The Aislin Chronicles
Part XV
A/n: Wahoo, back from spring break! While I had a lovely ole time basking on the beaches of Myrtle and getting a glorious tan, I found time to scribble away this part for you all to enjoy!
4-5-03
4:13 PM
Ah, it's been such a laid back day. We've just sat around, read, and picked at the rest of the snacks we brought. We really need to go to the grocery store, I might go with Sydney later.
Well, I went outside this afternoon and… It was cold. No- it was freezing. I mean, I heard there would be lower temperatures all week at home, so I figured it would get a little colder here too, but I guess the elevation makes it a lot colder. Sigh. It was really pretty out, though. The way the sun beams stream in through the branches is nice; I bet this place is lovely in the summer. I found the start of a trail out back that I might hike sometime if I get bored. Or if it gets warmer. (Which means I'll go when I'm bored, because I seriously doubt any extreme sudden warmth around here.) Have myself a little picnic out there in the woods. Guess I might need some food for that, we kind of ate it all this afternoon.
4:19 PM
Syd has good timing. Right after my "we have no food" comment she asked if I wanted to go the to the store with her because Dad is napping. So we're going now.
10:57 PM
So Sydney and I got a butt load of food that I'm certain is more than enough for our week's stay, but… it all looked so yummy! We drove into town and found the little grocery store. The town is so cute. We decided at dinner we could go back tomorrow and wander around and shop and stuff. Anyway, we made pizza for dinner. Not like the ready-made-stick-it-in-the-oven stuff, but we bought all the separate ingredients and put it together ourselves. You know, something to do. And might I say, we have superb pizza making abilities.
While we were gone Dad checked out the television in the living room, which only picks up three channels that come in fuzzy. Kinda funny. Well, good night.
4-6-03
5:34 PM
Today we had another lazy day because we realized it was Sunday and not many of the stores in town would be open. So we'll go tomorrow. In response, I ate a hefty bowl of Cheerios, bundled up, and headed out to that trail. Wow, I wasn't even that bored now that I think about it.
Anyway, I wandered it for about ten minutes. There was mostly a gentle down slope to it, though it got steep in a few places. I came close to falling a few times. Then it flattened out and I saw a clearing in the trees and a wooden railing. When I got close enough I looked over the rail, and I realized I was on the edge of a cliff. Below me there was a valley with a lake in the bottom that was partially frozen (!) around the edges. I kept looking out over the rail and the trees and the lake and the dip of the valley were so calming, so serene. I looked around and found a bench a few meters away. It had a broken arm, but it was still very sittable, so I dragged it over to the railing and had a good think.
I had this dream last night with Father in it, Mum too. We were on a train headed for London, and Father was so worried we were going to be late. Mum told him to relax, but he started pacing. Then suddenly I was on some island with them, plus Syd and Dad. We were all on the beach, and I was walking towards them carrying this baby. It was really small, like the size of one of those crack babies, but it wasn't a crack baby. Don't ask me how I knew this. Anyway I walked up to them and they were all drunk and I got really mad at them because I had this little baby I didn't know what to do with. Weird, huh?
Then I woke up and started thinking about Father. And I didn't feel sad. Well, I didn't feel happy either; I didn't really feel anything at all. So I thought about it at the bench, as well as Syd and Dad, school, my friends, Ian, all sorts of things. Then I got real cold and headed back. Donovan was tied up in the backyard, and he got all excited when he saw me coming and ran towards me but his leash was too short, so then he barked at me until I was close enough to pet him. It made me feel happy that he gets so excited to see me, even if he is a dog. Oh, time for dinner.
4-7-03
7:46 PM
Whooooooa man, I just got back from dinner and I am stuffed! But that was about the best chocolate cake I have ever had the pleasure of eating, so it's totally worth it. Today was fun. As promised, we finally went into town, which is basically two streets each a couple of blocks long. The shops were cute, and since it was so cold I decided I wanted a sweatshirt. And somehow we lost Dad. We found him like thirty minutes later when we were leaving. He said he went over to the other street (Syd and I only stayed on the one), and found some antique place Sydney would like.
She asked: "Did they have any picture frames?"
And Dad said: "A whole bunch," with a smile.
I don't know what that's all about. But. Okay. They made each other smiiiiile.
7:51 PM
Sorry, I got to thinking about their cute moments. I'll just continue on like that never happened. And I don't really care where Dad went, because I got my sweatshirt and it's purple, and warm, and so so sooo fuzzy. Then we went out to dinner. Dad and Syd were being really cute (smile), holding hands and stuff. I noticed they were having a "moment" and their eyes were locked in on each other, then a bus boy dropped a glass and it shattered really loudly and startled them out of it. I was really mad at him for ruining their moment, but then I had the chocolate cake and I was all better
Well, I'm going to see what those crazy lovebirds are up to. Probably having more moments I can ruin.
4-8-03
4:01 PM
Didn't do much today. I painted my fingernails this morning. They're all orange and shimmery now. Very amusing under the light. By lunchtime the three of us were bored since we've done nothing for a few days now, so I told them about the pretty place I found when I followed the trail. They said they wanted to see, so I led them out there. But halfway there it started to rain, so we had to turn back. Actually, it was more of this, like, rain and snow mixture. Icky.
Hmm… I think I'm going to take a nap, since there's not much else to do.
4-9-03
9:47 PM
You know what? I kind of like this lazy business. I get to eat whenever I feel like it, lounge around in fuzzy purple sweatshirts all day, and I don't have to do any homework. It's quite nice.
It's really cold out today, and it's supposed to get even colder tonight. I think I saw on TV that it's gonna snow, but then again, that TV is kind of crummy, so I may have been watching the weather in Canada for all I know. Whatever.
4-10-03
4:34 AM
I am so unbelievably happy right now I can't even express! Journal, this is so EXCITING! Now, I know what you're thinking (if you could think, dearest inanimate object): that I am much to enthusiastic for someone being awake at such an hour as four in the morning. But I just can't sleep, I'm so… Happy and excited all jumbled into one extraordinary feeling of joyousness and glee! Okay, okay, maybe I should tell the story.
So I went to bed last night, then the next thing I knew it was 2:45 in the morning and Dad was waking me up.
"Aislin, Aislin?"
"Mm?"
"It's snowing. Sydney and I want to go play in it, do you want to come?"
"Sure…"
So I heaved myself out of bed and dressed all warm and snug and met them by the door. Sydney looked so adorable- she was so impatient to go out and play it was like she was three years old. And she was just grinning like a goofball. When I got to them, Syd bolted out the door, grabbing Dad's arm and pulling him with her, who grabbed my arm and pulled me outside. And not only was it snowing, but there was a good six or seven inches already on the ground.
At first we made snow angels, but then we discovered it was perfect packing snow and we made a family of snowmen (and women). I was just putting the finishing touches on SnowDaddy when I was struck from behind by a snowball. I don't even know who threw it, but it launched an all out snowball fight between the three of us. Our battle lasted for a while, then Dad sneak-attacked Sydney and tackled her to the ground. They started giggling and kissing and stuff, and I started making another snowball to catch them off guard. I didn't care about ruining their moment because they keep having so damn many on this vacation.
"Sydney," Dad said as I took aim. And then, (swoony sigh) he asked, so casually, as if he was asking her to go to the grocery store with him, "Will you marry me?"
But it was too late, I had released from my grip the snowball of doom, and WHAM! it pelted Dad right in the shoulder. Immediately I froze to the spot, partly because I was in shock from his question, partly because I had interrupted his proposal, and partly because it was fricken freezing out there. Luckily, the two laughed off my snowball, and Dad responded with, "Say something."
So of course, I had to put in my two cents. "Say yes!"
I saw huge grins form on their faces. "Yes. I will marry you, Michael Vaughn." They proceeded to kiss and I just got so happy. I ran forward and tripped over Donovan's leash, landing with a thud less than a meter away from them. They turned to me and smiled.
Dad raised his eyebrows suddenly. "Oh, I almost forgot…" He took off his glove and reached into his pants pocket, pulling out a square velvet box. "Your ring." He kissed her again, and told her he loved her, and I couldn't help but smile as he slipped off her mitten and slid the diamond on her finger.
There was more cuteness that I don't care to recall, because shortly after we went back inside because, like it said, it was freezing. None of us felt like sleeping anymore so we huddled on the couch (or in their case cuddled on the couch) and watched whatever channel was coming in well on the TV, we ended up getting the news. Syd decided to take a hot shower since she was still cold from being outside. Dad left a few minutes ago, he went to go check on her.
4:47 AM
Wait a second.
4:48 AM
Oh.
4:49 AM
He went to "check on her."
4:51 AM
Ew.
4:53 AM
I guess he's not coming back.Maybe I should… Go upstairs. Night journal!
…They're engaged!
11:17 AM
Mmmm, Dad just made this really great breakfast. It will be our last one for a while, we go home tomorrow. Anyway, I helped Dad do the dishes after we ate. Sydney went back to bed. We had a good conversation. It went something like this:
"Daaaa-ad," I sang, hugging his arm. "You're engaaaaaaa-aged."
"I know," he sighed with a very contented smile.
"When did you buy the ring?"
"When I ventured off that day we were in town. I just started wandering around, and there was this diamond ring sitting in the window of an antique store. And, I don't know… I thought I'd…" Was Dad blushing? Aw. He was. It was too cute. He continued. "After our fight, I knew I could never lose her again. I needed to know she'd be with me forever.
"So I thought about proposing in the restaurant, but the bus boy dropped that glass and ruined the moment. So then you suggested a walk out to see the valley. You said it was calm and beautiful, so I figured it would be the perfect opportunity, but then it started raining. And in the snow last night– it was perfect –I just knew. Oh, and thanks for hitting me with that last snowball, I really appreciated it."
"Yeah, sorry 'bout that."
He smirked at me. "I'm just teasing you." He squeezed my shoulder.
"Well, I'm very glad you asked her."
"I'm very glad you're very glad. Oh, hey, I know this sounds sudden, but if Syd and I are getting married," (he smiled at the sound), "would you mind if Sydney legally adopted you too? Since we're going to be a little family."
"Not at all." Family. I really like the sound of that.
A/n: Tada! Soo, what do you think? Please review! I don't have a clue when I'll update next, I'll try to make it soon.