when i'm gone

woah

i saw darkness. i heard the car keys being pulled out of the ignition. i heard the car door open and my door open. i opened my eyes and saw mommy looking over us. "we're here," she smiled. i straightened up and saw sleepy eyed cc and twyla. i rubbed my eyes and unbuckled myself. cc and twyla followed my actions. we piled out of the car and the first thing i saw was a huge house in front of me with a nice fountain and driveway, nearly four garages. i looked for the front door and saw it through golden gates. "woah!" i blinked in awe. "come help me with your bags, you guys!" mommy called.

we rolled our suitcases up to the metal, shiny door that must cost more than mommy's car. the decor around it was stunning and the doorbell was like gold. cc pressed it and a nice tune played inside and echoed. i saw a short figure approach the door. they opened it and it was a lady with white curly hair, a fine silky long sleeve shirt and nice white pants. around her neck was a gorgeous emerald necklace and her earrings were a bright green. she grinned, "come in, come in!" i walked in onto the marble floor, my sandals flopping loudly. i could see my reflection on the floor. "well there's my favorite grandchildren!" grandma hugged us tight, her perfume smelling like flowers. i smiled up at her. she looked like mommy, only older. "hi, rosie, my sweet." grandma hugged mommy and giggled, "the kids are so big. how old are you three now?" cc put his hands on his hips, "we are 8."

"grandpa's made you some lemonade." grandma led us to the kitchen through a wide hallway that was decorated with paintings. our house was nothing like this. i had to admit, i was jealous. when we turned a sharp corner, we were welcomed to a huge kitchen with two stoves, a wooden refrigerator, a nice steak sink, marble counters and crystal chandeliers. "mom, this place is amazing. when did you guys redo it?" mommy asked. "about two years ago. i'm finally getting used to all this decor." i heard a low, gravelly voice after grandmas response, "hey, kiddos! hi rosie!" on old man hobbled over to us. he wore a plaid gray button up shirt and a pair of white khakis. he hugged us and smelled of a strong odor, like wine or a wet wood. "hi grandpa!" the three of us chimes in. "hi dad," mommy hugged her dad and kissed his cheek. "how've ya all been?" he grumbled, scratching his nicely combed white hair. "good, you know, hanging in there. the kids have been great. they're such good company to have," mommy said as she rubbed cc's back.

"well, let's see, who's who?" grandpa bent down so we were eye to eye and studied each of us carefully. "i know you. you're charlie clyde summers," grandpa ruffled his now messy brown hair. "hey!" cc giggled and held his belly. grandpa then looked at me and twyla carefully. "hmmm... now this is where it gets tough." had it really been so long grandpa couldn't tell us apart? i felt somewhat disappointed that we didn't visit them enough for him to know. i scratched my chin, trying to distract myself from assuming so much. grandpa pointed at twyla, "you're twyla fay summers. i can tell because you've got some freckles on your forehead. i remember those." grandpa turned to me, "and you're willow celeste summers. you've got freckles on your cheeks and you have bigger blue eyes." i smiled, quite satisfied there was some individuality between twyla and i. "you're correct!" i couldn't help but smile as big as i could.

"here's your lemonade, you guys." grandpa handed us a glass each of cold lemonade. mommy and grandma were chatting outside on a nice glass table. i looked out a big glass window as i took a sip of my drink. there was a giant pool that was a dark blue shade and tiles that formed the shape of a flower on the bottom. i resisted the urge to run outside and jump in. "come here, kiddos, let me show you your room." i downed the rest of my lemonade, which was super refreshing, then set it in the sink, unlike twyla and cc who left theirs on the counter. some people are animals. luckily i'm a perfectionist. grandpa started up a grand staircase that led us to a hallway. we walked down it, skipping and stopping every once and a while to look at pictures and feel the soft carpet beneath us. grandpa opened a chalky white door with a golden handle. it was a huge room with three big beds that had what looked like hundreds of pillows stacked on top.

"wow!" i screeched. i hadn't seen any bedroom look so nice. "this is for us?" twyla abandoned her suitcase at the doorway and ran to the middle bed. "dibs! dibs!" she flopped on top of it and laughed. cc raced to the left bed closest to the wall and bathroom. he dragged his suitcase behind him and left it at the nightstand, hopping on top of the bed and bouncing up and down. i guess i had the right bed. i didn't mind at all. it was next to the window with the best view of the backyard. i walked over and looked out of it, seeing mommy and grandma talking and bonding. i smiled. this was nice. i really liked being here.