The Aislin Chronicles

Part XXIV

A/n: Ahh, reviews, how happy they make me. Thanks guys! Good news everyone: I'm not playing basketball this year, I decided to give it up. I'm doing cross country instead so I'll have much more time and energy to write. Yay!

6-13-03

10:53 AM

I just realized that today is Friday the Thirteenth. And Dad and Mom are driving back today. Um. Now I'm not terribly superstitious, but isn't that just a little bit worrisome? Ha. I'm just being silly. Nothing bad's going to happen.

Jack's at work. I'm here with the dog. I don't know what time to expect the kids to pick me up, hopefully around dinner time. They have to work tomorrow, which sucks. I wonder when their next days off are.

10:59 AM

I feel like making something, like cookies, or a cake. Mmm, cake… Hmm, I wonder if Jack has all the ingredients for a cake. Doubt it. Oh well, doesn't hurt to search the kitchen. Maybe I'll just make pancakes. Oooh, and I can turn the radio up all loud and dance around the house! Fun stuff!

1:01 PM

So Jack had all the stuff for a cake, except cake mix and frosting. And since I kind of need the cake mix for a cake, and since I really wanted the cake more than pancakes, I decided to call Jess to bring me some. We had an interesting phone conversation.

"Jess, do you have cake mix?"

"Yeah."

"Do you have frosting?"

"Yeah."

"Is Roxy home?"

"I think so. Why?"

"Would you like to drive out here and bring me the cake mix and frosting, please please please?"

"No. But I'll come anyway."

She hung up on me, which is kind of funny, but a half hour later she showed up on Jack's doorstep with a box of yellow cake mix and chocolate frosting. I thanked her for them and then I was like, "So why didn't you want to come over?"

"'Cause Adam was over, we were hanging out."

I glanced behind her to Roxy in the car, Adam was there too. "But he came with you."

"Yeah, I made him. Mm. Don't you just love him?"

"Don't you just love Ian more?"

"No, no I don't." We laughed, she left, and I made my cake. Which is quite delicious, might I add. Have you ever made a cake while dancing around the island in Jack's kitchen with the radio up real loud? Well, no, I suppose you haven't. Journal. I think I'm going to pack up all my clothes (how do they get so scattered everywhere in this room?) and eat some lunch and have another piece of cake and… Wait til Dad and Mom pick me up.

7:15 PM

I'm hoooooome! Ah, my precious room. How I've missed you. So around five Dad knocked on the door. Jack wasn't home yet, so we left him a note, I hope he doesn't mind. I took the cake with me though, I wasn't about to leave it there. My cake. Mine.

I asked him where Sydney was while we got Donovan all set to go and he said she was asleep in the car. Once we were outside I asked Dad when he planned to tell Jack about the baby, and he told me soon. Very soon.

It was a quiet ride home because neither of us wanted to wake up Syd. She woke up when Dad tried to carry her out of the car. It was funny, she was like, "Wha… What are you doing?"

"You fell asleep."

"Where– oh, hi Aislin!"

"Hi."

Then she just walked upstairs and didn't say anything else. Apparently she crashed in their bedroom and is still asleep. Poor kid. Let's see, then Dad and I made dinner, it's almost ready I think. We were hoping Sy or Mom would be awake by now. I'll go check.

6-15-03

4:30 PM

Not much going on. I'm home alone most of the time, though I did go to the beach yesterday with Jess, Kathleen, Krissy, and Adam. Jess said we needed to do it more often, go to the beach together. I agree. Oh, and this time I went prepared: sunscreen city. No burn! No messy aloe to deal with, no Jack to gape at me in horror, ah, life is good.

Dad said Mom's been sick about every morning now. I feel bad for her. She's so tired, and all the puking, not fun. But when she's awake she keeps saying how she wants to start looking for a house soon. I think she's actually going to call a real estate agent today. That will be exciting, looking for houses, spice up my boring summer a little bit.

Whoa.

I mean…

It will spice up my NOT boring summer. Like this totally beats school. And. It's boringness.

Yes, I'll stop now.

In other news, Ian hasn't called yet. But, I'm not giving up hope, it's only Sunday after all. But he wouldn't forget, would he? Maybe he would. Guys are weird. I must stop dwelling on this. And think about something nicer, like Ian's eyes. Yessss Ian's eyesssss…

4:47 PM

Good lord, I need a picture of that boy.

6-16-03

9:12 PM

Speak of the devil. I mean from yesterday. (Ian, cough cough?) That was quite an understatement I made about the picture. Wow. I need, like, at least seven. Anyway, Ian called me today. Bless his little heart, he remembered. Of course, I wasn't exactly home to talk to him, so I suppose that is slightly disappointing. Oh, you think I should be majorly disappointed, don't you, journal, for missing out on some Ian time. But don't go and get yourself in a tizzy, I didn't miss out on anything.

While I'm at it, maybe I'll tell things chronologically. You know, the way normal things are written out. Then again, I'm hardly normal. Then again, there was actually a point to this paragraph. However, I, once again, have ruined a perfectly good moment and shall terminate this bloody ramble in shame and bang on with my story. Because in case you've forgotten, which you most likely have due to my lack of long attention spans, I did have a story to tell.

Take a moment in silence for my shameful paragraph.

9:23 PM

Oops, my bad, I started playing Hearts on the computer. So Jess called this afternoon and wanted to know if I would go with her to Kathleen, Fini, and Dee's softball game. Apparently, she promised Kathleen she would go, but softball is "terribly boring" (her words, not mine) and she needed someone to suffer with her through the pain. And it seems she volunteered me.

I called Dad, he said I could go, and I told him I'd be home after dinner. So at the game we're sitting on the bleachers watching them play. I don't know the first thing about softball, so don't make fun of me for trying to tell this story. Dee was standing in the grassy part of the field, the middle of the three girls out there, and one of those balls that get hit high and far came towards her, and she somehow collided with one of the other girls in the grass. They bumped heads really hard, but Dee still caught the ball. I just don't know how she does it.

Oh! I'm almost an idiot. So of course Jess and I weren't watching most of the game, we were talking, and she had the best story for me. She and Adam have been hanging out a lot this summer, right? Right. They were jumping on Jess's trampoline last night and she "accidentally" jumped on Adam. Well, I'm not sure if it was really an accident or not, you never know with her. But anyway, somehow after she landed on him he asked her out. And she said yes. So she's going out with Adam Wingertsahn. Crazy, huh?

I admit, though, it made me kind of wonder why she dragged me to the softball field instead of Adam. But, well, perhaps it was destiny that lead me there. Why, you ask? Oh why, why, why? Because a short time after I saw Kathleen hit a ball somewhere and make it to that first base, I happened to glance across the way, and by way I mean the field behind the grass part of the softball field, over to where there is a baseball field. And can you guess what I saw? Why, it's an Ian. An Ian Schmidt.

And this Ian Schmidt was playing baseball. I doubted it was an actual game because there were no parents in the stands, and none of them were wearing uniforms (please note that I didn't notice this, Jess did, as I was watching Ian). So, okay, I watched him instead of Kathleen, and Fini, and Dee.

He looked soooo cute. Even from far away.

Yup, softball is a great sport. I can't imagine why she finds it boring. Quite thrilling, actually.

I guess the softball game ended because Jess was suddenly yanking me off the bleachers and pulling me over to where the team was coming off the field. Kathleen said they were between games and they got a break to eat dinner. At least that was what she was doing. I saw Fini chasing Dee around with a hose trying to spray her with water, so I'm not sure what to think.

We (Jess and myself) went to the concessions stand to get food. Jess was complaining. "Between games! That's what a double header is? Oh God." I don't think she enjoys softball nearly as much as I do. You just have to know where to watch.

When we finished eating, I noticed that Ian's game had kind of ended. I asked Jess if she would come over there with me, 'cause I thought it would be sort of awkward if I went alone. I really wanted to talk to Ian. She decided we were done watching softball, and was like, "Yeah, because one game is really more than enough."

Aaaand, we got over there, and I was like, "hey," and he was like, "hey." And I know this is probably an incredible conversation to listen to, so I'll skip to the good part. He said, "Yeah I called you earlier but you weren't there." My first thought was that YAY! HE CALLED! But then I was like, Hmmm, did he really call? Or did he just say that because he just remembered he was supposed to when he saw me? I wasn't sure whether to believe him until– ah, later, we'll get to that. Then he invited us to go get ice cream with them, and of course we accepted.

I got a small vanilla cone with sprinkles. Mmmm. I noticed Ian got chocolate/vanilla swirl. Interesting choice. Anyway, Jess was good about trying to leave us alone, but some of Ian's friends kept making jokes at us and bugging us. Ugh. So since neither of us managed to snag seats at the picnic table everyone had accumulated outside the ice cream place we went to sit by ourselves on the sidewalk behind the building.

Did I mention I really like Ian a lot? Because I do. I really do. He asked if he could have a lick of my ice cream. I had a lick of his. And I think he's really on to something with that swirl. I told him so. He said that my sprinkles were pretty awesome as well.

So after we finished eating, we were kind of just sitting there talking a little bit, and we were kind of close together, because he was next to a bush and there was a funny crack/dent thing in the curb on the other side of me. And, anyway, his hand ended up touching my knee. I was thinking, "Wait, no! I haven't shaved in a really long time!" except I ended up saying this out loud. Then he said, "It's okay, neither have I!" Then we started laughing. And then we kissed. A lot.

I really like Ian.

Eventually Jess's sister picked us up and she took me home. Mom was awake and kicking it when I got back, and she told me that (!) Ian had called earlier. I told her that I met up with him and that we had ice cream. And that I like him. A lot. I must have been blushing and grinning like an idiot because she got one of those smiles on her face. You know those kind of smiles, like smirks almost, but not quite so smug. Yes, one of those smiles.

Then Dad popped in from somewhere and asked how the game was. I didn't really know, so I told him it was good, and that afterward we met Ian and some other friends and we went out for ice cream. His response was, "Ice cream. Cool." And then he shot Sydney a look. I saw it. I told him I saw it too. Of course, then he attacked me with Tickle Fingers and I couldn't stop laughing. Oooh, Daddy. I love you.

Well, I've had a thoroughly lovely evening and I think I shall retire to the living room with mis padres. Buenas noches.

6-18-03

7:46 PM

I woke up this morning and found Sydney lying on the couch looking kind of blech. I figured she had the day off, er, well, took the day off. She didn't look too good. I sat with her for awhile because I was worried, but she didn't get sick. She said she mostly gets sick earlier in the morning, but she still felt nauseous. Actually, she felt nauseous all day, I could hardly get her to eat anything.

Dad came home around lunchtime to check on her. Apparently she had insisted he go to work today and not stay at home with her. I'm not sure I understand her reasoning, but then Dad started being cute so it didn't matter.

Syd, guh, Mom was lying on the couch on her back with her knees up and Dad came over and sat down next to her head and kissed her and asked, "How's my love muffin?" and she grunted, and then he patted her stomach and asked, "How's my mini muffin?"

I went, "Awwwwwww!" because I thought that was adorable, and they both just kind of looked at me funny. "…That was really cute and clever."

Dad just laughed at me but mom was still feeling sick. She didn't start feeling better until like five o'clock when I finally got her to eat something substantial. Dad came home about a half hour later, and after we ate Mom had enough energy to want to drive around some neighborhoods and look for houses for sale. (She had wanted to do it last night, but then she fell asleep at like 7:30…)

So we drove around, there were a few. I don't really know how house buying business goes, but I think they're going to call about them to see if there's an open house or something where someone can show them the house. I know that they want to find a house really soon though, and make sure everything's all moved in and ready way before the baby comes.

Aww. Baby.

I'm so excited.

I hope Mom starts to feel better soon.

6-21-03

6:27 PM

Boring past couple of days. Today was fun though. Kathleen called me and invited me over, and her dad came and picked me up and Jess as well and we hung out at Kathleen's house. She's got a nice, big, grassy backyard, and a huge balcony (despite whatever everyone else calls it, deck, patio, rubbish). The only thing in the yard is a hammock, so the three of us sat sideways on it like a swing and rocked back and forth and talked a bit. I told them about my encounter with Ian (even Jess didn't know yet), and Jess talked about her and Adam, and Kathleen talked about buying some fish? Not like to eat but to put in her tank. It was kind of funny.

I asked if she knew where Ian lived, because it seemed they both were in walking distance of the softball/baseball fields and that ice cream place. She said he lived like, a long walk away, maybe twenty plus minutes. The fields were apparently in the middle between them. In case I wanted to study further she told me the street name, Colorado Road. Nice name, nice name. Oh, journal, don't go thinking I'm a stalker, because I'm not. She just happened to give me the name of his street, I didn't ask for it. And I don't even know his address, let alone where exactly his street is, and I don't plan on like looking it up to do so. So there.

My, I sound like a weirdo, don't I?

Oh joy, it's time for dinner.

11:02 PM

Oh my gosh I completely forgot! A few days ago they told Jack about the baby! I asked Dad how he reacted, because, well, he already knew but promised he'd act like he didn't, and Dad was like, "Well, I'm still alive, aren't I? I'd take that as a good sign." I tried to get him to be serious about it, but he wouldn't, so Mom said that her father was happy for them. I asked her if he really said that, and she said he didn't, but, she knows that's how he feels. Hmm. Sure Syd.

Hey! That means I get to tell Jess and Kathleen now! I can't believe I didn't earlier, I feel like an idiot. Darn, it's too late to call. Tomorrow I guess.

A/n: So, what did ya think? Not my best, I know, but I gotta get through those summer weeks somehow. Please review!