The sun danced as it rose higher in the sky, the first day of North Grove’s summer. The teenagers were still fast asleep in their slumber as it the time became noon. Little children ran around playing and horsing around. A posse of girls giggled and ran after a boy, pretending to make kissing noises, while boys put frogs in a girl’s bag.
“Rufus!” a little girl called, a boy traveling behind her.
“We’re never going to find him Kali…” He wined, sighing.
“We cant just give up on him though Garret.” She sighed.
“But…he’s only a bird, he’ll…he’ll find a home…” he thought, adjusting his glasses that were too big for his little nose.
“But he has a home…” Kali frowned and looked around, looking as if she were on the edge of tears.
“Fine…we’ll find him…” he smiled lightly and watched her, they had been friends for years. And always would. She was as much of a friend as a boy would be. And he was made fun of by most of the boys because he had glasses and asthma.
“Thank you Garret...” she smiled lightly, still holding back tears, not wanting to seem less tough. But it was her bird, and she had had him for three years now, and he just flew off today for the first time. She loved this bird and knew this bird more then she knew her own mother who died years ago.
& nbsp; They searched till sundown then they sat under a small willow tree by the river, both staring at the water.
“Im sorry we didn’t find him Kali…” Garret muttered.
“Yeah..” She didn’t look up when she talked to him, just kept staring at the water.
Garret adjusted his glasses and nodded “We’ll find him tomorrow.” He said, optimistic.
“We aren’t going to look tomorrow.” She said plainly.
“But..but..its Rufus…” he looked at her, noticing the tears that streaked her cheeks. “Kali…” She wiped her cheeks and looked at him, with an cold look.
“He’ll be out of North Grove by tomorrow.” She said plainly, shaking her head.
“We could still find him tonight…” Garret offered.
20“No, Rufus is gone now. He’s a free bird.” She said quietly, playing with her strap to her small overalls.
“Ok…” he muttered, not wanting to upset her any further, he stared down at the water, watching leaves and branches float by. The first day of summer, and she had already lost the animal that meant most to her.
“We’re never going to find him Kali…” He wined, sighing.
“We cant just give up on him though Garret.” She sighed.
“But…he’s only a bird, he’ll…he’ll find a home…” he thought, adjusting his glasses that were too big for his little nose.
“But he has a home…” Kali frowned and looked around, looking as if she were on the edge of tears.
“Fine…we’ll find him…” he smiled lightly and watched her, they had been friends for years. And always would. She was as much of a friend as a boy would be. And he was made fun of by most of the boys because he had glasses and asthma.
“Thank you Garret...” she smiled lightly, still holding back tears, not wanting to seem less tough. But it was her bird, and she had had him for three years now, and he just flew off today for the first time. She loved this bird and knew this bird more then she knew her own mother who died years ago.
& nbsp; They searched till sundown then they sat under a small willow tree by the river, both staring at the water.
“Im sorry we didn’t find him Kali…” Garret muttered.
“Yeah..” She didn’t look up when she talked to him, just kept staring at the water.
Garret adjusted his glasses and nodded “We’ll find him tomorrow.” He said, optimistic.
“We aren’t going to look tomorrow.” She said plainly.
“But..but..its Rufus…” he looked at her, noticing the tears that streaked her cheeks. “Kali…” She wiped her cheeks and looked at him, with an cold look.
“He’ll be out of North Grove by tomorrow.” She said plainly, shaking her head.
“We could still find him tonight…” Garret offered.
20“No, Rufus is gone now. He’s a free bird.” She said quietly, playing with her strap to her small overalls.
“Ok…” he muttered, not wanting to upset her any further, he stared down at the water, watching leaves and branches float by. The first day of summer, and she had already lost the animal that meant most to her.
The sun set like a blazing torch being put out, fire flies filled the air and children ran around catching them in peanut-butter containers with air holes. The little girls screamed as boys put bugs on them, although they didn’t have problems handling them themselves. The little boys laughed as the little girls screamed and ran inside, hiding behind the old screen door. Away from all of the commotion of summer a little girl screamed. Kali screamed.
“Kali?! Is everything alright?” A man stood in a hallway, knocking on the door, head pressed up against it, trying to hear what was going on.
“I-Yeah…I’m fine.” A young voice said quietly.
“What was the scream for?” the man asked.
“A bird flew in the window and surprised me. Now go away dad!” she lied, trying to get rid of her father.
Her father left and went downstairs, in the bathroom Kali stared at the little boy who had just climbed into her window. “What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I um, I wanted to see if you were ok…” he mumbled, not sure what to say.
“Well I’m kind of in a towel!” she whisper-yelled at him, holding her light blue towel closer to her body. The water was running still, hot water splattering over the tile.
“I-um,” he looked down, not wanting to make her feel u ncomfortable, but now he felt out of place.
Kali sighed and looked at him, he was sweating and shaking a little. “Garret. Why did you climb in here?”
“Because…it’s late and I wanted to-I…I don’t know, sorry, I’ll go…” he mumbled.
“You wanted to-?” she looked at him, he looked up at her and blushed a little.
“I just wanted to see if you were alright.” He smiled and nodded.
“I’m fine, Rufus left for a reason and it’s because he wanted to be free.” She smiled lightly. “I’m fine.” She repeated.
“Ok…” he muttered, he looked up at her one last time.
“What now Garret?” she asked, sighing.
He smiled and walked toward her a little, kissing her lightly on the lips. She stood there shocked, eyes wide, while he kissed her, lips puckered and closed. He pulled away, blushing, and climbed out the window. She stood there, mortified for a few minutes, then grinned and jumped in her shower.
“I can see clearly now…the rain has gone. I can see all the obstacles in my way…” she kept singing ‘I can see clearly now’ as she took a shower, humming to it. She loved that song and giggled getting out as the cold wind blew in her face, making chills throughout her spine. She dressed in he pajamas and layed down to sleep, today had had a horrible event, yet it had a great event, she had her first kiss, and she was only ten years old. Who knows where this summer would go, who knows if it will be the best summer ever. She thought as she nodded off to sleep.
“I-Yeah…I’m fine.” A young voice said quietly.
“What was the scream for?” the man asked.
“A bird flew in the window and surprised me. Now go away dad!” she lied, trying to get rid of her father.
Her father left and went downstairs, in the bathroom Kali stared at the little boy who had just climbed into her window. “What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I um, I wanted to see if you were ok…” he mumbled, not sure what to say.
“Well I’m kind of in a towel!” she whisper-yelled at him, holding her light blue towel closer to her body. The water was running still, hot water splattering over the tile.
“I-um,” he looked down, not wanting to make her feel u ncomfortable, but now he felt out of place.
Kali sighed and looked at him, he was sweating and shaking a little. “Garret. Why did you climb in here?”
“Because…it’s late and I wanted to-I…I don’t know, sorry, I’ll go…” he mumbled.
“You wanted to-?” she looked at him, he looked up at her and blushed a little.
“I just wanted to see if you were alright.” He smiled and nodded.
“I’m fine, Rufus left for a reason and it’s because he wanted to be free.” She smiled lightly. “I’m fine.” She repeated.
“Ok…” he muttered, he looked up at her one last time.
“What now Garret?” she asked, sighing.
He smiled and walked toward her a little, kissing her lightly on the lips. She stood there shocked, eyes wide, while he kissed her, lips puckered and closed. He pulled away, blushing, and climbed out the window. She stood there, mortified for a few minutes, then grinned and jumped in her shower.
“I can see clearly now…the rain has gone. I can see all the obstacles in my way…” she kept singing ‘I can see clearly now’ as she took a shower, humming to it. She loved that song and giggled getting out as the cold wind blew in her face, making chills throughout her spine. She dressed in he pajamas and layed down to sleep, today had had a horrible event, yet it had a great event, she had her first kiss, and she was only ten years old. Who knows where this summer would go, who knows if it will be the best summer ever. She thought as she nodded off to sleep.
The sun rose as a birds began to chirp, people started their gardening and everyone slept in. Today was a day to relax, it was summer. What could go wrong?
As the day settled in people started to notice that no one was going to, or coming from the Beret household; there were always people going in. Kali usually was playing with her friend Garret in the front if no one was around, but there was still no sign of any life.
A small knock on the door alerted Mr. Beret that someone was there.
As the day settled in people started to notice that no one was going to, or coming from the Beret household; there were always people going in. Kali usually was playing with her friend Garret in the front if no one was around, but there was still no sign of any life.
A small knock on the door alerted Mr. Beret that someone was there.
“Hank? You home?” a women’s voice called from the door.
“Probably just a nosy neighbor…” hank muttered under his breath as he stumbled to the door, he stumbled as he walked, but did not fall. “Heyy Rosie…” he slurred.
“Hank, are you alright?” the middle-aged woman asked through the screen door.
“Oh fine and dandy.” He smiled a sly smile and looked her up and down.
“Um, I was wondering where Kali was, usually she’s outside playing with Garret by20now.” she chirped out.
“Kali…oh, um…” he looked back at the stairway by the door. “I think she just slept in late…she’ll probably be up soon….” He muttered, still looking at the door.
“Oh, ok, well Hank, you should probably drink some coffee or something…it would help the…alcohol…go away faster…” she whispered to him, saying alcohol like it was a swear word.
“Thanks Rosie…but I haven’t been drinking.” He lied to her. ‘Why do people around here have to be so nosy…’ he thought. Most of the people in North Grove weren’t nosy, they were just caring about others, they thought of the people who were neighbors to them as family.
“Ok, if you need anything just gimme a call ok?” She smiled lightly and winked.
“Uh, yeah thanks…” he muttered, watching her leave. He stumbled back into the kitchen and took a beer out of the fridge. “Here’s to you Molly. ” He raised his beer and looked up, “Me and Kali both miss you a lot…” he muttered, tears filling his eyes and he downed the beer. Kali watched him from the staircase, she missed her mother more than anyone. She wished that night had never happened, that stupid drunk driver! But now there’s nothing anyone could do.
“Daddy…?” Kali came into the kitchen hours later. “I miss her too daddy…” she muttered, trying to wake him from his drunken slumber.
Kali shook him lightly.
“Molly?” he asked, opening his eyes slightly, still half asleep. He looked up and noticed Kali, “Oh, good morning hun…” he muttered, not noticing it was around eight pm already.
“Its not morning dad…” she looked out the window, where it was getting dark and it was starting to rain.
“Oh…” he looked as well and smiled lightly “Uh why don’t we go out to dinner?” His smile was fake.
“Ok…” she muttered, looking at her pajamas and ran up stairs to change. She got dressed and went down stairs, where her father was waiting on the couch in the living room. He was dressed and cleaned up.
“I heard you before you woke me up Kali…we both miss her. And I’m sorry that I don’t show it all the time, it’s just that it hurts to think about it...” he explained, getting up and hugging her.
“I really do miss her…” she said, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“I know…I know…” he rubbed her back and held her close. “It’s ok to miss her…” he said.
“Probably just a nosy neighbor…” hank muttered under his breath as he stumbled to the door, he stumbled as he walked, but did not fall. “Heyy Rosie…” he slurred.
“Hank, are you alright?” the middle-aged woman asked through the screen door.
“Oh fine and dandy.” He smiled a sly smile and looked her up and down.
“Um, I was wondering where Kali was, usually she’s outside playing with Garret by20now.” she chirped out.
“Kali…oh, um…” he looked back at the stairway by the door. “I think she just slept in late…she’ll probably be up soon….” He muttered, still looking at the door.
“Oh, ok, well Hank, you should probably drink some coffee or something…it would help the…alcohol…go away faster…” she whispered to him, saying alcohol like it was a swear word.
“Thanks Rosie…but I haven’t been drinking.” He lied to her. ‘Why do people around here have to be so nosy…’ he thought. Most of the people in North Grove weren’t nosy, they were just caring about others, they thought of the people who were neighbors to them as family.
“Ok, if you need anything just gimme a call ok?” She smiled lightly and winked.
“Uh, yeah thanks…” he muttered, watching her leave. He stumbled back into the kitchen and took a beer out of the fridge. “Here’s to you Molly. ” He raised his beer and looked up, “Me and Kali both miss you a lot…” he muttered, tears filling his eyes and he downed the beer. Kali watched him from the staircase, she missed her mother more than anyone. She wished that night had never happened, that stupid drunk driver! But now there’s nothing anyone could do.
“Daddy…?” Kali came into the kitchen hours later. “I miss her too daddy…” she muttered, trying to wake him from his drunken slumber.
Kali shook him lightly.
“Molly?” he asked, opening his eyes slightly, still half asleep. He looked up and noticed Kali, “Oh, good morning hun…” he muttered, not noticing it was around eight pm already.
“Its not morning dad…” she looked out the window, where it was getting dark and it was starting to rain.
“Oh…” he looked as well and smiled lightly “Uh why don’t we go out to dinner?” His smile was fake.
“Ok…” she muttered, looking at her pajamas and ran up stairs to change. She got dressed and went down stairs, where her father was waiting on the couch in the living room. He was dressed and cleaned up.
“I heard you before you woke me up Kali…we both miss her. And I’m sorry that I don’t show it all the time, it’s just that it hurts to think about it...” he explained, getting up and hugging her.
“I really do miss her…” she said, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“I know…I know…” he rubbed her back and held her close. “It’s ok to miss her…” he said.
The rest of the night was a blur to Kali, but to Hank it was a time to get closer to his daughter that he hadn’t been spending time with for a long time. They went out to dinner and talked about school in the fall and what would be happening i n the future, they talked about her father’s work and they just talked about life. Afterwards they went home, Kali went to bed and Hank sat down on the couch. He thought about his future, he missed his past, but everyone has to move on some day.
On the other side of town a couple sat on a ledge watching the sunset, as it went down, so did the past with Molly. This night was over, and so was the past. The memories would always stay, but those are just little reminders that can make us happier, or make us mourn.
