Make a Memory ✔

Prologue

This book is dedicated to my amazing husband,
Who I will love all my life and even in my next.

" I love thee with passion put to use
In my old grief's and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seem to lose
With my lost saints - I love the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life - and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death."
-Elizabeth Barret Browning
How do I love thee?
“

I don't care what you say. I am going to do this, with or without your support!” I told Aunt Victoria being so sure of myself until I saw the look of scepticism and disgust written all over her face. I couldn't stand her sometimes...really most of the time. She thought she was holier than thou and acted like the sun would disappear when she sits down. She seriously needed a reality check.
“Do you think you can honestly make it in New York on your own? You don't know anything about a big city like that. You can't just leave your windows wide open like you can here. You can't just run to the corner store all hours of the night for bread or milk. You need to just stay in Gilbertsville where you belong.”
Where I belong? I'm heading for New York because that is where I belong! She's not gonna stop me now... not her or anyone else.
“And how do you expect to survive, you don't have any money. Where are you going to stay? How are you going to eat? There aren't any apartments for just $500 a month like it is here. Lord please help this girl.” Aunt Victoria said as she put her hands together like she was praying to the Lord to talk me into staying. I'm sorry to burst her bubble, but I think The Big Guy Upstairs is on my side this time.
Besides, did she really think I didn't know all these things? I've been on my own for almost four years. I've paid my bills with my own hard-earned money. Hell, I even bought myself a car. I know it's not gonna be easy in the Big Apple but I've wanted this for so long and no one's gonna take it away from me. Not without one hell of a fight.
“For your information, I got a plan. I'm gonna sell my car, that will be enough money for a deposit on a studio or a small apartment until I find a job doing something.” I said shrugging my shoulders, unknowingly emphasizing the fact that I haven't planned that far ahead. As I looked out the window at my used beat up 1996 Nissan Sentra, I cringed inside. I didn't know what kind of money I would get for it, but I knew it wouldn't be that much.
As I watched her face turn into a frown, I almost gagged looking at how truly ugly she was. She reminded me of Cruella De Vil – with that wrinkled skin and patch of white hair in the middle of her otherwise darker hair. I almost started laughing but fixed my face, for once deciding to keep the peace.
“What are you going to do, get a job in bar or something?” I just stood there and shook my head. I couldn't believe how she was reacting. I wondered why she was so worried about me all of a sudden anyway. It's not like she cared about me.
"Somewhere? Something? Like working in a bar?" I shook my head.
"That doesn't matter and it's none of your business. I'm twenty-two years old, I'm tired of this place. I'm leaving on Monday and that's that.”
Suddenly her face turned desperate. I didn't see what the big deal was. The only reason I was here was that she was forced to take care of me when my mom died in a car accident when I was twelve. She made it known that she didn't like me and I gladly returned the gesture. I think the reason she didn't like me was that she hated my mother so much. This is just my opinion but I think she was jealous because my dad found someone special in his life other than her and she just couldn't handle it – not that their relationship was a success story. Damn I miss my mom, she was so amazing. She was so beautiful, I look a lot like her but she was more than just looks. She had this spirit for life, taking the bull by the horns yet she was the kindest and most gentle person I knew. She always made me laugh, no matter how bad I felt or how much something hurt, she made it better. Just looking at her would make my day and when I look at her picture now, I still smile although I'm sad as well. When she went on business trips to New York, she would always bring me something back. She would climb in bed with me, and tell me about her city adventures. She made it sound like a magical place that's loaded with fantasy and adventure. Now my dad on the other hand was something else entirely.
He's an archaeologist and that meant that he had to travel constantly. After him and mom divorced – I was two – I only saw him twice a year...and even that was too much. His sister, my irritating Aunt Victoria took me in after mom died since not even her death could make him settle down and by a house. I don't loathe him. I mean he is blood family after all. I just really don't understand him, I just know he's actually a cool guy. Not father material, but still pretty cool. The fact that he was never around didn't bother me that much either. Mom made up for that in more ways that one. To be brutally honest, I don't see him as my dad. He's just this guy who sends me an email every time he relocates or if I'm lucky enough, a postcard at Christmas.
I remember when he visited me three years ago. He thought he'd surprise me with “sweet sixteen” gifts. He brought me huge teddy bear and an real birthday card with $600 inside the envelope and everything. It was the first birthday card he ever gave me. Usually if he remembered my birthday he would send an email, it would be a few days late, but at least he tried. I'm getting of track, so back to the story... Hew was trying to be a dad for once...and for once I actually felt like his daughter instead of his long lost stepchild. That was until Aunt Victoria told him that it was my nineteenth birthday and not my sixteenth. Talk about a party pooper. When I woke up the next morning he was gone... at least he left a note this time.
That's just the way he is. He wasn't trying to be harsh or anything like that. It's just this one time that he tried so hard to be a dad, his failure as a dad hurt more than it usually did and I have Aunt Victoria to thank for that. I could never forgive her for what she did.
“Excuse me, but I'm still talking here!” Aunt Victoria said as her sharp, raspy voice cut through my thoughts like a millions knives, making me wince internally.
“I'm sorry Aunt V but I'm going to New York.” I could see that she was starting to accept it as she started walking towards the door but suddenly she turned around and asked. “What about your mother's business? Who's going to take care of it?” I knew the question was coming but I hoped to be long gone by the time she thought about it. I knew she wasn't going to like the answer I was about to give her be so be it, here it was.
“I've already found a new owner. We signed the contract on Friday.”
Then the room went so silent, you could hear a needle fall.
“What? That jewellery store was your mother's life! She put everything into that store. So did her mother before that...if I remember correctly. She wouldn't want you to just.... just give it away to some stranger!”
“You're right, but she wouldn't want that, but more importantly, she wouldn't want me to be doing something that was making me unhappy either. She'd want me to follow my dreams and that's what I'm doing."
I thought I had put Aunt Victoria in her place but instead I got a furious glare for my effort.
"Besides, what do you care. You didn't like my mother. You don't even like me. You should be dancing on the tables now that I'm finally getting out of your life!" The thought of Aunt Victoria dancing on her expensive dining room table tilted the corners of my lips into a smile. So much for trying to keep the peace, her mouth opened and closed a few times but nothing came out. It reminded of a fish on dry land. As she stalked out of my small apartment, she made a small hissing sound although it sounded more like a dragon than an angry cat. As I walked to the window, I saw her getting into her tiny red car as she screeched her tires and drove away as fast as possible. I really didn't get what her problem was. Why would she care what I did? Even after trying to do her worst and after all the overwhelming doubt that hung over me constantly, this moment was when I truly knew... I was making the right decision.

Welcome to Make a Memory!

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Stella
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