Dream About Me: An HM64 fanfic
Chapter Two: One Arrival, and Two Departures
On the fifeteenth day of Spring, Popuri, awoke early and rushed downstairs. She didn't even bother to change out of her pink pajamas.
"Is he here yet?" Popuri exclaimed.
Lillia shook her head. "Not yet. Why don't you get changed and have some breakfast?"
Popuri figeted. "I can't help...I'm so excited to see Daddy!" she said. "He said he had exciting news in that post-card he sent, remember?"
Lillia nodded. "You'll find out soon enough," she said.
Popuri turned and started up the stairs. She didn't get very far, because Basil walked in the door just then. Popuri squealed, and threw herslef in his arms. Basil laughed and picked her up and swung her around, then hugged her tight again. When he released her, Popuri looked at him closely. He had lost weight, and had more gray hairs than he had had when he left last fall. Popuri frowned a bit, then swung her head, hard, back and forth. It was nothing.
"Daddy! Daddy!" Popuri chirped, "What's the surprize?"
"I'll tell you after breakfast," Basil said with a smile. "Now, you run along and get changed".
"Well, Poppy...its like this," Basil began after breakfast was over. The three were still seated at the table with their dirty dishes in front of them. Upon hearing her father's tone of voice, a little fish began wriggling in Popuri's stomach. Basil sounded so serious...He took a deep beath. "Well, your mother and I have been having marital problems."
Popuri's eyes widened. She opened her mouth to speak, but Basil raised one hand. "We...we're not going to get a divorce or anything, if that's what you're thinking," he said, and Popuri let out a tiny sigh of relief. "What we're going to do is go on a second honey-moon."
"That's a great idea!" Popuri squealed. "When are you going? Where will you go? How long will you be long?"
"We're leaving the day after the Flower Festival," Lillia said. Popuri frowned. So soon? "And...we'll be gone for an enitre year..."
Popuri's jaw dropped."A whole year! Why so long?" she said, with a touch of sulkieness in her voice.
"Well, we were going to stay away for a month, but then we realized that by the time our honeymoon ended, it would be time for me to leave again," Basil expalined. "So, we decided that Mom would travel with me this year."
"But...what about me?" Popuri asked. She felt so silly asking that, after all she was nearly 18, but it still troubled her.
"I talkd to Mr. Green, and you'll be staying with him at his ranch," Lillia replied. "Won't that be nice? You'll get to stay with your friends, Ann and Gray!"
Nice? Nice! Popuri sniffled a little. "But why can't I stay here, alone?"she asked. "Or with Elli?"
"Your father and I thought it would be good for you to stay in the country," Lillia said, as if Mineral Town were a horribly polluted city or something. Popuri sniffled again. "And that's our final decision!" Lillia added in a sharp voice.
And so, on the day after the Flower Festvial (and just two days after her own birthday, Lillia and Basil dropped her off at the Green Ranch. Doug and Ann were waiting outside to greet her. Gray was nowhere to be seen.
"Have fun and be good, Poppy," Lillia said and hugged her daughter close. Popuri leaned her head on her mom's shoulder for a moment, savoring their last hug. It was easier for her to say good-bye to Basil, since she had so much experiance doing it. Still, when she saw her parents leave,she began to cry. Popuri didn't cry often, but when she did, she cried with the abandon of a small child. She cried so hard that she nearly made herself sick, but afterwords, she felt much better. Ann gave her friend a small hug.
"Feel better?" she asked. Popuri nodded, and Ann smiled. "I'll show you to your room." Ann said.
Popuri reached for her bags, but Ann told her that Gray would get them later. Popuri wondered again where Gray was, but didn't ask. Ann lead Popuri inside and upstairs.The second floor of the house had three rooms on one side, and two on the other. The first room on their right was Doug's, and the second room was the guest room where Poprui was staying. Ann's room was opposite Popuri's and Gray's was opposite his father's. The last room, located between Ann and Gray's rooms was the bathroom.
The guest room was small, but pretty. The blankets, curtains, pillows and rug were all blue and white, with touches of yellow here and there. Popuri liked it right away. Ann sat on the bed and grinned at Popuri. "I'm glad you're staying here," she said. "I know we're not real good friends, but I know we'll have fun! Right?"
Popuri grinned back. "Right!"
