Cumberland (Not A Dream Book 1) (2 page)

A year had passed since then. Agonizing, as it may have been, I still fought up the strength and drove myself to school. I imagined the harsh pounding of the rain to be my fathers’ tears shedding with me. After school, I had planned to visit my parents’ graves. The rain continued to pound hard upon the roof of my car.

              I felt as if that was the pound of my fathers’ fist slamming down in frustration. It didn’t frighten me, when he had, but it did concern me. The only time he had ever done that was if he missed out on an important opportunity. I knew what that opportunity was.

              I missed his laughter; it reminded me of sunshine. The rain only reminded me of how he would cry. He didn’t cry often, but when he did, it only was because something bad happened.

             
This rain is really putting me in a slump today.
I had thought to myself.

              A little sprinkle hear-and-there was normal in this town, but not this. The rain didn’t even start until I was a few blocks away from school. There wasn’t even a forecast for it today. It seemed to appear rather all too quickly. Since I was not used this type of rain, I had to shelter myself using my school books as an umbrella.

              Inside, my school had glass windows peering out to the student parking lot. Water ran down the window panes like a Waterfall. I passed these windows each time I switched classes.

              My classes were that of typical classes for a senior. Yet, they flew by faster than usual. I passed the windows six times that day, and each time, the windows mimicked that of a blanket made of water. It was like waves crashing down.

              I imagined rays of sunlight bouncing off the clouds, after a rain storm, and how it would always give someone a hope to see the silver lining, and maybe an occasional rainbow.

              I waited patiently to see that glimmer of hope. It had not shown. My teachers must have known of my daydreaming, because they continuously called on me for answers to the questions on the white board. Of course I would know, but my mind was elsewhere.

              When the bell rang to signal the day was over, I glanced out the windows and seen the rain had lifted. I looked out closer and had seen my headlights were on this entire time. They glared through the streaks of rain left on the windows. The reflection of the light danced off of the sprinkle of rain.

              I ran out to my car in a rush, by the time I had noticed. On my way out of the double doors I had accidentally bumped into the new girl Olivia Hall. Using her hand she flipped back her short black curls and stared at me. Her big brown eyes blinked furiously with a pinched face. I have never known a person to be so little, yet have a huge temper.

              My words stumbled over one another as I tried to apologize, but luckily her face softened and a gold ring appeared around her pupils. I apologized much more easily, “I am very sorry.”

              “It’s okay,” she said politely. She then turned back around to continue her conversation with fellow students. I heard her say, “Yeah, that article was not compelling enough to me.”

              I assumed she was talking about the short story a different student had written about as to why teen pregnancies are not as bad as others’ may think. I did hear her add, “Teen pregnancies should not be glorified. I don’t know it is blasted all over television as well.”

             
She makes a good point. Babies should not be having babies,
I agreed.

              I slowed to a fast pace as I fumbled in my pockets to find my car keys. I approached my car and quickly opened the driver side door. I placed my books beside me and put the key in the ignition. I turned the key and didn’t hear anything.

              I paused, and then I tried it again.
Still nothing,
I had thought to myself. The rain began to fall heavy once again so I closed my door abruptly. I placed my hands on the leather bound steering wheel and banged my head on the steering wheel. I yelled aloud, “Ouch!” it had hurt more than I thought it would have. I rubbed my forehead to ease the pain, and then I looked over at my books and picked up cell phone that had lay next to them.

              “I didn’t mean to leave my head lights on. Dad, please help me. I don’t want to get help from Carolyn,” I said to myself, hoping my dad would hear, while wiping away a tear.

              I began to dial Carolyn’s number, and then I noticed a white pick-up truck had parked a few inches in front me. Its silver bumper about touched mine. The truck made my car look like a toy for a five-year-old. I waited patiently to see who it was in that beast.

              Not even a minute passed before I seen it was Olivia’s truck. She hopped out holding jumper cables. She stood in front of my car and signaled with her hand to pop my hood. I did and got out of my car to lift it. “Thank you,” I told her shyly. She looked at me with a smile, and said, “You’re welcome.”

              She connected our vehicles’ batteries together with the cords and looked at me, “Just let it set for a minute. Your car should start right up after that.”

              I smiled and asked, “Why do you want to help me?” She looked at me and sighed with a whimsical tone, “It just feels right.”

              “Well thank-you, again.”

              She laughed, and said, “This rain is crazy, right?”

              I looked up at the sky and nodded my head. I felt the cold landings of each drop on my face. “It is different,” I agreed.

              “Try starting your car again.”

              I hopped in the car and turned the key for the last time. The blast of heat and the roar of the engine awakened my sour mood. I asked Olivia, “What can I do to show you my gratefulness?”

              She hummed with a sigh and answered, with a giggle, “I could eat. Let’s go to your place.”

              “Sounds good, just follow me.”

              We were about to leave and she pointed in my car, “You took Karate?”

              I looked back in my car and seen my black belt, and smiled, “Yeah. How about you?”

              “Ha-ha, no. I took Tae Kwon Do. My parents said it is a necessity in life for a woman to know how to defend herself in this day-and-age.”

              “My grandfather says the same thing.”

              We giggled for a bit and I noticed a guy our age walk over to the vehicle next to mine. He stared at me with his perfect emerald eyes as his brown wavy hair became soaked from the rain. His porcelain colored skin seemed to defy the wetness of the rain. He made my heart pound with the rain as he continued to eye me.

              I didn’t want to break his gaze, but I couldn’t help but ask Olivia, “Who is that?” But I had to turn away so he knew I was not talking about him. She looked over my shoulder and said, “That is Mason Bridges. He started school here today.”

              “I don’t remember seeing him,” I shook my head.

              “He is in the same classes we are both in. Are you okay? I had seen you hit your head on the steering wheel, did you hit it that hard?” She laughed. I just shook my head as I turned back to face him, but his car was already gone.

Olivia had arrived at my house with me. I invited her in nervously, and she graciously walked in. She stopped and sniffed the air, “What is for dinner?”

              I looked down at my folded hands and stammered shyly, “I am not sure. I have to cook dinner still.”

              “Why don’t your parents cook instead?” she asked bluntly.

              A pain of sadness stabbed me through my gut as I peered over to my parents’ wake invitations hanging up in two heart shaped frames that scribed, ‘
We Will Forever Love You’
. Olivia followed my gaze and immediately apologized, “Oh my gosh! I am so sorry. I didn’t… I mean, I…”

              Stopping her from any more embarrassment, and while forcing a smile, I said, “It is fine. You didn’t know.”

              I walked in the kitchen and quickly whipped up an Italian style dinner. Olivia must have been starving, because every five minutes she would ask, “Is dinner done yet?” Then I would answer back, each time, “Almost.”

              Right as I finished prepping the dinner table, Carolyn and her twin daughters strolled in looking at Olivia as if she were a ‘
commoner’
. Carolyn quickly snapped at me, “Did I say you could have visitors?”

              My grandpa walked into the dining room and matched her tone of condescendence, “I did. She needs to have friends at this age. They are the best you can find, when this young.”

              Carolyn tilted her head back to chortle, “Friends? Ha.” She, and her daughters took their seats and Carolyn held out her hand towards Olivia, “Please, take a seat while Milly serves us our dinner.”

              Olivia looked at me concerning and sat down with what seemed to be with hesitation. I nodded and said, “Thanks for joining us, Olivia. Dinner will be served shortly.”

              I walked back into the kitchen and brought out the dinner. I walked around the table and served Carolyn first, then Holly and Molly, my grandpa, Olivia, and then myself. I took the seat next to Olivia and watched my grandpa look at her curiously.

              He asked, “Olivia, right?” She nodded. “Do you like stories?” He grinned as she nodded again, but with excitement.

              Carolyn, had then, rudely interrupted him, “No one here wants to listen to your folly tales, old man.”

              “Hey!” I said aloud.

              Carolyn grimaced at me and then Olivia exclaimed, “I like folly tales!”

              My grandpa turned to Carolyn, “My stories are not fake you old bat!”

              “Our mom is not old!” Holly and Molly yelled together.

              My grandpa snickered at their response, and Carolyn turned to him and demanded, “Shut up!”

              I leaned towards Olivia and whispered, “
I am so sorry.
”  She whispered back, “
It is fine. This is better than television.”
We quietly sat there to listen.

              They continued to argue back and forth. My grandpa had to defend himself every time he had a chance to speak. Carolyn continually called him names. The room felt like it was spinning so I finally stood up and yelled out, “Stop!” I could hear my voice echo throughout the room.

              I looked around and seen Olivia with her face in shock. I then looked over at my grandpa to see him rasping for air, so I asked him, “Are you okay?” He put his hand to his chest and winced in obvious pain. Carolyn rolled her eyes, and said, “Quit with your theatrics.” Then she stuffed her pudgy face with another bite, and I yelled, “He is not a fake! He is not acting!”

              Olivia quickly got up and kneeled by his side, “I have seen this before, he is having a heart attack!” I turned to Carolyn, “Call 9-1-1!” She rolled her eyes again and continued to eat. Her daughters ran upstairs snickering, “Milly is so much trouble for giving him a heart attack.”

              I bent down by him and claimed, “Everything will be okay, I promise.”

              I looked over to Carolyn and seen her still eating. Olivia said, “Never mind her, I’ll do it. Keep a close watch on him,” she pointed at my grandpa.

              Olivia immediately picked up her cell phone and was quickly connected to the 9-1-1 dispatcher. About five to ten minutes later an ambulance arrived. They instantly took action and sped off to the hospital.

              I frowned at Carolyn, fighting back my violent intentions, and calmly said, “Thanks for nothing.” She shrugged her shoulders in response and left the table. I heard Carolyn call for her daughters in a snide way, “Come on girls. We need to go to the hospital. Holly? Molly?” She then said to me, on the way out of the front door, “We are going in my car.”

              I turned to Olivia and said, “I am taking my car there. I don’t want to be near her.”

              Olivia shook her head, “No, I can take you.”

              “I’ll be okay, you can go home. I am sorry for tonight.”

              She smiled and claimed, “We are friends now. I want to help.”

              “But you have done enough.”

              “I don’t feel right leaving you alone in this type of home.”

              I grinned to say, “Thank you.”

              Before we could say anything else, Molly and Holly trotted down the steps bumping past me to get outside. Olivia caught me before I toppled over and said, “We will take my truck.” I nodded in agreement, because I felt way too shaky to even walk a straight line. Even getting into her truck was a challenge to test my strength.

              We drove in silence and then finally arrived at the hospital. I ran in while Olivia trailed behind. As I walked through the glass doors, I looked around for my grandpa. I didn’t see him, so I approached the receptionist, “Where is Bradford James’ room?”

              She looked at her computer and said, “We have a few here, what is his middle name?”

              “Kevin. I am his granddaughter.”

              She turned to the side and started to click away on her keyboard. I turned around to follow the noise of frantic heels on the ceramic tiles. There I have seen Carolyn with a worried expression, “Milly! There you are. He is in this room over here.” She grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the direction in which she was pointing to.

              I narrowed my eyebrows in bewilderment. The door to his room was shut. I asked Carolyn, “Can we go in?” She was about to answer then the doctor walked out. He looked at us patiently, and he grinned to reveal his tan, dimpled face cheeks.

              I asked, “Is he okay?”

              The doctor, whose name tag read, Dr. Juan, answered, “Yes, he will be fine. But he will need rest and plenty supervision.”

              Carolyn intervened with a small quiver in her voice, and fake tears in her eyes, “What do you mean?”

              He looked down for a second and tilted his up to show his sincere hazel eyes, “He needs to remember to take his medicine, and have his vitals checked every day. Mr. James is at high risk for another attack.” Dr. Juan turned around and walked away.

              I felt the sensation that someone was looking at me and I saw Carolyn staring at me. I asked, “Where are Holly and Molly?”

              She replied back with a deep tone, “In the car. How dare you change the subject?”

              I snapped back, “What are you talking about?”

              “Don’t play coy with me, Milly.”

              “Huh? You are the one being fake here.”

              She laughed menacingly, “Me? Don’t you have any idea what you’ve done?”

              I looked around trying to figure out what she was talking about. I asked, “What exactly did I do?”

              She smirked and folded her arms, “You almost killed your grandfather.”

              I felt my eyes widen. I raised my voice, “Me? You were the one abusing him.”

              She looked at me and claimed, “Just keep telling yourself that, and just know that you are the reason why he has to be in a retirement home.”

              Olivia came up and exclaimed, “Umm, I was there, you know? Milly is not the problem here.”

              Carolyn raised her head up and explained, “Well, since you feel that way, Milly you are grounded for one week. My daughters shall be using your car from now on, but you are not allowed to be in it.” Then she added before leaving, “Be home soon, and be quiet. My daughters and I need our beauty rest.”

              Olivia pulled me into my grandpa’s room and quietly said, “This is not your fault. A heart attack is caused by a number of things, but you are not one of them.”

              Her statement made me smile, “Thank you.”

              I turned to see my grandpa because coughed and said, “Milly, you are special. You are too special. Carolyn knows this and that is why she disrespects our family.” I went and explained to him, “Carolyn has awful plans for us.”

              He nodded and said, “I am aware of that.” He coughed again, and continued, “You graduate in a few days, so leave as far away as you can.”

              I looked at him and asked, “Where?” My grandpa handed me his book of stories and adventures then pointed at it, “Go there.”

              I saw Olivia nod and heard her say, “Sounds fun.”

              My grandpa then included, “But, you need to first find my dear friends’ only son.”

              “Who?” I asked.

              “”Mason-,” he stopped to cough again. “Mason James Bridges. He knows all about Cumberland.”

              I kissed him on the forehead, “I love you grandpa.”

              He smiled and nodded, “I love you too Milly. Now hurry, before it is too late.”