The plane ride home had been initially dreary but who can stay sad when your sisters give you the window seat and you were upgraded to first class? I'm not saying I felt any less heartbroken, just that I was able to fake it better for my sisters' sakes. As we pulled up to the drive, Dad was waiting at the door for us. He looked a little tired, but good. At least I had one reliable man in my life.
I unpacked my things and started getting ready for bed. I was extremely jet lagged from the long flight. I laid in bed but my mind wouldn't stop. The next morning I awoke, weary from tossing and turning and told my Dad the news...I had made a decision, I was leaving to go to school in Briocheport. They had a new unique learn-and-work medical program there. A change of scenery would do me good. However deep in my heart I knew that if Dad so much as acted upset about it that I would change my mind. The guilt of leaving him and my little sisters was a gnawing beast in my mind. Dad however was extremely agreeable. In fact, while we were gone, instead of wallowing in self-pity as we sort of expected him to, he had gotten in touch with some old friends. One of them, Luna Bitters, lived in Briocheport in a beautiful loft and was leaving to do some travel work in Western and Eastern Bruschettastone for a year or so. She had heard that I was considering going to school in Briocheport and offered her apartment and its amenities to me. All I would have to do is take care of things and pay utilities. I was over the moon!
******
A few weeks later, I was in Briocheport. I was extremely nervous more than a bit excited. I could literally smell the possibilities in the cities...although they smelled a lot like motor oil and ocean.The loft was beautiful. I spent several hours just marveling at the view from the balcony and thinking about the fact that across the sea was Chambrie...*Sigh* I just can't believe I....Oh Marg, get over it...we are starting over here!
I was excited to have such a nice place to stay but I wasn't really sure what to do with myself. I didn't really know anyone and I was still a little afraid of the big ole city outside my front door.
Before too long however, my growling stomach was demanding my attention and I couldn't ignore it any longer. I peered into the pantry and then the fridge. Never had I seen anything so clean and devoid of food or sustanence. Crap. I guessed it was time to put on my big girl panties and go to the store.
Despite several wrong turns, I arrived unscathed at the grocery store and bought more than enough food to last myself for the week...at least. (Never go to the grocery store hungry!) When I arrived back at the apartment, I headed upstairs and nearly dropped all of my bags when I ran into my new neighbor.
She apologized profusely, blaming it on coming off of a 24hr rotation at the station house. I must have looked confuzzled because she clarified that she was a firefighter. We exchanged introductions. Turns out her name is Butternut Nut. I couldn't help myself and giggled a little because she said "I know, I know I don't know what my parents were thinking. I go by Bee though." She invited me to give her a call or pop over and she would show me around town once I got settled in. I must say I was a bit relieved to meet someone nice. I had heard rumors that folks in the city weren't the most sociable but so far I hadn't found that to be the case.
My attempt at cooking in the unfamiliar kitchen bombed horribly and I, starving, gave up the idea of cooking at home and headed to the Sports Pub around the corner for a bite.
I inhaled the food so quickly that the bartender gave me a strange look. I hiccuped and thanked him for the food, looking a bit sheepish. He handed me a drink and muttered "It's on the house" and walked away.
I decided to join some guys for a game of darts and wiped the floor with them. Turns out I'm a natural and they invited me to join them weekly at the pub.
I headed home rather later that I would have liked that evening with my first day at the hospital tomorrow. But I crawled into the awesome bed in my new home and decided that I liked Briocheport so far even though I had a twinge of homesickness when I thought about my family. Maybe this was what I needed to get over the sadness I had been carrying with me since we left Chambrie....
Maybe....
she doesn't seem to have the greatest tolerance for drinks huh?
ReplyDeleteYeah, she's a bit like me. I'm a cheap drunk. Hahaha
ReplyDeleteWhy am I not surprised that she nearly dropped her bags when she met her neighbour? Seriously, you'd have time to do your hair if you saw them coming... yes, I'm a typical male :P
ReplyDelete