Let Me Count the Ways I Fell in Love With You

“Come on T.A. Chin up girl. I promise that this would be the last time we’re moving,” Mr. Evans stated as he got into his jeep.

Tania Audrey rolled her eyes, “I’ve heard that before Dad. It’ll never be the last time until you quit that job.”

He eyed her from the rear view mirror as he started the jeep and moved out of their driveway. “T.A…” He started, his voice soft, “You know how important this job is to me…”

“Yeah…” Tania whispered. Her eyes turned glassy as her tears threatened to flow. She slammed her eyes shut, holding the tears in.

Never would she cry in front of her dad. It was a weakness she was not willing to show to anyone; not even her dad.
Suddenly, she felt a tug at the hem of her shirt. Her eyes flew open and Tania looked down. Two light-brown eyes, gentle and soft, stared up into hers. Tania smiled down at her younger brother, Tyler.
Tyler’s looks came from their Dad. They both had curly, brown hair and eyes. Tania had no doubts that Tyler would grow up to look like their dad: Handsome.
He was once the “Hot Shot” back in his olden days. Even though his chiselled face has now been replaced by wrinkles due to age, Tania still thinks her dad was as attractive looking as he was 20 years ago. Talk about Daddy complex.

“What’s wrong Ty? Getting motion sickness so soon,” Tania teased.

Tyler just shook his head and squeezed her waist in an attempt to show affection. If anything, Tyler was a genius. He was empathetic towards others ever since he was born. It was one of the reasons why Tania loved Tyler so much. He was special.

“Alright, Superman, I got it... I’m fine, really,” Tania ruffled her younger brother’s hair. Then, in return, she tucked him to her side and they cuddled together as they slept along the ride. Their destination: Abingdon, Illinois.

Evans glanced at his two children through the rear view mirror. He could not help but smile when he saw the two cuddled up. Ever since his wife died, Tania had taken over. She had been a mother to Tyler and the strongest among the family. She was not the one who cried for days after his wife died, it was he who had.
Evans regretted wasting away, feeling remorseful for his wife, that year. On the other hand, Tania had taken over the house. She took care of Tyler whenever he was not and even managed the household matters.
He was hardly there for them. He had focused his energy into his work instead of his two children.
Then, bam, Tania fell sick. Reality suddenly crashed onto him when he realised how much Tania looked like his wife when she was sick. Afraid that history would repeat itself, Evans changed instantly.

Even though they moved a lot due to his job, he still had his family. He was confident that nothing could go wrong.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You did not go for the check up again did you, Shane?” Sheryl asked her only son.

They sat across from each other at the dining table, eating lunch. It was a Sunday – The last day of summer break -- and the sun beat mercilessly onto Abingdon, Illinois more than usual.
The heat emphasized the tension that crackled in the air. Sheryl hated having this conversation with her son because it always ended with them giving each other the cold shoulders. And frankly, she was too tired of arguing with her son. Being a single mother was taking a toll on her.

Sheryl watched as Shane shrugged nonchalantly. Her brows knitted as fury bubbled.

“Why!? Why didn’t you go Shane?! Why are you doing this to me,” Sheryl shrieked. Her nose flared as she breathed hard.

Shane stared at her, used to her screaming her head off at him. He never could figure out why mothers always over-react over small things. He does not smoke nor take drugs, so, why should he go for checkups every month?
He knew the answer why: His deceased father. His father died due to cancer, a hereditary sickness. He never knew what type of cancer it was, but, his mother does and she has been keeping him in the darkness even before he died.
He disliked her for that. Somehow, he just could not get along with his mother.

Shane played with his food as his mother continued ranting bout her misfortune: him. As if he had not heard that before. He glanced at the clock hanging on the wall behind his mother.

“Damn it!” He breathed when he realised that he was half and hour late. His friends would probably ditch him again. As Shane was about to excuse himself, his mother grabbed his hand and stopped him. Her eyes focused onto his.

“You’re not going anywhere today. The new neighbours are coming in later and I want you here when we meet them. I will not have you creating trouble outside. I do not want the neighbours to think badly of my son on first impression,” His mum ordered as she picked up her dishes and headed for the sink.

Shane frowned as he stared at his mother’s retreating back. “Damn it!” He breathed again and picked up his dishes.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tania felt someone shaking her.

“T.A, Wake up, T.A.! We’ve reached!”

Tania moaned in protest. She was having a dream about the festival she had went with her mother and father when she was 5. She did not want to get up, not now…

Tyler shook his sister more vigorously. “T.A!” He shouted.

Tania jerked up in her seat. She took in her surroundings. She saw Tyler looking up at her, concern shone in his eyes. Shaking her head, Tania tried to shake the dream out of her system. It has been a long time since she had that dream.
Why now? She questioned.

She smiled at Tyler and got out of the jeep. Their dad stood proudly in front of their new house. He grinned widely and waited for his children to assemble in front of him.
Tania noticed that the house was bigger than the other houses she had lived in. There were a few trees on the left of the house.

“Here,” Evans spread his hands wide, “Is our new home,” he beamed, waiting for his children’s replies.

Silence ensued. Finally, as he was about to give up, he heard Tania saying, “It’s bigger.”

His grin widened and he nodded vigorously. “Yes! I managed to find an artefact at a historical site back at our previous town. It made quite a fortune and… well! I decided to give you guys the best,” Evans continued beaming.

Tania stared at her dad. She knew that moving was not for hers and Tyler’s good, it was for his. His work as an archaeologist had forced them to move around so that he would be able to find new historical or abandoned sites. All because of useless treasure. She could not figure out why Tyler and she had to be second to her dad’s job. Maybe it was one of the reasons why she could not get along with her dad.

“Whatever,” Tania sighed. She walked to the back of the jeep to get their bags. They did not have much to bring because they had to move constantly. They only had to bring their beds, sofas and clothes whenever they moved. Truck movers were unnecessary as far as moving was concerned.

Tania felt her dad’s presence behind her, but, she ignored him. Then, she felt her dad’s hand on her left shoulder.

“T.A… Look…” Her dad hesitated.

“It’s Okay dad. We’ve moved. It doesn’t matter anymore. Besides, I know how important this job is to you,” Tania stated before shrugging off his hand and stalking into the house with their bags and Tyler.

He closed his eyes to gain whatever control he had. Dealing with a seventeen-year old teenage girl was definitely not easy.

For the rest of the morning, Evans and Tania shifted their other belongings into the house in silence.

That afternoon, Tyler started getting restless. As he was about to ask his sister to play with him, the doorbell rang. Tyler slouched as his sister went to get the door. Feeling disappointed, he stomped towards the sofa and sat on it grumpily.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tania opened the door and was greeted by a woman of about mid-30s. She looked like a typical office lady who has had her own share of sorrows. An engagement ring shone on her left hand. Tania immediately knew that she was married, but a widow. Worry lines etched on her forehead was not hard to notice. She was holding a bowl of cookies and Tania tried not to reach out and grab one. She smiled at the woman curiously.

“Hello… You must be the new neighbours. I’m Sheryl Owen, and this,” She stepped aside, revealing a guy of about Tania’s age, “ Is my son, Shane Owen. We’re your next-door neighbours,” She continued politely.

Tania nodded, smiling at the woman.

“Dad! The neighbours are here,” Tania shouted towards the kitchen.

“Bring them in,” Her dad’s muffled reply came.

Tania held the door wider, indicating that they could come in. The woman entered, but not her son. Tania looked over at the guy. He was standing in a bored manner and was staring intensely at her. He had brown eyes and short black hair. There were plasters on his handsome face. Tania instantly knew that he fought a lot.

“Are you coming in or what?” Tania asked nonchalantly. Agitation, however, edged in her voice.

Silence.

Suddenly, his mother shouted, “Shane Owen! Get in here!”

A scowl appeared at the corner of his face and he walked past Tania, saying, “Guess so.”

Tania went to the living room and found The Owens, her father and Tyler sitting all around the coffee table. Tyler seemed engrossed in the cookies that Mrs Owen had brought. Her father and Mrs Owen smiled when Tania came in and sat beside Tyler.
Introductions began all over again and then long conversations ensued.

“So…” Mrs Owen turned to Tania after the long talks. “Where are you schooling? When do you start?”

“Abingdon High and I start tomorrow,” She said as she picked up the empty bowl of cookies.

“Is that right? Shane schools there too! Maybe he could give you a ride tomorrow,” Mrs Owen told her eagerly.

Tania looked at Shane and saw that he was frowning, obviously repulsed by his mother’s idea. Obviously, there would be no way would a hot shot like Shane want to be found going around with a girl like her.

“No thanks Mrs Owen, I’d rather walk,” and with that, Tania headed for the kitchen to wash the bowl.

From the kitchen, she could hear her father picking up the conversation again.