Dying Doesn't Seem So Cruel
Decisions
"May I please speak to you two in the living room?"
My parents shared a suspicious glance, and my mother said, "If this has anything to do with moving. . ."
"Please?" They sighed but settled on the sofa. I bit my lip and launched into my speech. "I know you said I wasn't going to stay behind, that you flat-out refused to allow me to. But what if I had a job and a place to stay? What if I was well taken care of? As I said, I would visit as often as possible, and I'd call daily. What's important is that I'd have stability in having a source of income and a home to live in until I graduate."
"Dahlia, where would you stay?" my father inquired.
"I have a few places I've though of. I could rent a room from Ms. Turner, stay with Christie, or with Alice."
"The Cullens?"
"Yes."
"Aren't there four boys there?"
"Three. But I'll be sleeping in Alice's room."
"I don't know, Dahl. Three males, one girl."
"Two girls. And I'm responsible, Daddy."
"We'll think about it," my mother announced sternly.
"Thank you."
"Are you sure the Cullens will want to take in another kid?"
"Here's Dr. Cullen's number. You can speak to him or Mrs. Cullen if you would like."
"Good-night, Dahlia."
"Night."
I was nervous all night, barely sleeping. My anxiety stretched through the next day . . . and the next . . . and the next. School was a blur; the weather was nice, so my friends didn't show. Christie was still with Kyle a lot of the time, so I spent lunch outside in my car, listening to music.
My mother's voice trailed up the stairs, "Dahlia Rose, get down here."
I hurried to the living room and sat in front of my mother. My dad joined moments later.
"I've spoken to Dr. Cullen about your request. He says he and Mrs. Cullen have no problem with you living with them. Once the next school year begins, you must send weekly progress reports and copies of your report card. You must call us daily; we'll send you the phone number through an email. And you have to promise to be careful and responsible."
"I can stay? You mean it?"
"Yes."
"Oh my gosh!" I hugged my father tightly first, then Mom. "Thank you so much."
"One more condition."
"Yes?"
"You actually sleep in Alice's room."
"I do every time I go over there. But I can really stay?"
My parents shared a suspicious glance, and my mother said, "If this has anything to do with moving. . ."
"Please?" They sighed but settled on the sofa. I bit my lip and launched into my speech. "I know you said I wasn't going to stay behind, that you flat-out refused to allow me to. But what if I had a job and a place to stay? What if I was well taken care of? As I said, I would visit as often as possible, and I'd call daily. What's important is that I'd have stability in having a source of income and a home to live in until I graduate."
"Dahlia, where would you stay?" my father inquired.
"I have a few places I've though of. I could rent a room from Ms. Turner, stay with Christie, or with Alice."
"The Cullens?"
"Yes."
"Aren't there four boys there?"
"Three. But I'll be sleeping in Alice's room."
"I don't know, Dahl. Three males, one girl."
"Two girls. And I'm responsible, Daddy."
"We'll think about it," my mother announced sternly.
"Thank you."
"Are you sure the Cullens will want to take in another kid?"
"Here's Dr. Cullen's number. You can speak to him or Mrs. Cullen if you would like."
"Good-night, Dahlia."
"Night."
I was nervous all night, barely sleeping. My anxiety stretched through the next day . . . and the next . . . and the next. School was a blur; the weather was nice, so my friends didn't show. Christie was still with Kyle a lot of the time, so I spent lunch outside in my car, listening to music.
My mother's voice trailed up the stairs, "Dahlia Rose, get down here."
I hurried to the living room and sat in front of my mother. My dad joined moments later.
"I've spoken to Dr. Cullen about your request. He says he and Mrs. Cullen have no problem with you living with them. Once the next school year begins, you must send weekly progress reports and copies of your report card. You must call us daily; we'll send you the phone number through an email. And you have to promise to be careful and responsible."
"I can stay? You mean it?"
"Yes."
"Oh my gosh!" I hugged my father tightly first, then Mom. "Thank you so much."
"One more condition."
"Yes?"
"You actually sleep in Alice's room."
"I do every time I go over there. But I can really stay?"