Determination

Chapter 12

       After about three hours, two gas stations, three bathroom breaks for the dogs, one bathroom break for me, a worried call from my dad, pulling over to take my medicine and a snack from Quick Trip! Me, Lady and the dogs are finally in Eli. We are driving down the dirt road towards my grandparents house when I start feeling sick  I quickly pull over and just sit there until the fuzzy feeling passes. Then I puke.... A new symptom from the damn cancer (Sore joints, bruising, headaches, blackouts, fainting and now puking can be added to my list of symptoms) after puking up my lunch I grab my bottled water and clean out my mouth,  glancing back at the dogs and Lady I  continue down the dirt road that quickly turns into a battlefield of potholes! I take a left on Willow lane and I'm greeted by a rusty red mailbox that says 4569 Willow lane, Moore family. I sigh loudly in the car and say to the dogs "Damn cancer brought us here you guys" Yoshi whimpers and lays his head on the leather seat, continuing down the dirt road I pass a big wooden sign that reads 'Willow creek Stables' the paint is chipping off of the sign and the S on stables is barely visible to the human eye anymore.... We reach the old red farm house with the white picket fence, rolling hills, two barns and a huge indoor and outdoor arena. I park the car and open the door waiting for the dogs to jump out, like maniacs they start running around in circles dashing through my legs as I'm unloading Lady.  leading her into the barn, opening the barn door I'm greeted by five other horses: A buckskin quarter horse, a black thoroughbred, a paint and two big old Clydesdales! Lady neighs loudly and at the same time all the horses raise their heads, peeking out of their stalls to see who the new arrival is. I put Lady in the sixth stall next to the two Clydesdales, she neighs as I'm getting her dinner ready. Once I'm done getting Lady situated I go back to the car with the dogs, grabbing my bags I walk up to the old farm house.

Pausing at the old door I think of the last time I saw my grandparents

  'Little me runs to the front door excited that grandma and grandpa are here, opening the door I run outside on the cold wooden steps barefoot "Grandma, grandpa!" Grandma shouts from the car "Hi sweetie! Come here I got you a little something" as my grandma climbs out of their rusted pickup truck caked in mud, I start running down the driveway to see her, my feet pitter patter across the concrete, until Im embraced in a big bear hug. She kisses me on the forehead and hands me a small box with a pink bow stuck on top. "Here you go sweetie" smiling my grandma starts walking towards the house than I run over to my grandpa and am embraced yet again in an extra big bear hug, I grab grandpas hand and we walk towards the house where grandma is waiting by the door.

     We open the door and there was Mom... She tells them to leave and the fight begins grandpa ushers me up to my room while my mother and grandmother fight. Once we reach my room grandpa sits me down on my bed, telling me everything will be ok than he leaves, the yelling stops and everything goes silent.... I see that I'm still holding the gift, I open it to find a locket.'

I come back to reality holding the locket between my fingers and turn the door knob, me and the dogs are greeted by the spicy, warm smell of apple pie.