Panda's Box

Chapter 4- Shipped

Chapter 4

It took me a while to realize what was going on. The last thing I remember was looking up at the stars from the patio, but I was now in my bed. Was I placed here? Or did I return to my room at some point during the night?

I could hear voices coming from the kitchen, my mother's and my aunt's voices to be exact. With my eyes still closed, I began to feel around for my phone- why was my aunt here at 10:30am on a Friday morning?

My curiosity was soon quenched the moment I turned around. Across from me sat my cousin Justine O'Brian.

She was scrolling through her phone, unaware that I was watching her. Next to her sat my carry-on and a nap-sack.

"Why are you here? And are those my bags?" I asked, still groggy from my sleep.

She looked up and smiled, "Hey to you too. Um... Im going to let your mom answer that one, and yes...ehh, these are your bags."

Assuming that I would no longer question her, she went back to the screen of her phone.

Justine was my only cousin on my mother's side. She was medium height with milk chocolate skin. She preferred to wear her kinky hair in a puff and always smelt of lemons and vanilla, courtesy of her mom's pastry shop.

I got up and made my way to the kitchen to find my mother and aunt sitting around the island. As soon as I saw my aunt, I could tell that something was a bit, off- her face was a bit fuller, she was not participating in my mother's coffee ritual, and I could spot a small bump under her pink sundress.

"Panda darling, you look taller," she said.

"Aunt Josie, you look happier," I mimicked.

"Oh, well, it could be that I have a mini bun in my oven, or two," she said smiling.

"Wow, twins, congrats."

Throughout this whole exchange, my mother remained unusually quiet. Under normal circumstances, I would be hearing one story from both sisters, but now my mother sat there sipping her coffee.

"Okay, so...who is going to tell me what is going on?" I asked, walking over to the fridge for some juice.

"Why does something have to be wrong?"

"Well, Aunt Josie, it's a Friday. On a usual Friday, you would be at the farmer's market selling pastries and at 10:44, mom should be at summer school. Instead, we are all here, with my bags packed, and mom is unnervingly quiet."

"Well," said my mother. Finally I thought.

She got up and walked over to me. She glanced over at my aunt, and then said, "Your father and I discussed it; we thought it would be best if you had a change of scenery. You can't stay in your room all summer, and since your friends will be...busy, Josie volunteered to have you stay with her."

"Yeah, with these two, I am going to need all the help that I can get, and I'm sure Justine wouldn't mind the company," offered my aunt, as she patted her stomach.

I sighed, "where is daddy?"

"He's out front with Mark," replied Aunt Josie.

I was upset but I didn't feel like arguing. I fail and they ship my off without discussing it with me- how wonderful.

I made my way back to my room to get ready. When I went in, Justine had made my bed and placed my bags on the rug.

"I packed a few stuff for you, but I guess you may want to add a few extra things," she said softly.

I nodded, but a tear slipped with it.

"Hey, cheer up. It won't be so bad...you used to love the shop," she offered. "Think about it...all the sweets you can eat, and I know it's not much but I'll be there and you know how daddy gets when we have guests."

She was right. Uncle Mark is usually a quiet guy. However, whenever he had company another side to his quiet demeanor would appear, as he would go all out to make his guests have a good time. Sure he would go overboard at times, but that was part of his charm.

"Yh, I guess so, thanks." I forced a smile and walked over to my closet.

"Okay. I'll let you get dressed." With that, she stood up and left me to my misery.

**

My aunt's house was two hours away. They lived on a small ranch that has been in Uncle Mark's family for a few years. He looked after and boarded a few horses, but hired someone else to train them.

Unlike the other men in his family, Uncle Mark was bald; we all joked that it was because he left the path of training horses and went to veterinary school.

Justine took after her father. She looked like her mother, but everything she did mirrored Uncle Mark.

The ride there felt longer than usual. We often visited once a month or on three day weekends, but this ride felt different. Uncle Mark and Aunt Josie mostly talked about some pastry order, while Justine slept. I on the other hand spent my time looking through the window and praying for a sign on what path to take in life.

When we pulled up to the house it was after 1.

"Panda, you will have to take the guest bedroom downstairs. We are renovating the one next to our bedroom for the twins, so we placed all the furniture in the bedroom down the hall. Or if you want you could share with Justine," said my aunt.

She looked as if she was trying extra hard to please me. I glanced at Justine who seemed uninterested in my decision.

"It's okay, downstairs is fine," I replied.

"Good, let's go...I am starving and I have to go up the road to look at a colt. Would you like to come Panda?" asked uncle.

"Umm, sure...why not,"

He smiled, took my luggage from the trunk, and made his way inside.

The room was cozy enough. It had a queen size bed which was an upgrade from my twin size, with a small couch, a desk area, closet and a bathroom. This was turning out to be better than I expected. All my life I have been coming here and I never realized what a perk this room was.

After lunch, Uncle Mark and I made our way to a neighboring farm to check on a colt. I had my fair share of experience around horses from uncle's ranch and Lane's horse at the ranch back home.

I had almost forgotten about my incident with Lane, but there was no way to check in on her, as I had turned my phone off and placed in in the suitcase before I left home.

"Hey Mark, I didn't expect you so early. Is this your new assistant or something?" Asked a man who seemed to be in his late 50's.

"Hey Bill, I wanted to get this over with and spend some time with the Mrs..  This here is my niece, Panda. She is staying with us for half the summer," replied uncle.

Hmm, another piece of information that was unbeknown to me. Half the summer I thought...well then, what was I supposed to do for half a summer?