In Absence

The Move

Saturday,August 14,2004 today was a mild autumn day in Buffalo,New York. So far everything was going great! I decided to go out and grab a milk shake with my friends, however they all canceled so it was just my own adventure. I didn't mind because the man in shop was all mine to gawk at. My,he was so beautiful; blond hair, green eyes, pale skin with a few freckles. Then I finished my milk shake and decided to say goodbye, but thanks to my clumsiness I tripped over my own two feet and broke the glass. I flushed with red and couldn't stop apologizing. With my luck Mr.Beautiful helped me up and assisted with cleaning, constantly reassuring everything was "fine" and "not your fault."

He looked at me with his sea green eyes and said "My name is William. Are you from around here?"

I froze in my tracks, my tongue was tied in knots! I was not able to make any sound, lost in his gaze he coughed. Fiddling my hands I managed to say "Abigail is my name and I don't live far from here."

He smirked at me and turned away, "well have a good day Abigail." I flush a bright red and exit the shop.

I'm on Martin and Seventh street, three miles away from home, 3:45pm and mother gets home at 6:00pm, I better get home.

It was 6:10pm when I was walking through the door and mother was on the phone.

I walked into the kitchen and I heard "John! I can't do th- John, What am I suppose to- Columbia Falls! I ca- Hello? Hello!?"

I reach into the fridge to pour a glass of milk.

"Hey mom. How was work?"

She glares at me and bitterly says "not now sweet heart. Go to your room"

I squint back in confusion "what did I-"

She shoots back "don't take that tone with me!"

Confused as anyone else would be, I went to my room and threw my self on my bed. I face the ceiling and think about William and how I would visit him again tomorrow. Then I dwell on how my mother acted and what I heard on the phone. What was "Columbia Falls?"

At about 7:35pm mother yells " Abby, Dinner," I race out of my room and into the kitchen. She ordered out?

We always have meatloaf on a Saturday. Was mother not well, that is the only time she orders out. Well, pizza is always good with me, especially pepperoni. We sat at the table while mother did paper work.

"Mom, what happened earlier? Is everything alright?"

Her brown eyes glanced up, and she gave me an easy smile "i'm ok darling, eat your pizza and don't worry about me."

I drink a bit of milk and sputter" well, I heard you mention columbia falls, are we going on vacation?"

Everything is quiet for a while until I go to watch t.v. It's 8:15 and mother goes to sit on the couch with me.

"Abby?" Mother says softly I lower the t.v and face her "yes?"

She looks a bit worried "I got an offer for a job earlier. It is better then sorting papers at the office. I will actually be making out the papers and selling homes."

I look at her steady and notice she is falsely happy.

"Ok that sounds fun. When are we moving?"

She pauses a moment "tomorrow, we have to be there by Monday."

I leave to my room silently. Thinking aloud "why do we have to move."

Early Sunday morning I go down stairs and mother is making breakfast. To my surprise she made eggs,bacon,toast and my favorite blueberry pancakes with no butter and a small cup of syrup. Mother is in a good mood today. I wish her a "good morning" and I sit down and indulge in an amazing breakfast. Mother pours herself a cup of coffee and grabs a piece of bacon.

"Darling, this breakfast is a goodbye to this wonderful place, enjoy it" I am too busy enjoying these pancakes to respond.

The afternoon was full of packing and singing to all my favorite albums. My room and half of the living room was done by 3:00pm. For lunch I made tuna salad sandwiches and some celery sticks on the side. After lunch I went to go clean out the book case in the living room.

I was unknowingly shoving book after book into boxes until I came across mothers wedding album. Flipping through pages I was in awe because she was so beautiful and thin. Dad was handsome too, his hair was dark just like his eyes. Too bad, he died when I was 2, he never got a chance to see what our family could have been. I place the album at the top of the box before closing it and labeling it Books.

Mother walks in and then she closes the door behind her saying "Abby you can put those boxes into the back of the car,we will be leaving soon"
"ok mom!"

I take the boxes from my room and stack them into the car. By 7:00pm we are all packed and the house is empty. I take one last walk through the house just to say goodbye. Mother honks the car horn to signal "lets go," I rush out of the house and into the car.

"It's going to be a long ride there." As she drives out of the cull de sac I wave good bye to the house I was raised in.

"On to a new adventure," I whisper as I rest my head onto my arm and drift asleep.