The Start Of Something New (WSSME Sequel)

Chapter 11

It's been a few days since Ed's passing, but I don't think the pain has gotten any better. Each day is a reminder that he's no longer with us, that I cannot visit him at the weekends to play his favorite card game, and gossip about the nurses.

Daniella and Soph have been doing a wonderful job of keeping me entertained, and focusing on work has helped too.

"Are you sure you're ready for tomorrow?"

"Don't worry about it," I groan, this is the 5th time she has asked that. "I'm not a child."

"I didn't say that," Daniella sighs, looking back at the road in front of her. She's taking me to a natural park just on the outskirts of the city, it's one I've been to before multiple times but it's her first time seeing it. "Funerals are hard for everybody."

"I know, but I'll be fine. Do you really think I'll run away crying in this weather?"

She smiles, shaking her head. "You do know that we'll be walking a lot today, right?"

"The things I do out of love," I sigh dramatically. "But I must warn you, it really isn't that interesting, completely not worth the walk."

"It's a lake, Anna, I don't expect it to be interesting."

"I mean, for someone that doesn't know how to swim you seem pretty excited about it," I joked.

"I am intrigued by the ducks, and very funny but we'll be renting a boat."

At this point we could already see the blue of the lake in the distance, this scenery always reminds me of the times Soph and I would come to camp with my dad when we were younger, it's one of my happiest memories — but it was still not worth the walk.

"We should camp here someday," I say looking back at her concentrated profile. "Do you like camping?"

"It's been a long time," she chuckles, the kind of chuckle old people always do before telling us about their time. "I did really like it as a kid but I don't think I would be able to tolerate the awkward sleeping nowadays."

"Old lady."

"I'm not the one worried about a 20-minute walk."

"But at least I can stay up past midnight."

"I can stay up past midnight."

"Only when you want something from me," I raise my eyebrows as she looks briefly at me, slightly rolling her eyes.

"My point exactly, I can stay up past midnight, I just don't want to. And may I remind you, you're the one that can't stay awake through a full-length movie, that you chose."

"Ok, fine, you win. I'm the old lady at 19," I groan. "That reminds me, your birthday is coming up soon."

"Can't wait," she deadpans.

"How will you celebrate it? Do you have anything planned?"

"Not really. We can just have dinner at my house, my mom and your dad, you can invite Soph too."

"Will you invite Sonia? You two have been meeting up a lot, I thought you were suspicious of her."

"You have to keep your enemies close, although I don't really see her as an enemy," she hums. "I will invite her, she already knows about us anyway."

"So you want her to see you as a friend, so there's less of a chance she'll snitch."

"Precisely."

"Or..."

"Or?"

"You actually see her as a friend, you're like me, you like old people," I tease her. "You always look up to that Monday coffee to keep up with the gossip, don't think I forgot you used to gossip about me with Mr. Olson."