Chapter 26: Serene Days
It's been a few days since Grandma passed away. Mom was really having a hard time, so Dad and I suggested she stay with Meaghan for a little while. She agreed and so did Meaghan after we asked. Dad and I promised we'd take care of her garden, but I'm not sure she cared much.
Mom hasn't come back yet, but Aunt Meaghan says she's doing alright. In the meantime, Dad's been working, as workaholics do, and was promoted to Division Manager. I've been training Raven at the Pump It Up Pony Training Grounds.
Raven is doing really well with racing, but jumping is another story. She refuses. She'll run to the obstacle, but stop right before she would need to jump. I'm not sure what the problem is, but I've decided to start training her at the Equestrian Regional Training Grounds
instead. Maybe Pump It Up Pony
is too small.
Since I train so much with Raven, I tend to save my homework for last. Dad would prefer I do it first, but he doesn't say anything because I have an A in school. I don't see the big deal anyway. As long as I get it done, right?Oh, did I mention I have a boyfriend?Elbert is my childhood friend. He came to a slumber party I had. Don't worry. He's the only boyfriend I have, despite what that picture Mom posted of me and the guys may make you think. Those guys apparently had never seen a cowgirl before. Then again, we do live in Riverview.
When the boys aren't bothering me, my homework is done and I'm not training Raven, I'm studying the logic or riding books. Training is fun and all, but sometimes, I've just got to relax.For some reason, it recently occurred to me that my room was never redone. Meaning I still have my kiddie toys in there, like that dress-up chest and rocking horse. But I'm not in there much, so what would be the point?
I asked Dad about it. He told me that he and Mom were going to let me move into their bedroom when I got married (when?!?!),
they would take Grandma's old room and I could use my bedroom for my own children (what children?!?!).
They were going to ask me first, so I wouldn't have come home to find all my stuff moved. Personally, if Grandma's room becomes anything, I'd rather it be a study. I'm not a bookworm, but we could put the chess table there so we could still play when the weather is bad. But we'll worry about that when the time comes.
Dad gave me some driving lessons. I preferred waiting until the sun came out, but Dad said it was going to rain all week.He turned out to be wrong because the sun came out while I was driving. No complaints, though! At least, I got my license!
I was right about the Pump It Up Pony Training Grounds
being too small. The first day we started training at the Equestrian Regional Training Grounds,
Raven got into developing her jumping skill. Before we know it, she's going to be ready for her first competition!I take back what I said. Dad was
right! It rained all week and on prom night, it poured! But I didn't want to miss prom for anything, so I sucked it up and went.Elbert met me in the hall and it was an amazing night! I got voted prom queen and Elbert and I got closer than ever and were voted cutest couple at the dance! I'm still in shock!I wonder if Dad thinks I'll marry Elbert. He said "when", not "if", so it sounds like he and Mom expect me to get married. I like the thought, but not the expectation. And kids? I think I'll be content just living with Raven for most of my life. Hmm. I wonder if Mom felt something like that and that's why I don't have any siblings. Did they compromise?
Oh, what in the world? I don't want to know that!
But I really do have special feelings for Elbert. I don't know if I'll marry him, but right now, I don't want to be with anybody else. He's the only boy at school who doesn't gawk at me when I walk by.
We had a date one evening at the gazebo, where we slow danced to my favorite music, classical.
Mom finally came back home. She seemed to be much better than when she left. Dad and I told her what's been happening recently: Dad's promotions, me being voted prom queen, getting my license, Raven training hard and taking good care of her garden. Not as good as her probably, but we did our best. She didn't care. She was just happy we were well.Mom did get back to her gardening and in a few days, not only was garden back to how it was before, but there were these big, white trees in it. Neither Dad nor I had seen these kinds of trees before. Mom already had some strange plants - like a death flower bush - but these white trees were just odd.Mom laughed when we asked her about them and described them that way. She told us they're money trees and she's been trying to grow them for some time now. Money tree seeds are very hard to find, it seems. They also require good care because if she neglects them, they'll explode into bills we have to pay. Scary, but I kind of want to see a tree explode.
Oh! Mom also changed her lifetime wish. Instead of having the perfect garden,
she now wanted to become a creature-robot cross breeder...
and did so in about a week. I can never figure out which Mom loves more: gardening or science. Maybe it's equal.
Elbert and I had another date, this time at the fall festival. We competed against each in bobbing for apples.He won, but we both got tickets. We took a greeting card photo together and watched the stars near the photo tent. Again, it was a simple date, but wonderful. Elbert had to go home because he was getting cold, but it was getting near curfew anyway.
Next time we come, I'm going to get a pumpkin and go in the haunted house. Speaking of haunted, Spooky Day is coming! What will be my costume?
