Everyone else started to wake up from their nightly sleep. By the time everyone was down, Aunt Chilli finished cooking everyone omelettes. As the plates were being served, I watched my plate came upon the placemat.
"I made this special for you, Andy." Aunt Chilli spoked. "You'll love it."
As I gazed at my plate, I noticed there's chopped bacon, sliced bella mushrooms, chopped red capsaicin (bell pepper), covered with shredded cheese, and chopped chives. The smell was appetizing that made my stomach growl. I heard footsteps descending and out came... my cousins: Bluey and Bingo.
"ANDY!" They shouted for joy, as their tails wagged. They rushed over and gave me a hug. Despite of feeling bit sore from my recovery, but I was happy to see them too.
"Now kids, be gentle now." Aunt Chilli smiled, yet she cautioned her daughters about my injuries.
"That's alright, Auntie Chilli." I assured her, as I embraced my cousins. She smiled and show signs of relief that I finally spoke.
"Alright, kids... breakfast time." she announced. "Bandit!"
Uncle Bandit rushed down, almost like a jackrabbit and joined us. He than sat down, as did too Aunt Chilli sat down on the chair. We than started devouring our omelettes. Most of them were enjoying, as I was very slow on eating mine. It was perhaps my mind was still thinking about losing my parents.
"Andy, are you alright? You still hungry?" Aunt Chilli looked concerned.
"I'm sorry, Auntie. I'm enjoying your omelette and it's delicious, thank you." I thanked her for a mouth watery breakfast. "However... I still don't feel right."
Bluey curious, she noticed that my parents weren't around. "Where's Uncle Chaz and Auntie Robin?"
"Bluey." Auntie Chilli tapped her daughter.
"It's okay..." I spoke, as I began to come up with the right words to say. "It's complicated."
"Why?" Bingo asked.
I lightly sighed. "It just is... it's hard to explain."
"So... is that mean that you're going to stay with us longer?" Bluey than asked the important question.
"That's we should discuss right now, actually." Uncle Bandit finished his plate, as he turned towards me. "Say mate, how do you feel that you're... wanting to stay here?"
"You really mean it?" I questioned.
"Of course, you're part of our family too." Auntie Chilli stated. "Your parents have always wanted what's best for your well being."
"I know, but..."
"What is it?" she asked.
"What about the system... because I was originally adopted and I pretty much lived with them for most of my years growing up." I began to worry that the social services would get involve, due to my adopted parents demise. "I'm worried if the system would trigger an alarm since they-"
"Don't worry, mate." Uncle Bandit stopped and assured me. "We'll figured that out when the time comes, or when we received a notice from them."
The assurance made me to believe that they know what they'll be doing. I decided to go with it. "Alrighty. I trust you guys."
"Hurray!" Bluey and Bingo cheered, as I than resumed eating my aunt's delicious omelette.
The summer has already begun for myself since I was already out of school, by the time my parents and I came to visit my extended family. It was the time that the Heeler's summer was just beginning. It was basic for today, as they planned to stay at home. And what I enjoy about my cousins, they always play these games.
I was still bit sore from my injuries, but I thought maybe I should try to get my running feet back. Aunt Chilli decided to set up a obstacle course the girls could do their running exercises, like a marathon. However, they don't bother about the time, but do it for fun. In effort to accommodate moderately, they simply sit up a rope to tight rope walk on the grass, gnome "husband" dance, pool splash, and ladder climb. I would have done the rest they would have set up, but I was still recovering a bit.
The first run was that I watched Bluey and Bingo do their run. After their run was complete, I was able to do my run. I decided to skip the yoga ball and the slippery slide. When I came across the gnome "husbands", I was able to run across like anyone would do in a sporting practice. A skip on the flat pack box, until I jumped into the kiddy pool and than back out. I tapped on the trampoline, before tightrope walk on the jump rope. Finally, I was able to climb up briefly, until I was able to touch the branch and slide down on the rope, and finished the obstacle course.
"Andy finished!" the cousins cheered.
"Well done!" Auntie Chilli cheered, as I painted for breath. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm alright. Just got myself a bit tired after the run." the soreness was coming on my back. "Perhaps I'll sit the next rounds out."
"Not a problem."
"Are you wanting to go another round?" Bluey asked.
"I will, Bluey, but I'll have to sit this one out. My back is getting sore." I answered.
"Oh, okay." she than joined with Bingo in the obstacle course.
"Are you really alright, Andy?" Auntie Chilli became concerned because she noticed about my back.
I nodded my head. "Yeah, yeah. It's just I wanted to move my feet and so I could try to get a brief work out. Just don't want to overdue it." I walked back over to my aunt and sat on the bench on the tree. We than watched Bluey and Bingo running through the course.
"I have something to ask, Auntie Chilli... is it possible I could find work?" I asked her.
She turned around. "You mean, finding a job?"
"Well it's because I already graduated and plan on finding a job. I mean, I could do local if necessary or odd jobs. Or maybe farm work. My father and I found a farm back in California to work on, but didn't get too far... especially now."
She nodded. "We can talk about it when you're recovered and of course your grief is done."
"I appreciate that, Auntie. However, I just wanted to find something to do to distract myself, so I don't drown within it."
"Run your own race. When the time comes, we'll go further. In the meantime, just rest." she assured me. We looked back to see Uncle Bandit joined in the rest against Bluey. She was able to out run her father, as fast as a greyhound. Auntie Chilli even told me one time when they raced, Uncle Bandit pulled her back from the finish line. Everyone went after him. Although eventually, it was made up for a game of "Memory Snap".
As the day went by, we were able to have afternoon tea. Basically, lunch. Afterwards, we went on a walk around the block so I could get familiar with the neighborhood. I met quite a few neighbors that were entirely friendly. The first of the few neighbors I met were the golden retrievers of Pat, his wife Janelle, Lucky, and Chucky. Funny as it is, they're neighbors behind the fence of the backyard. The house on the right is the household of Wendy and her daughter Judo. Her daughter would sometimes join Bluey and Bingo. And as for Wendy, whenever she some mishap that or something hilarious. She would gasp and/or run off. To be fair, she is also the nicest neighbor, due to dealing with the games the Heelers do in the daily basis. And the house on the left is Doreen. Often times Bluey and Bingo would give a hand with Doreen, when her garbage cans were nearly over filled, and/or groceries when she has a lot. Even I started to give her a hand with those things, as well some odd jobs that would be simply repairing her door and/or taking care of some of her gardening work.
However, back to the current day, after meeting everyone. We started to settle down, until it comes to the evening. We had a delicious steak for dinner with some red potatoes. While I was enjoying my supper, I attempt to think about my future, at the same time I try to follow my Auntie's advice... "run my own race".
When the evening came, I was already in the sheets of my bed. I watched the littles going into their rooms and giggled. "Goodnight, Andy!" they said from their rooms.
"Goodnight, girls!" I replied back, before their parents came in and tucked them in. I looked out from the window to see moon rising and a breeze came into my room.
I snuggled in bed and watched the outside night sky. Minutes later, a knock sounded off. I turned to see Uncle Bandit and Auntie Chilli.
"You're comfortable?" Auntie Chilli asked me.
"I'm set for bed, thank you Auntie." I thanked her.
They noticed the window was opened. "Are you sure, mate? It gets cold in the summer." Uncle Bandit went further.
"It beats the California heat in the summer time."
Uncle Bandit chuckled. "You and your parents talked about it lots."
"If I need to, I could cover the door with some stopper to prevent cold air flowing out." I assisted. "So the girls don't get cold."
"We could think about that, but it may not be necessary." Auntie Chilli stated, before she came to my bed side. "And Andy... I know it'll take time."
I felt a bit down to come back from the real reason. "I know. I just don't want to make it too much for you guys. Especially, we met about days before, when we first came to visit."
"No worries, kiddo. We'll be here for you." Uncle Bandit assured me, with a rub on my head.
"Are my parents going to buried or scattered ashes?" I asked.
"You'll know when the time comes." he said. "We're just waiting on the other relatives back in California to hear the news and decide. We tried to send something out to them through whatever contact information we have through your parents."
"Try not to think about it, when going to sleep." Auntie Chilli gave me kiss, as I lie back upon my bed, before they returned to the entrance of my new room. "If you're putting on some electronics, do your best to keep it down though, for your cousins."
I looked at the tv and turned back to them with a smile. "I actually just put on ambient sounds on my phone, to help me sleep. It won't be a problem." I assured her.
"Thank you, Andy." she than smiled back.
"Goodnight Auntie Chilli, goodnight Uncle Bandit."
"Goodnight nephew." Uncle Bandit smiled.
"Goodnight sweet heart." Auntie Chilli said, before the two closed my bedroom door. I than put on ambient ocean sounds on my phone.
I myself in my blankets, as I faced towards the night sky and began to drift into sleep.