Chapter 234: No More Snow

Tuesday, January 24th, Morning

The alarm went off in the bedroom in the vast Beaulieu Manor Complex. A feminine arm reached out from under the covers and muted the alarm. The arm disappeared back under the covers; after a pause, the covers came flying off.

A teenage girl sat up, and her curly blonde hair was in a big mess on top of her head. Her hands dropped onto the mess of her hair, which she mussed it up and shook her head.

Sawyer stood up and walked to the bay window. She looked out into the garden, and she frowned. Except for a few pockets and remains of drifts, the snow is gone. Shaking her head, she walked away from the window to her closet.

Going through it, she selected what she wanted to wear. Sawyer took it and went into her bathroom. The warm pressurized water felt good on her skin. The steady stream of water helped untangle her hair.

Once Sawyer finished showering, she wrapped herself in a towel and looked at herself in the mirror. With a smile, Sawyer studied herself; she noted she's conventionally beautiful, but Sawyer never took stock in it. She rarely did what other girls her age would do to enhance or hide it. She never considered herself one of those "I'm not like other girls" girls; she was just herself.

Shaking her head, she stepped over to the sink and wrung out her hair. Sawyer took another towel and started to pat her hair dry. After her hair was mostly dry, she began to brush out her hair.

"When you look at me, tell me what do you see/This is what you get/It's the way I am," Sawyer sang, slightly off-key as she brushed her hair.

Once she finished brushing her hair, she rolled it into a bun at the back of her neck. After that, Sawyer dropped the towel and got dressed. She looked at herself in the mirror and made a few minor adjustments.

Sawyer returned to her bedroom and looked through a small box of earrings. She found two sets she liked and put them in. She could have put in a third set, looking into the small mirror on her dresser and looking at the earrings. She decided not today.

There was a knock on her door, and the door opened. Keni walked in dressed for the day. Sawyer noted Keni wore an oversized t-shirt, which probably could have doubled as a t-shirt dress on her; the shirt was heather gray and had a logo of a stereotypical alien standing in a door and the words Storm Area 51 on it. She was also wearing mom jeans.

"Almost ready?" Keni asked.

Sawyer nodded, "Give me a minute," she said and finished getting ready. Putting on a choker necklace the last thing she did before turning to Keni. "I'm ready now."

The two girls went through the galleries of Beaulieu with their backpacks slung over one shoulder. Keni looked at Sawyer.

"You seem distracted," Keni said.

"It's the snow," Sawyer said.

"That was nice actually to have snow for a change," Keni said.

"It's mostly gone now," Sawyer said.

"What's left will probably be gone by tomorrow," Keni said.

"Yeah, it's sad," Sawyer said.

"That's not it," Keni said.

"What's not it?" Sawyer asked.

"The snow being gone," Keni said.

"It just brought back some memories," Sawyer said.

"Four years ago?" Keni asked.

"Yeah," Sawyer said, "Being woken up by my dad to race over to the hospital and waiting to hear about Kay."

"My mom didn't wake me for that," Keni said, "She made Tucker watch me."

Sawyer nodded as they put their backpacks down outside the family dining room. They entered and found Brooke in her usual spot. Izzy was up getting breakfast and getting ready to head back to Washington; there was no one else in the room yet.

With a smile, maybe a fake one, Sawyer went to the buffet and started to make up her breakfast. Keni, as she often did, just made up a bowl of cereal. Sawyer poked at the various trays and made faces at what the contents were. Finally, she made up what she wanted; she joined the other three women at the table.

"Aubrey is bringing you, girls, to school today," Brooke said.

"What happened to Mina?" Sawyer asked.

"She's having trouble getting out of her driveway with the storm and melt," Brooke said, "She'll pick you up after school."

"Who's going to drive you, Mom?" Keni asked.

"I can, have, and will make due," Brooke said, "I've done well since Jackson quit."

"Okay," Keni said.

"Anyway, Aubrey is supposed to drive for the B&B and Event Hall, not me," Brooke said.

"Okay," Keni said.

"Sawyer, you seem distracted," Izzy said.

"Just thinking about the snow," Sawyer said.

"What about it?" Izzy asked.

"How it didn't stay too long," Sawyer said.

Izzy nodded, "The simple things?" she asked.

"Yes, the simple things," Sawyer said, "and raven's wings."

Sawyer started to eat her breakfast, and after a few mouthfuls, she took her medicine. Once she finished taking her meds, she began to eat again. Over to her side, Keni ate loudly and made her usual mess.

Keni liked to put on a show for her mom. Sawyer knew Keni was a sloppy eater, but she always made it seem worse around her mom. Sawyer just shook her head and finished her breakfast.

"So, Sawyer, when I talk to Keith, he'll ask again, any thoughts on college?" Izzy asked.

Sawyer shrugged, "I have some thoughts, but well, I'm still looking into them," she said.

Izzy nodded, "That's good; we worry about you," she said.

"Why?" Sawyer asked.

"Just what siblings do," Izzy said.

"Do you worry about me?" Keni asked.

Izzy turned to Keni, "Of course I do," she said.

Keni nodded and smiled. Izzy returned to her breakfast; Brooke looked over the two teenagers.

"Sawyer," Brooke said.

"Yes, Aunt Brooke," Sawyer said.

"We'll review a few things when we're in New York," Brooke said.

Sawyer nodded, "Yes, Aunt Brooke," she said.

Brooke checked her watch, "I'd hurry up; Aubrey will be here soon for Y'all," she said.

"Yes, Aunt Brooke," Sawyer said.

"Yes, Mom," Keni said.

The two teenagers finished their breakfast and left to meet their ride. In the gallery, Keni turned to Sawyer.

"What is that all about?" Keni asked.

"What is what all about?" Sawyer asked.

"You and my Mom talking about college while in New York?" Keni asked.

"She's helping me with a few things, that's all," Sawyer said.

Keni nodded, "I thought we wanted to go together?" she asked.

"We also discussed New York," Sawyer said, as they started to head to the East Range main exit.

"We did, but what about Las Vegas?" Keni asked.

"I'm just looking into a few things," Sawyer said.

"Only if that's all it is," Keni said and started to slip on her jacket.

"That's all it is," Sawyer said, donned her jacket and headed towards the waiting car.