Fresh out of high school and newly single, Alice was excited to finally work at her parents' business. Everything was perfect in her life or as she thought it was. Alice was asked to close the office early because her parents are having "special gu...
My whereabouts have been up in Tahoe towards my family. I knew if I were to tell them where I was, they would have come for me. So I simply didn't tell them. The day after the big fight I took out money from so I could freely travel by paying with cash. I knew that James could track me down by making purchases with my debit card. One thing for sure was that I didn't think I was going to be gone for so long. I knew that would be my friends. So for the past two weeks Reece, Ashley and Mindy have all been helping me while I was away. I was so grateful for their help I didn't know what I would do without them. With them having my back they wanted James to suffer without me. Suffer was a bit much but that's what they all agreed on. I've been driving to random cities and passed by small towns where no one I would know would see me. I was running out of ideas where to go. I was starting to get tired from driving to different places so I found myself in the very cold and snow covered state of Illinois. When I got to driving last night I found myself on the freeway going towards Chicago. The only people that I knew in Chicago were my grandma Marylin, Robert and Brenda.
Was I ready to face them?
Yes. No. Yes. Maybe...
What do I have to lose?
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It was fifteen minutes before six in the morning when I entered the windy city. People were bundled up snug tight with their winter clothing. They are already up and getting their day ready going to school or work. The city was covered in newly fallen snow. Houses are decorated in holiday colors. Trees on the street were lit up with white colored lights. With the dark heavy gray clouds the Christmas lights were visible. I managed to pass by the Willis Tower, The Jewelers Building and the iconic Cloud Gate statue, which just looks like an oversized metallic bean. After many turns I reached the quiet neighborhood where my grandma and brother lived.
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I parked my car several houses away from grandma Marylin's enough to see who was coming and in and out. I knew from the times that I talked to my brother Robert he said that he would leave the house at precisely 7:30a.m to catch the Chicago "L" to arrive at his job at an elementary school teaching fourth graders. Brenda worked at a floral shop. She would take the baby with her, and grandma I don't really know. She just stays home I guess. With a scorching hot coffee hand I watched the front door waiting for them to leave. I glanced at the clock on my dashboard and said it was just minutes before they would start to leave the house. When I looked up at the door again I saw that right on time I saw Robert walk out with Brenda. Brenda had the baby stroller covered, blocking the icy cold font from the baby. I watched them admiring how much they love each other. They paused at the corner of the street. Robert turned to Brenda cupping her face, pulling down the scarf that was covering her nose and mouth. He leaned down, planting a small kiss on her lip. He hugged her and lowered himself to the stroller taking a peek at the baby. He did not uncover the stroller, but he said something in the clear plastic on the hood of the stroller looking at the baby. Robert went back into a straight standing position and hugged Brenda one last time before they went their separate ways. He went down the street while Brenda walked the baby stroller across the street toward where I was. I leaned back just enough to poke my head to see them disappearing their own way.
