CHAPTER TWO
"Go Mark! Run home! Run home!" I was screaming! It was the last inning and they were tied fifteen and fifteen. Mark's home run would win it for the Lil' Bears. Those poor kids who had to see the wrath of my brother's swing. "YEAH! YOU DID IT!" I was standing on the bleachers dancing. I think I am as happy for my brother as he is for winning! Really, I am just happy he has a reason to be happy!
"I'm so proud of you honey!" My mom crowed. Mark had just been put done by all the other players. Some thing that they did in sports.
"Come on Mark lets go get some ice cream!" I said as we climbed in the car. I turned on the radio and started to sing along. It was a song that mom and I used to sing to Mark to get him to fall asleep. I turned around in my seat to say something to Mark, and saw that his eyes where closed so I just said " Maybe we should just go home mom." She turned around and saw him sleeping.
" Maybe that's a good idea." She laughed. " He has to be tired from all those home runs he made! I'll tell you, I'm so proud of him I could burst!" I laughed and closed MY eyes and just listened to the radio until I felt the car stop. I hopped out and unbuckled Mark.
" Carrying a one hundred pound kid up ten stories of stairs is NOT easy!" I huffed. " I wish that the elevator was working again!" I moaned as I started up another flight of stairs.
" So your dad called today." My mom blurted so unexpectently I think it even startled her.
" What'd he want?" I asked a little startled. Dad never called mom!
" Well he wanted to know if he could have you and your brother for the rest of the summer." She said hesitantly. " And I can't really tell him no either so… I told him yes. He wants you next week."
"WHAT! You told him yes! Mom you know how awkward it is between him and I!" I rolled my eyes and stomped up some more stairs.
" Honey, yes I know. Nevertheless, I called my lawyer and he said that I couldn't tell him no… Look, I realize that it's not the best thing for you right now but… I really can't do anything about it. Maybe it will do you good. You need to be able to forgive your father. What happened between him and I had nothing to do with you! You need your father in your life." She sighed. I knew that she felt bad about the divorce."
"Fine, I understand I guess. However, I am not guaranteeing that I will forgive him! So were does he live now anyways? Please tell me a place that has a building at least 5 stories high!"
"Well l I don't know how high the buildings are but he lives in Nebraska."
" Nebraska! So I'm ganna have to be around a bunch of rednecks for the remainder of my summer?" I sighed. I cannot believe this!
When we got to our door, I rushed to put Mark on the couch! "God he's heavy!" I complained. It was eight thirty so I went to my room and changed into my comfortable clothes. I lay down on my bed and started to draw in my book. Just doodles really, until I started to close my eyes and my pictures really started to get vivid. I took art class and whenever I started to feel something, I would close my eyes and let my mind take it where it wanted to go. This is what was happening right this second. I was feeling a willow tree, and a pond. A tire swing hanging from the tree and down towards the water. Two people treading in the pond and kissing each other. A big white house in the background with blue shudders and balcony on the second floor. Some flowers around the pond. Maybe a turtle's head sticking out of the water. I opened my eyes and looked at it. I was pleased with the outcome of my wonderful (and sometimes horrid) imagination. I looked at my clock and it was now ten o' clock. Big sigh, 'Maybe I'll go shop for clothes appropriate for Nebraska tomorrow.' I thought. I closed my eyes and drifted off into dreamless sleep.
" What about this Mark?" I asked him holding up a pair of brown plaid shorts. He had been excited since he found out he could go see dad. He was a forgiving person. We where trying to shop for clothes but right now he was to busy watching a TV that was playing Deal or No Deal.
" Pick fifteen! Fifteen! Ugh! See I told you! If you had picked fifteen you would still have the seventy-five thousand dollars! Stupid people!" he grumbled, totally oblivious to my question.
"MARK!" that got his attention. " Look you need new clothes, try to help me out here!" I threw my hands up exasperated. This is what had been happening for the last hour, he always found a TV somewhere with one of his favorite shows.
" Fine. I like them, how much are they?" he asked. His eyebrows rose questionably.
" Not much, so if you like them, go try them on." I said. It was always hard to get him to comply me when it came too clothes. He went into the changing booth and was out in a few seconds. "They look good. Turn around." I walked over and started to scrutinize them. "How tight are they?" I asked. They looked nice.
" They're comfortable. I like them, the pockets are deep." He was so calm. I could not be calm like that, my brain was a hectic mess. I looked like a mess to! My hair was up in a ponytail, and it was starting to fall down into my eyes. I had no make-up on, I was wearing my baggy cargo shorts with paint stains on them, and the blue tank top I wore to bed last night. Mark on the other hand had his light brown hair spiked up, and a CLEAN white shirt on. I now realized how much he had grown up in the last couple months. He probably grew like three inches. But not only had grown he physically, he had matured a lot to. He was learning from our mistakes, and his, and changing his attitude about a lot of things.
" That's a plus." I laughed. He had so many things that where important to him. " Are they long enough?" I asked.
" Yea, they're good. You know I think I've got enough. I have enough to fill my closet! With them all folded and laying on the ground! What about you, you have nothing." He said.
" Well I was going to get your stuff first then go get mine. But you're right, you have enough to last you a century. You can go back to watching your show." I laughed.
" No I'm ganna help you NOT go over your budget." He grinned at me. He had a nice white smile and blue braces covering them. We walked over towards the girl's junior section and started looking. We where at the huge mall just down the street from our condo. " How about this for any thing dressy we go to?" Mark was holding up a white sleeveless dress that was very innocent looking. It looked like it would be knee height for someone who was 5'5.
" Okay, I'll try it. Nice pick Mark!" I smiled encouragingly at him. " Look for some other stuff while I try to get into this." I walked into the changing room and took my clothes off. I looked at my feet wondering how much money dad put on that debit card he sent. He said a couple thousand but where would he get that? Maybe he has a nice job. Or maybe he's been saving it… Whatever, I looked in the mirror and the dress was actually very nice. I looked HOT even with my hair being crazy and no make-up. " Wow." I was stunned! It accentuated my curves perfectly! I was a pretty girl with nice curves but I never looked THIS good! I walked out to show Mark.
" Nice…" Was his response. I started striking poses, joking around with him. He was laughing so I blew him a kiss. Then I put my hands up and started to dance! I started to get lower to the ground, Mark cracking up even more. So I decided to push further. I slowly came back up and started doing the robot, it was his favorite move of mine. I was really good at it to, I took a dancing class up until I was fifteen.
" People are watching you." He was laughed. His laugh was so soothing to me. I loved to here it!
" You think I care?" I laughed. " They'll just think I'm either a whack job or mental." I saw some of the people watching me. One happened to be that guy from the café. The one with the black hair and blue eyes. I saw that he was laughing. I stopped dancing and said, "So what's next?" he handed me a brown pair of corduroy shorts and a white shirt with Oscar from Sesame Street on it. It said 'Warning: Mood Swings!' and a couple other things.
Back home I was going through some of my things. I had to pack a trunk to send to my dad's house of all the things I was going to need that couldn't fit in my suitcase. I was looking in my closet for the things to put in it. I put all my new clothes, shoes, cds, and books in already. Everything was in the perfect place. I was trying to fit as much as I possibly could into it. After all, we are going to be there for over three-fourths of the summer. I went and got a Ziploc to put all my jewelry in, so that it would not get broken in the shipping. I opened all the drawers in my desk, and nightstand. I got all the poems I've written and stuck them in my special notebook, along with all the letters my friends and me wrote over the past summers. I put all my stuffed animals in a box. I put my easel and guitar on top, shut the lid and locked it. I sat down on my bed and running my hands through my hair, I got caught on a couple of knots that had appeared since I brushed my hair this morning. I laid my head back and closed my eyes. I sighed, if I was supposed to get along with my dad I have to be able to forgive him. Maybe Nebraska won't be that bad.