Two Scoops of Summer Love

1. Vanilla

It was June, and I was ready to be done with school. I pushed open the school doors and stepped out with a smile. The sun shone brightly down into my eyes as I pulled my keys out of my bag and squinted to remember where the car was parked. There was only one final left to write, and then I'd be out for the summer.

Truthfully, I was a little apprehensive of my summer plans. I'd spent weeks at the beach before, but I was living there this summer. Twenty-four seven I would be breathing the beach air, downtown where the smell of fry-grease permeated the air and the seagulls squawked constantly. This year would be different. For one I'd have to work--but really, working literally across from the beach, who could be upset?

I dug the key into the ignition and fired up my beat up pickup truck. The engine groaned a bit before starting, and I pulled out of the parking lot. The speakers thumped as the radio played some pop song that I'd heard at least seventeen times this week. I let my mind go numb to the catchy tune as I focused solely on the drive home. I could worry about packing, the final, and the unknown later.

Pulling into the drive, I shut the truck off and jumped out. My sister's minivan was parked out front, so I assumed she was here with her kids to visit my Mum. Slinging the bag over my shoulder, I turned to head inside to what I knew was about to be chaos. As the door opened and my bag hit the floor, a tiny body crashed into my legs. 

"Auntie Ana! You're home!" My nephew Noah screamed into my jeans. His little face peered up at me, crooked baby teeth almost ready to fall out.

"Hey, little buddy." I crouched down to pick him up and give him a tight hug. My niece Elaine was starting to toddle, but it was still early in the afternoon so she was probably napping. I kicked my sneakers off and just pushed them slightly to the side before actually entering the house. With my back protesting because I was carrying a six-year-old and my book bag, I walked into the living room and slumped onto the couch. Already disinterested, Noah left me and went back to the Lego blocks sitting in the middle of the room. I halfheartedly shoved my bag off the couch, and it landed with a giant thump, prompting my mother and sister to exit the basement. 

"Home already Ana?" Mum set a basket of laundry filled with rumpled sheets down on the floor by the door almost tripping my sister. My sister just rolled her eyes and continued making her way upstairs. 

"Yeah Mum, school's out at quarter after two." As much as I loved my mother, she had the worst memory. She tutted as if she remembered and then went on trying to fold a fitted sheet. "When did Marissa and the kids get here?"

"Oh around lunch. Noah has the day off today and Marissa needed somebody to talk to that doesn't pick their nose like they're digging to the centre of the Earth." Mum smiled as she gave up on the sheet and rolled it into a ball.

"And somebody who doesn't do it when anyone else is watching sufficed?" I teased and dodged the sheet she threw at me. I headed to the back of the house with my backpack where my room was to escape the projectiles my mother was hurling in my direction.

Now it was time to worry about my final. I had an entire afternoon to pack for the summer tomorrow, but I only had nine hours before I would pass out to make sure I had learned what my teacher had taught. I cracked my books open and set my goal for the 4.0 average I wanted. 

~~~

There was no way I was getting my goal average. I jammed my key into the ignition and let the drive home calm my frustration for me. As soon as the paper was set in front of me, I forgot half of what I had studied. The loud music from the radio helped me let it go, and before I knew it, I was pulling into the driveway. 

I followed my routine of going inside, kicking my shoes off, and collapsing on the couch. It was my favourite piece of furniture that my parents owned, and I would miss it dearly over the next two months. Turning on some garbage television show, I settled down for a quick nap before I started my packing.

No sooner had I shut my eyes, Mum came storming in the house on a mission. The door slammed shut and I shot up off the couch in panic mode. Mum had three bags of groceries on each arm and was pushing a sack of potatoes across the floor with her foot.

"Up and at'em Honey," Mom chirped. "We've got a drive ahead of us tonight!"

"Tonight?" My mind was whirling. "I thought we were leaving on the twenty-seventh?"

"Ana, today is the twenty-seventh." Great, so I had also gotten the day wrong on my final.

"Um, I'll be right back Mum, I have to go do something," I said as I tried to coolly walk to my room to pack like my mother had told me to do a week ago. I thought I saw her shake her head at me, apparently knowing I had procrastinated again, but I was already having a rough day, so I pretended not to see it.

It was time for the worn out purple suitcase sitting in the corner of my room to shine. I tossed it onto my bed and began shoving clothes in it. Shorts, blouses, rompers, cute dresses, whatever I thought would be good to last me all summer.  I probably over-packed because with my toiletries, books, and shoes I had to sit on the suitcase for it to close, but I'd rather be over-prepared than struggling.

I made it into the kitchen in time for Mum to use me as a pack mule for carrying things out to her sedan. By the time we were done, the vehicle was filled to capacity and I was getting excited. I shut my bedroom door for the final time for two months and took my seat. When Mum started the car, I settled in for a nice two-hour nap.