hung up the phone I heard Connie and her Dad laughing in the kitchen so I made my way to the Moreau's kitchen.
I tried to stay out of the whole process of actually cooking dinner and just be a spectator. However, it didn't work like that. I'm not even sure how it happened but eventually I found myself involved in cooking dinner. I have to admit I did enjoy it and it was the first time that I think I actually had a conversation with Mr. Moreau. Yeah, we had talked before but it usually involved him asking questions and me trying to figure out how he wanted me to answer them. This time we actually talked and I didn't feel like I had to say the right thing.
The dinner actually came out pretty good and it was nice having an actual family dinner without people walking on eggshells. The fact that it technically wasn't my family didn't even bother me. With any luck maybe one day maybe I would be part of the Moreau family.
After dinner I said good-bye to Connie and her family and headed home. I walked into the house to find my dad coming downstairs with a suitcase.
"Where you going dad?" I asked as I hung up my coat. I had a feeling I already knew the answer to that question.
"I have a room at the Minneapolis Motel," he told me. "I'm going to stay there until I find an apartment."
"When are you starting to look for an apartment?" I asked him.
"Well, I 've been looking through the paper the last few days. I'm actually going to look at a few tomorrow," he told me.
"Can I come with you?" I asked him. "If I'm going to be spending most of my time when I'm not at school there I'd like to have a say in where I'm living," I told him. It had been a decision that I had made on my walk home. I figure mom would have Alexis, Mark and Eric with her and more than likely Abby too. As much as I loved my mom and I knew she would be upset that I wasn't staying with her I also knew that I couldn't leave my Dad all alone. Yeah I would be at Eden Hall most of the time but there were weekends and vacations.
"Sure," Dad said after he got over the shock. " I'll call you in the morning. Do you want me to break it to your mother?" he asked me.
"No, I'll tell her," I told him. "See you tomorrow Dad," I told him giving him a hug.
"Bye," he told me and then left the house with his suitcase. Somehow seeing him leave like that made it more real. I couldn't pretend that it wasn't happening anymore. My parents no longer lived in the same house.
Turning away from the door I headed upstairs to my parent's, or actually I guess it was my mom's now, bedroom to break the news. As I reached the top of the stairs I could hear the twins playing in their room. A few moments later I heard Abby's laughter and knew she was in there too. Alexis was probably sleeping already.
I walked down the hallway to my mom's room. I could seethe light coming from underneath the door so I knew she was still up. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. I wasn't looking forward to this.
"Come in," she called. "Guy?" she said surprised to see me when she looked up from her magazine. "I didn't realize you were home already."
"I just got home," I told her.
"Come on, sit down," my mom told me patting the bed next to her. I sat down next to her and then sought the right words to bring this up. In the end it turned out that I didn't have to. "You've decided you want to stay with your dad, didn't you?" she asked quietly.
"How did you know?" I asked her.
"I could tell you didn't want to tell me something and after considering the circumstances I kind of figured it was that. You know I love you Guy and I always would. We aren't getting a divorce because of anything that you or the other kids did. It's us. We just can't get along. And we didn't decide to let you and Abby choose between us to punish you we just felt that it would be easier for you two if you had some say in the situation."
She stopped talking then. I think she was waiting for me to say something but I didn't know what to say. I loved both my parents. I didn't want to have to choose one over the other but she did have a point. If they had told me who I was going to live with I probably would have resented that.
"To tell you the truth both your father and I figured you would decide to live with him. You've always enjoyed spending time with your father. He taught you to skate after all. And I think you feel obligated to not let your father be alone. I have the three younger children for now and Abby will probably stay here to after she clams down. She's at the point in her life where she would rather talk to her mother about things rather than her dad and your soon going to feel like you'd rather talk to your dad about things rather than me. Its life."
"So you're not mad at me?" I asked finally finding my voice.
"Of course not. Yes it hurts to let you go but that's just one of the consequences of getting a divorce and the divorce is your father and mine's decision. Why would I be mad at you for getting forced into a decision that you never wanted to make in the first place?"
"I just feel like I'm letting you down."
"You could never do that Guy. I love you and I am proud of the man you are turning into. Just do me one thing. Call me and come see me from time to time. I'll miss you and so will your brothers and sisters."
"I will mom," I told her giving her a hug.
"Am I interrupting," came a voice from the doorway. I had never closed the bedroom door when I came in and Abby was now standing in the doorway.
"Of course not, come in honey," my mom told her.
As my sister came into the room I got up to leave.
"Guy, please stay. I want to talk to you too," she said and I sat back down and Abby sat down on the other side of my mother. "I'm sorry about my outburst this morning," she told us. "I was mad. Mad at you and Dad for putting us through this, and mad at you Guy for not being here this fall because you were away at school. I guess part of me felt like this was all your fault because you started the process of splitting this family apart," Abby said looking around my mother at me.
"I'm sorry, I haven't been there for you Abby," I told her. I didn't know what else to say. The thought had occurred to me too. That if I hadn't been at Eden maybe this wouldn't have happened but Eden Hall was a great opportunity for me. I didn't want to give that up.
"Honey the problems between your father and me started before Guy went away to school. We've been having problems for the last year and half but we wanted to make it work for you kids. It just isn't working out."
"I guess I was really just using as an excuse to explain to myself why I was mad at Guy lately because I didn't want to admit that I'm jealous of him."
"Jealous of me?" I said incredulously. "You're the one who is so popular. You're a straight A student, class president, and you're a great actress. How many leads have you had in school plays? Anything you attempt to do always ends up turning out great."
"Yeah, but you've gotten to play at the Junior Goodwill Games, you have the opportunity to go to a great private school. And you have Connie. I know I tease you about her but its only because I wish I had someone that I could share anything with. And you have it all because of hockey and you know how I've always put down sports but hockey has given you great opportunities and despite all I've done it doesn't seem like I'm going to even be able to follow my dreams because I know that mom and Dad can't send me to school without some help."
"Honey, you have plenty of opportunities ahead of you," my mom said.
"With your grades, you'll probably have colleges fighting over you," I told her.
"What I really want to do is go to acting school," Abby said. This was the first time that my sister had ever told us that she wanted to be an actress. Yes she had done drama for years but she did a lot of clubs and activities and she never had seemed to take more than a passing interest in any of them.
"Then I'm sure that you will find a way to get there," my Mom told her. "And your father and I will help you out as much as we possibly can."
"Thanks," Abby said giving my mom a hug. "And I know Guy has made his decision of who he is going to live with and so have I. I want to stay here. I want to be with the twins and Alexis as much as possible now because if I do go away to school I know I'm going to miss a lot of their growing up and I want to enjoy that while I can."
"I know your father will be okay with that reason," my Mom told her not at all surprised with Abby's decision, just like she hadn't been with mine. My parents really did know us well.
We both gave our mom a kiss good night and headed out of her bedroom. As we walked out into the hallway Abby said to me, "so seeing as you're going to be living with Dad can I have your room?" I could hear my mom laughing behind us.
"I'll let you know," I told her with a smile on my face.
"There he is," I heard Jesse call out as I approached the pond. Even from where I was at I couldn't see that my friends had already arrived at the pond. It was the same group as when we got together before Christmas except that Adam and Anthony weren't here.
"Sorry," I told them. "I lost track of time," I explained as I sat down on the bench beside Averman and stated putting on my skates. Actually I had been waiting for Coach Bombay to get home. I hadn't felt right leaving Adam alone although I couldn't explain why. When both Bombay and Mrs. Banks had showed up I left quickly. I got the impression that they had wanted to talk to Adam and that they wouldn't want me around.
"So you're not going to go off on someone today are you?" Peter asked with a smile on his face.
"If you are I'm moving right now," Averman said from beside me.
"You're safe Averman," I told him. "I'm in a great mood."
"That's almost as scary," Averman commented.
"Yeah, I don't think we've seen you in a good mood ever since we got to Eden Hall," Guy said from his spot on a nearby bench.
"Cute," I told them still smiling. I had to admit they were right. Ever since Gordon had first told me he wasn't going to coach us at Eden Hall I had felt like I was angry at the world. And after that I just kept finding things that would keep me unhappy. I was determine to change that though. I was determined to be someone that my Mom and Bombay would be proud of. That Hans would've be proud of.
My friends started getting out on the ice and skating around. I hurriedly laced my skates so I could go out and join them. By the time I finished lacing my skates Connie, Guy and Jesse were passing the puck between each other. I skate over and intercepted a pass Guy was making to Jesse.
"Conway steals the puck," I said acting like an announcer. "He gets pass the defense, lines up the shot, and shoots," I intoned as I sent the puck flying toward the one goal.
"And the shot goes way wide," Jesse said as the puck completely missed the net and ended up in the snow on the side of the pond. "Nice shot Spazway,"Jesse said placing a hand on my shoulder.
"So I'm a little rusty," I said with a shrug. "So are we going to do the same teams as before?" I asked my friends as the rest of them joined us. Karp had rescued the puck from the snow bank.
"Yeah, why not," a couple of my friends say and the others nodded.
"It'll save us from having to pick teams again," Jesse commented.
"Besides I think we were winning when the game stopped last time," Guy said.
"Yeah but that doesn't mean you're going to win this time," Jesse told him. "After all you guys won't have Adam this time."
"Are you saying we can't win without Adam," Guy challenged.
"You said it I didn't," Jesse said still taunting Guy.
"Okay, we'll show you," Guy said. "Let's get this game started."
"Well, if this game comes to an early start it doesn't look like I'm going to have anything to do with it," I said.
We set a thirty minute time limit and started the game. I took the first face off against Guy and lost. I think Jesse's words had lit a fire under Guy and his team. Guy, Connie and Averman quickly moved the puck down to the net that Goldberg was protecting. Despite Tammy's and Peter's best efforts to stop them Averman was able to take a shot at the net and the puck went by Goldberg.
I let Jesse take the next face of with Guy but it had the same outcome. Guy hit the puck over to Connie who headed toward the net. I tried to cut her off but she did an spin move around me and made a bee line for the goal. Tammy tried next to stop her but Connie sent a pass back to Guy who took a shot at the goal. Goldberg deflected Guy's shot but Connie picked up the rebound and sent the puck sailing back toward the net. This time the puck went by Goldberg and into the net making the game 2-0 in their favor.
It was a long afternoon for my team. We did manage to make some attacks on their net but at the end of the half hour the score was 9-4 in favor of Guy's team.
"Good game," I told Guy as we sat down to take our skates off.
"Thanks," Guy said.
"So how is everything going at home?" I asked him.
"My parents made the announcement today. Abby did not take it well," Guy told me. "I think the twins are two young still to really understand what is going on."
"How are you taking it?" I asked him.
"I don't know," Guy told me. "I've been wanting them to tell everyone so I could stop pretending everything was okay. Now I kind of wish we could go on pretending."
The two of us were silent for awhile. Around us the others were chatting easily amongst each other. I saw Connie and Tammy whispering to each other and giggling.
"They're making Abby and me chose which one of them we want to live with," Guy said quietly.
"That's rough man," I told him. "Do you know who you're going to choose."
"No, either one I choose just means that I hurt the other."
"Well, at least we go back to Eden Hall next Monday. I think dealing with our families this holiday didn't turn out exactly how we thought it would."
"No, it certainly hasn't" Guy said thoughtfully.
Guy's POV:
I had been thinking about my decision the whole afternoon. I had talked things over with Connie and still I was no closer to knowing what to do. My conversation with Charlie though had pointed out one thing I hadn't thought of earlier - that I would be leaving for Eden Hall soon. Maybe it didn't really matter who I lived with. I wouldn't even be around most of the time except for the summer months.
"Guy," Connie called out breaking through my thoughts, "want to come over for dinner?" she asked me.
"Yeah, sure," I told her. "I'll talk to ya later Charlie," I told my friend as I put my skates in my bag and stood up.
"Okay," Charlie told me as he finished putting his stuff in his bag. I saw him and Fulton walk off together as Connie and I left the pond together.
"You sure your Dad isn't going to mind me just showing up?" I asked her as we headed back toward her house.
"Of course not. You can help us make the dinner," Connie said with a smile.
"Wait a second. You didn't mention that I had to work for my dinner," I told her.
"Oh, come on it will be fun."
"Since, when do you find cooking fun?"
"Since my Mom suggestion that I find something I could share with my Dad so that he can feel like he's more part of my life without all the questions. He seems content with the situation and I'm actually having fun," Connie said.
"I'm glad," I told her honestly. It was good that somebody's problems were going to have a happy ending. "Although eating you're cooking might be scary," I told her and received a playful punch on the shoulder for the comment.
"I'm actually pretty good," she said.
"I'll believe it when I taste it," I told her. "So are you starting to accept things?" I asked her.
"I guess," Connie said. "Part of me is still angry that after fourteen years he finally wants to be an active part of my life. All those games I spent wishing I would see him in the stands. Now, I'm still not sure I want him in the stands at any hockey games."
"Give it time," I told her.
"Now you're starting to sound like my mother," Connie told me.
"I'll take that as a compliment," I told her.
Connie and I walked in silence the rest of the way to her house. It just felt good to be with her and I forgot all about my problems for a little bit.
When we got to Connie's house I called my mom and told her that I was going to stay at Connie's for dinner. As I hung up the phone I heard Connie and her Dad laughing in the kitchen so I made my way to the Moreau's kitchen.
I tried to stay out of the whole process of actually cooking dinner and just be a spectator. However, it didn't work like that. I'm not even sure how it happened but eventually I found myself involved in cooking dinner. I have to admit I did enjoy it and it was the first time that I think I actually had a conversation with Mr. Moreau. Yeah, we had talked before but it usually involved him asking questions and me trying to figure out how he wanted me to answer them. This time we actually talked and I didn't feel like I had to say the right thing.
The dinner actually came out pretty good and it was nice having an actual family dinner without people walking on eggshells. The fact that it technically wasn't my family didn't even bother me. With any luck maybe one day maybe I would be part of the Moreau family.
After dinner I said good-bye to Connie and her family and headed home. I walked into the house to find my dad coming downstairs with a suitcase.
"Where you going dad?" I asked as I hung up my coat. I had a feeling I already knew the answer to that question.
"I have a room at the Minneapolis Motel," he told me. "I'm going to stay there until I find an apartment."
"When are you starting to look for an apartment?" I asked him.
"Well, I 've been looking through the paper the last few days. I'm actually going to look at a few tomorrow," he told me.
"Can I come with you?" I asked him. "If I'm going to be spending most of my time when I'm not at school there I'd like to have a say in where I'm living," I told him. It had been a decision that I had made on my walk home. I figure mom would have Alexis, Mark and Eric with her and more than likely Abby too. As much as I loved my mom and I knew she would be upset that I wasn't staying with her I also knew that I couldn't leave my Dad all alone. Yeah I would be at Eden Hall most of the time but there were weekends and vacations.
"Sure," Dad said after he got over the shock. " I'll call you in the morning. Do you want me to break it to your mother?" he asked me.
"No, I'll tell her," I told him. "See you tomorrow Dad," I told him giving him a hug.
"Bye," he told me and then left the house with his suitcase. Somehow seeing him leave like that made it more real. I couldn't pretend that it wasn't happening anymore. My parents no longer lived in the same house.
Turning away from the door I headed upstairs to my parent's, or actually I guess it was my mom's now, bedroom to break the news. As I reached the top of the stairs I could hear the twins playing in their room. A few moments later I heard Abby's laughter and knew she was in there too. Alexis was probably sleeping already.
I walked down the hallway to my mom's room. I could seethe light coming from underneath the door so I knew she was still up. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. I wasn't looking forward to this.
"Come in," she called. "Guy?" she said surprised to see me when she looked up from her magazine. "I didn't realize you were home already."
"I just got home," I told her.
"Come on, sit down," my mom told me patting the bed next to her. I sat down next to her and then sought the right words to bring this up. In the end it turned out that I didn't have to. "You've decided you want to stay with your dad, didn't you?" she asked quietly.
"How did you know?" I asked her.
"I could tell you didn't want to tell me something and after considering the circumstances I kind of figured it was that. You know I love you Guy and I always would. We aren't getting a divorce because of anything that you or the other kids did. It's us. We just can't get along. And we didn't decide to let you and Abby choose between us to punish you we just felt that it would be easier for you two if you had some say in the situation."
She stopped talking then. I think she was waiting for me to say something but I didn't know what to say. I loved both my parents. I didn't want to have to choose one over the other but she did have a point. If they had told me who I was going to live with I probably would have resented that.
"To tell you the truth both your father and I figured you would decide to live with him. You've always enjoyed spending time with your father. He taught you to skate after all. And I think you feel obligated to not let your father be alone. I have the three younger children for now and Abby will probably stay here to after she clams down. She's at the point in her life where she would rather talk to her mother about things rather than her dad and your soon going to feel like you'd rather talk to your dad about things rather than me. Its life."
"So you're not mad at me?" I asked finally finding my voice.
"Of course not. Yes it hurts to let you go but that's just one of the consequences of getting a divorce and the divorce is your father and mine's decision. Why would I be mad at you for getting forced into a decision that you never wanted to make in the first place?"
"I just feel like I'm letting you down."
"You could never do that Guy. I love you and I am proud of the man you are turning into. Just do me one thing. Call me and come see me from time to time. I'll miss you and so will your brothers and sisters."
"I will mom," I told her giving her a hug.
"Am I interrupting," came a voice from the doorway. I had never closed the bedroom door when I came in and Abby was now standing in the doorway.
"Of course not, come in honey," my mom told her.
As my sister came into the room I got up to leave.
"Guy, please stay. I want to talk to you too," she said and I sat back down and Abby sat down on the other side of my mother. "I'm sorry about my outburst this morning," she told us. "I was mad. Mad at you and Dad for putting us through this, and mad at you Guy for not being here this fall because you were away at school. I guess part of me felt like this was all your fault because you started the process of splitting this family apart," Abby said looking around my mother at me.
"I'm sorry, I haven't been there for you Abby," I told her. I didn't know what else to say. The thought had occurred to me too. That if I hadn't been at Eden maybe this wouldn't have happened but Eden Hall was a great opportunity for me. I didn't want to give that up.
"Honey the problems between your father and me started before Guy went away to school. We've been having problems for the last year and half but we wanted to make it work for you kids. It just isn't working out."
"I guess I was really just using as an excuse to explain to myself why I was mad at Guy lately because I didn't want to admit that I'm jealous of him."
"Jealous of me?" I said incredulously. "You're the one who is so popular. You're a straight A student, class president, and you're a great actress. How many leads have you had in school plays? Anything you attempt to do always ends up turning out great."
"Yeah, but you've gotten to play at the Junior Goodwill Games, you have the opportunity to go to a great private school. And you have Connie. I know I tease you about her but its only because I wish I had someone that I could share anything with. And you have it all because of hockey and you know how I've always put down sports but hockey has given you great opportunities and despite all I've done it doesn't seem like I'm going to even be able to follow my dreams because I know that mom and Dad can't send me to school without some help."
"Honey, you have plenty of opportunities ahead of you," my mom said.
"With your grades, you'll probably have colleges fighting over you," I told her.
"What I really want to do is go to acting school," Abby said. This was the first time that my sister had ever told us that she wanted to be an actress. Yes she had done drama for years but she did a lot of clubs and activities and she never had seemed to take more than a passing interest in any of them.
"Then I'm sure that you will find a way to get there," my Mom told her. "And your father and I will help you out as much as we possibly can."
"Thanks," Abby said giving my mom a hug. "And I know Guy has made his decision of who he is going to live with and so have I. I want to stay here. I want to be with the twins and Alexis as much as possible now because if I do go away to school I know I'm going to miss a lot of their growing up and I want to enjoy that while I can."
"I know your father will be okay with that reason," my Mom told her not at all surprised with Abby's decision, just like she hadn't been with mine. My parents really did know us well.
We both gave our mom a kiss good night and headed out of her bedroom. As we walked out into the hallway Abby said to me, "so seeing as you're going to be living with Dad can I have your room?" I could hear my mom laughing behind us.
"I'll let you know," I told her with a smile on my face.