Chapter 3

My plan to let the kids do the talking for me didn't only not work, it totally backfired on me. It had started out perfectly fine, all of us filling up our plates with the chicken enchiladas Sam had made, and taking our seats at the table. There was plenty of random small talk, as usually, all the while the kids would take turns tying to hide their smiles and excitement.

They were waiting for me to say it, and I was waiting for one of them to stop resisting and blurt it out for me. Neither of us were giving in though, I was determined to keep my mouth shut and let them do it, and they were being nice for once and resisting the urge to say it themselves. Great, the one time I was counting on them being reckless and they were holding it in with all they had.

Then the worst happened, mom had pushed her plate away, took a sip of her milk and turned a devious gaze to me, "Anything interesting happen to you today, Valery?"

She knew, she had to know, it was all there in her eyes. She had found out somehow, and was obviously curious as to why I have not said anything yet. How did she know, was my question; And as my eyes swept over the table I saw Sam gesture to the counter. Sure enough, there was the letter, right next to where all the plates and silverware had been set out. She must have seen it while we were all ready getting dinner.

Damn, now I was in trouble, news like that was not something she would have liked to find out any other way than me telling her myself. She probably read it, then felt bad because I had not gotten to tell her myself; And had probably been waiting all through dinner for me to say something, she would have acted surprised not wanting to ruin it for me. Now, since I never said anything she probably caught on that I never planned on saying anything.

So here we were now, she knew, and I was in for it big time, damn damn damn!

I opened and closed my mouth several times, trying to find a way to save myself, but failing. My mom was not dense, she knew how all us kids work better than we did sometimes.

Finally I spat out the only thing I could, and hoped she bought it, "I was going to tell you, I was just waiting for the right moment," And damn was it hard not to phrase that as a question.

"Nice try," Oh yeah, I was in for it. "I'm going to wager that you would have been grateful if one of the kids had blurted it out for you."

Well, there was really nothing I could say to that, denying it would have only gotten me in more trouble, and there was no way I was going to openly admit it. So, like a child, I just lowered my head in shame and waited.

"So tell me, Val, what made you so afraid to tell us?" I lowered my head even further with my fathers words; It was bad enough my mom was on to me, but my father knew as well. Either he was the acceptance letter himself, or my mom had said something to him without my noticing.

I let out a big sigh and raised my head to face them, flinching a little as I saw their hurt expressions, "I was going to tell you, really, I was. Its just....The college is in Colorado, and I was nervous of what your reactions might be."

There it was, just like I had imagined; My fathers went still and his features were stern, and my mother gave a sad smile and I saw the beginnings of tears. This exactly what I had been avoiding, and a little part of me and been hopeful that their anger would dilute any high emotions. Like my mother had always said, hope in one had and spit in the other, see which one fills up faster.

Both my mother and my father stood up from the table at the same time. Before I had time to even wonder what they were doing my mom was rushing towards me, tears falling like raindrops, and pulling me into a fierce hug.

"Darling, we might not like the fact of you going so far away from home, but we are proud of you all the same." My father spoke as my mom sobs and hugged me to tight I was almost to the point where I could not breath.

I was not even surprised when I felt hot tears fill my own eyes; And even less surprised when Sam and Lea got up from the table to join in hugging and crying. All the while the boys stayed sitting very still at the table watching us, just like my father. Us girls falling apart, and the men falling apart on the inside while on the outside all you see was a stern face.

By the time I got to bed my eyes were rubbed raw and I no doubt looked terrible. It was a school night, everyone was getting into bed after a long night of happy and sad tears. Sam looked as bad as I did, her eyes and nose were still red and crying had exhausted us both. I didn't dare bring up college with Sam, and neither did she, we both knew what would happen. I would be leaving her behind, to fend for herself she would say, though there was no way she would be mad at me for it, just terribly sad.

So would I, Sam was my best friend, my favorite; I hated it when she went to a friends house for the weekend, and she despised the times when I was dating and would stay the night at a boyfriends. We hated sleeping alone, we told each other everything. Most nights like this, when we were crawling into bed, we usually spent a while talking, goofing around, or venting to one another.

Not tonight though, we didn't say one word to each other, afraid that the subject of me leaving would come up, and no doubt we would be crying all over again. I closed my eyes and silently wished Sam goodnight and sweet dreams, and hoping she did the same for me. I was asleep before I knew it, the last thoughts running through my head were the five short days ahead of me before I left.

I woke up in the morning feeling as if someone had rubbing sandpaper against my face. I was alone in the room, and listened carefully noting that I was probably alone in the house as well. Rubbing the last remains of sleep from my eyes, my eyes stinging from the contact, I turned to glance at Sam's alarm clock on the other side of the bed.

Scratch what I just said, I woke up in the Afternoon feeling as someone had rubbed sandpaper against my face. Which was far worse than waking up in the morning that way, it was noon on the dot, and I should have been at work hours ago. I started to jump out of bed and start getting ready, coming up with an excuse why I was late, but I stopped as I was pulling on jeans and decided today was the perfect day to call in sick.

I would be headed to Colorado soon, and I wanted to spend as much time around my family that I could until then. I also had a trip to plan, supplies to buy, and other things to do before I left. I could take today off and get as much as I could done while everyone was at school and work, and I had tomorrow off and I could do the same thing; Then, when everyone got home, we could goof around and have fun together, that way I could get things done, without having to take time away from the family.

I finished getting ready, and headed to the kitchen planning on grabbing a soda and heading to town to do some shopping. As I walking through the dinning room and into the opening to the kitchen I froze, a slow smile curving my lips as I noticed what was staked on the kitchen counter.

Yesterday had been my birthday, but with everything that had happened with the reveal of me going away to college I had not even realized that there had been no cake, no presents, not even a 'happy birthday, Val!' from anyone. No one had forgotten though, because every inch of the kitchen counter was covered with brightly wrapped presents and birthday cards.

Last year I had only gotten a cake, we had been strapped for cash and there were no presents on my birthday, just a few cards and a yummy cake, I never minded though. Since then though, both my parents had gotten raises, and they were apparently making up for last year. There was a present and card from each kid, as well as presents and cards from cousins, aunts, uncles, and other relatives from out of state.

I moved the presents around, making space so I could sit right up there on the counter with my legs crossed and grabbed a random present. It was from Sam and I nearly screamed with glee when I unwrapped the new photography camera. Loaded with the latest technology and gadgets I had always wanted. I hugged the camera since Sam was not there for me to hug and moved on to the next presents.

There was a brand new laptop from Emma, an Ipod from Josh; Lea and David got me memory cards, rechargeable batteries, and numerous other tid bits for the new camera Sam got me. There were new clothes from other family members, gift cards, books, movies. Some birthday cards had money or checks in them, others just sending their love and best wishes.

My family knew me well, getting me just the things I would have wanted. My Aunt Ranee had gotten me a whopping hundred dollars gift card for Barns & Noble, I loved books, and she knew it, and I could not wait to be standing in the store surrounded by countless shelves of books. There was shreds of wrapping paper everywhere now that I had ripped open ever present; And the only thing that surprised me was that there was not a single present of card from my parents.

It did not bother me though, they had paid for everything the kids had gotten me, all of them were to young to have a job but Emma. Either they had figured what I got was more than enough, which it very much was, or they had planned on giving me whatever they got later tonight. None the less I pulled out my phone and sent out a group text to all the kids as well as my parents.

'Family bowling tonight at 6:30. Everyone is coming, my treat, no exceptions.'

Beaming I shut my phone and began cleaning up, taking all the presents to my room, switching out my old hoodie for the new knit sweating my cousin had gotten me; Then went back to the kitchen, gathered all the wrapping paper together and tossed it in the trash.

As I gathered up all the cards, placing the money, checks, and gift cards in my wallet, I noticed the two packing boxes I had picked up from the front porch yesterday. I set the cards aside and examined them again before shrugging and opening them up. At first I thought maybe they were from my parents, though they didn't look like anything my parents would get me.

In one box was an even smaller box with a ring inside. A silver band with a deep purple tear drop gem, and what looked like carving all around the band. I inspected it closer, thinking it said something, but it was in no language I knew. It looked to be written in a language that used symbols, rather than letters. It was strange, but very pretty, and I slipped it on my finger to find it was a perfect fit.

The other box held yet another smaller box, only this one held a necklace. Silver chain, and a pendant of graceful wings, with a buttery gold tear drop gem mounted on top. Yet again the same symbol like writing was engraved along the edges of the wings. The chain was long enough to pull over my head and settled just above my cleavage.

Again, they didn't look like anything my parents would get me, but I couldn't think of anyone else who had not gotten me a gift. I shrugged, no use in wondering about it, I would find out tonight if it was from them or not. I tossed the boxes in the trash with the wrapping paper and slung my purse over my shoulder, fishing out my keys; I figured I would head by the bank first and cash in the checks I got, then get myself some breakfast, probably spend all one hundred dollars on books and then head to the mall.

I smiled as I unlocked my car, I had a wallet full of spending money, and half the day ahead of me before it was time to have some fun with the family at the bowling alley. Besides the chilling weather and the snow on the ground, I had a feeling it was going to be a very good day.