Floating in the Abyss ✔️

Chapter 51

I was slightly grumpy with Nick after that, so I sat as far away from him as I could in the lounge, waiting for the discussion.

"So, before I start, you all need to know that none of this is set in stone. If you're not happy it doesn't have to go ahead, and we can work something else out." Mum started.

"Okay, we're not in trouble." River mumbled under his breath. I smiled and giggled at him.

"In two weeks, Dad and I have a conference in Vancouver."

"That's like...on the other side of the world!" River exclaimed, gasping dramatically.

"Glad you know geography." Nick rolled his eyes.

"We're going to be gone for 9 days."

"Isn't that when Ash starts school?" Austin asked.

"We come back the day before. We'll be here in time for her to start." Dad answered. "This conference is really important, and it's been in preparation for over a year now. If we get the deal we're going for, there'll be enough money for a family vacation." Everyone gasped excitedly at this.

"Of course, with Ash here, this is really big. We'll get everything ready for school before we leave." Mum continued, directing the last part at me. "Ash, what are you thinking right now?"

"This is important for you and I don't want you to just have to stay here because of me." I said quietly. Talking in front of everyone made me nervous, especially when they were watching to make sure I wasn't lying. I wasn't lying at all; I really did want them to go. "I'd still be able to talk to you on the phone, right?"

"Yeah, honey, of course." Mum smiled. Everything about her was comforting. It hadn't changed since the day I met her at the hospital.

"Looks like we're doing this then. Everyone else good?" Dad checked. There was a chorus of yes's and nods of approval. It wasn't really like we had much say in it, since it was for Dad's work.

"Also, Elyse is coming to stay for the first few days." Mum added. Nick groaned.

"Nick." Dad eyed him sternly.

"She's just so bossy." He grumbled. I liked her.

"She's only staying for a few days. Grandma and Grandpa are going to visit too."

"Which ones?" Jonah asked.

"My parents." Dad smiled. I'd never met them before. Everyone sighed in relief and smiled.

"Why are you all so relieved?" I asked River quietly.

"The other grandparents are...painful. To put it gently. Long story." He waved my other questions off. I wonder what made them so unlikeable.

Everyone dispersed to go and do whatever they felt like doing but I hung around.

"Are you sure you're okay with all this honey?" Mum asked, still concerned.

"Yeah." I nodded, smiling.

"Nana and Grandpa are so nice and they're going to love you." Dad reassured me. "We'll have them over in the next few days so that you can meet them with us here. We were just waiting for the right time to do it."

"That sounds good." That made me feel a bit better. I was fine with Elyse, but there was a lot to process at the moment. "What about school?"

"Well, we're going to have a tour and meet the principal next week. She's actually good friends with Dr. Brooks and knows your circumstances. She's been there since Nick started in year 7."

"She must be old." I giggled.

"Nick is only 22!" She laughed.

"Yeah, old."

"I'd hate to know how old you think we are then." Dad chuckled.

"We can go get your uniform and we can go shopping for supplies together, but you could always go with Ryan or River or even Nick since they all know what you need and can drive."

"River can drive?" I questioned.

"Yeah, but he doesn't have a car. When each of our kids turn 18, they get money towards a car, and they have to pay for the rest. He didn't want to buy a car since he wanted gaming and computer stuff instead." Mum explained.

"I would have bought the car." I thought aloud.

"It was his money to spend and he chose that." Dad shrugged. "He hasn't seemed to regret it yet."

"We'll be back in time to take you on your first day too. We'll get River to give you more lessons on using your phone since he knows all the little tricks and can show you how to call and text quickly." Mum jumped back to the topic at hand.

"Sound good?" Dad asked. I nodded and left, going to find someone else to hang out with. I could hear yelling coming from River's room, so I headed in there. It wasn't fighting yelling, it was just...yelling.

"Hi Ash. NO! Kill him! River help me!" Ryan yelled.

"I'M TRYING!" River yelled back. They were sitting right next to each other. What was the need to be so loud?

"What are you doing?"

"Playing- RYAN! – Call of duty." River told me. I gasped and jumped when an explosion happened in the game. Ryan snickered at me.

"Scared baby?" He laughed.

I ignored him and looked around River's room. He had a smaller bed than the others and there were TV's, screens and devices everywhere. I must have been so ignorant to not have noticed it when I first came here.

"Impressed?" He asked, watching me poke around. "I'll become rich off this one day." I didn't know how but didn't knock the idea either.

"Can I play?" I asked, sitting next to them on the floor, since they were in both the bean bags.

"Hmm..." Ryan thought about it. "Nah, too violent."

"Well can you teach me?"

"Not today baby." He kept playing.

"Ryannnnn." I groaned, poking him in his ribcage. He was usually nice to me.

"We can play another game with you another time!" River offered.

"But I want to play with you now!" I whined. I felt like a baby, but he was ignoring me and I was needy.

"I'm kind of busy with this right now Ash." He brushed my hair back out of my eyes and kissed my forehead. "Later."

"You just don't like me." I huffed, standing up and leaving. Now I was grumpy with River and Ryan. Is this what having siblings was really like?

Ooh okay that happened.

Let me know how you're doing in the comments and what you think of the story at it's most current point and give me ideassss. I love ideas.

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