Chapter 2 - Lizzy

I shuffled around my room slowly as I searched for an outfit that I misplaced. Loud music could be heard downstairs as well as my mothers' voice. It was hard to decipher who was out singing who, Bruno Marrs or my mother... the world may never know.

After finding the misplaced outfit, I shuffled to the bathroom with hopes that today moved a little slower than yesterday. What felt like twenty minutes was actually in reality ten. I stepped out of my room and stepped into the hallway.

The smell of coffee, eggs, bacon, and toast filled my now expanded nostrils as I took in all the smells coming together as one up the stairs to me. As I made my way down the stairs and into the kitchen the smells grew as my ears started to throb from the volume of the music dancing in my ear lobes.

" I care about you" by the Milestones blared throughout the kitchen as my mother gave the birds sitting on the outside branch closest to the window a show. She continued to twirl around the kitchen with the spatula in her hand.

I stared at her for a few seconds before walking over to the radio and turning it down. Quickly, she turned my way once she realized the volume was touched.

"Ah! I was singing that." My mother said as she scooped some eggs onto a plate with strips of bacon steaming perfectly on the right side of the plate. Leading to a cup of hot chocolate being placed in front of me within a minutes time.

"You're something else, you know that." She said as I slid onto the chair in front of the counter piece.

"What?" I replied with a grin,

"The music was too loud and it gave me a headache." My mom shook her head and sat on the other side of the counter and started working on her plate.

"Mary and Lizzy should be here any minute now...so eat up so we can clean ourselves up before they arrive." I nodded and grabbed our plates and started washing them off.

"So, do you think Mary will actually show up this time or will she ditch us for James; leaving Lizzy with us like she does most of the time. Mom took off her glasses and rubbed her temples, with a sigh she simply replied,

"Angel, I honestly don't know..I would love to see my sister and get it through her head that James is no good for her. However, if I have to take Lizzy in and transfer her to your high school I pray that she leaves her here today. Since the meeting is tomorrow it'll be easier for me to talk to the principle and get both of you girls handled."

She looked up at me and smiled with squinted eyes. "That's the right thing to do honey, right?" I nodded, smiled, and embraced my mother in a hug.

"You're doing the best that you can mom, and yes its the right thing to do." My mom wiped her eyes and headed towards the front door after the first chime. I took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled while walking back to the sink to finish the dishes.

I could hear my mom screaming with joy. Mary was probably walking over to the couch right now. She likes to play rookie and leave her child in the care of my mother. For some reason, James shaft tends to give her more joy than taking care of her own daughter.

"Boo!" Lizzy yelled as I dropped a plate into the water.

"What the hell Lizzy..!" I shouted softly as we embraced each other.

"Did I scare you?" She asked with a very big smile on her face. "How many hours do I have you for, girl?" she gave me a strange face and started twidling her fingers. "Well, you kind of have me for a very, very, very long time."

I crossed my arms whilst attempting to question the reciprocated answer to my question. I stopped mid-sentence before continuing my highly unneeded response and walked to the opening of the living room where the answers to my questions sat.

"Your mom is leaving and I'm thinking that she's not taking you with her..Am I right?" she hesitantly smiled and nodded her head, "Yeah. Honestly, I don't question it anymore. I think I'm starting to learn that if I ain't packing or a male himself, with money, my mom will never cherish me. I don't really think about it much. At least you're here, that's the best part."

The excitement in her voice could be heard but the pain in her eyes spoke so much more. I decided to give her the comfort I try to give my mom; someone had to be strong in these situations.

I pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back for a few seconds. I prayed that Mary was gone, it would make everything else for Lizzy at least tolerable. I released a sigh as I placed the clean dishes in the rack as Lizzy watch intensely.

Even though we were the same age, she looked up to me more than anything. Almost like I was her big sister. We headed for the living room where my mom sat silently, staring at Lizzy's bags of clothing and personal belongings. We were so caught up in each other that we didn't realize the dead silence quickly taking over the living-room, indication that Lizzys' mother was gone with no goodbye.

The silence that echoed from a room crowded with two voices, now filled with three heartbeats and hope for a better future including Lizzy. My mom noticed us within seconds and smiled. While pushing herself up off the couch she started to speak, stumbling over a few words before correcting herself and turning on "mommy mode".

"Angel, Elizabeth. Please grab these bags and take them upstairs to Lizzy's room." She glanced at me a little while longer then she embraced both of us into a hug sending us both love.

"I'm going into the back den to make some calls for school and this meeting tomorrow. You and Lizzy will be walking them halls together." I could feel my mother's pain and strength radiating within the room as she walked away.

A blanket and her cell phone in one hand, while the house phone, laptop, and a stuffed animal were placed in the other hand. I gave her another hug, I was so proud of how strong my mom was and was continuing to be. Eventually, we unpacked all of Lizzys' clothes in the furniture that was already in the room. We cleared everything beforehand leaving me extra drained than the night before.

Tonight Lizzy was sleeping with me until my mother ordered Lizzy a new bed for the house. My mom was always ahead of the game when it came to her sister and her sisters' stunts. Honestly, my mother loved Lizzy just like Lizzy was her own.

Lizzy could use her own bathroom for now which made me love this house even more. Everyone had room for themselves and each other, nothing too spacious but just right. Evidently, everyone lost sleep that night reflecting the drained images reflecting from all of us as we headed to the school meeting.

"High School ladies!" My mother excitedly shouted as she smiled and clasped her hands together, while Lizzy and I followed behind stumbling over early mornings and late nights. Lacking both the magical boost that my mother so happened to gain surrounding the idea of me and Lizzy attending high school together.

I believed that she was more excited than we were about doing it together just like our mothers. The school year was already in by a week, which gave us enough wiggle room and space for adjustments.

"What if everyone already knows each other?" I hid the nervousnesses in my voice but Lizzy picked it up immediately after the cup spilled over.

"Girl, some if not all of these people grew up together; We know each other too. That's all that matters honey, we are in this together."

She grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze as we walked into the principles office. My mothers pre-meeting phone calls got us in and out with our documents, paperwork, and schedules. We were directed to the center of the school where all the students met up to hang out before the bells or during lunch, "The Quad".

The tour lasted for some time before we all headed to a Thai & Deli joint down the street from the school. It was new and the food was nothing but amazing. As my mother sipped her tea, she took a lemon into her mouth while staring off into the distance. Sometimes I liked to think that dad was trying to talk to her and give her the support and love from him that her heart craves; even from the afterworld or spirit realm. Whatever floated one's boat, but hey, love overpowers all of course. She slowly came to, pulling me out of my own memories of dad. "So, are you girls ready for tomorrow?" She waited anxiously for the "yes" answers she was sure to get from the both of us.

However, Lizzy and I both said "no". We all looked at each other and laughed.

"To new beginnings," I said as I grabbed my cup and clanged it with Lizzy and my mothers' cups. I hadn't felt this complete since my dad died and for a quick second, the future didn't seem so bad.

We headed home where we exchanged schedules and compared different times. We both shared lunch and studio arts together. Sharing a passion for the arts is where part of the connection Lizzy and I shared extended from. Sculpting, painting, and writing were all expression gateways of formality.

I would not be complete without them, I loved the school even more than my previous school. Of course, different schools offered different programs and only certain courses were able to participate.

Maybe new beginnings were not so bad after all. We all headed to bed quite early, tomorrow morning would be here before we knew it and I was not the morning person. Sleep quickly overtook me causing me to melt into a pool of sweet abyss. A place of peace and humility where everyone could meet. My father, mother, Lizzy, and myself together and loved equally, happily.