Status: Fin <3
Origins
You have to grown up fast when you're the oldest
I drive us all to school the next day, I wasn’t going to be attending any classes so I was wearing a pair of nice jeans and a dressy button up shirt. Anna and Archer are going to class, they had decided last night that they didn’t want to be a part of what was going to happen today, they just wanted to pretend for a little longer that everything will be okay. I park in the student parking lot and take my folder of all the paperwork my parents kept on us and the school and my copy of their will which included details on what would happen to us. Anna and Archer kiss Grandma good-bye and hug me before walking off to their friends. Blythe, Denner and Aimee watch as I walk past them holding the folder in one hand and Grandma’s hand tightly in my other. We walk into the office and the door slamming shut brings me away from my thoughts and to where we are.
“Mrs McAllister, Frances, come on in,” Mr Harvey smiles at us and leads us into the boardroom. Already sitting in there is Mr Connor, Mr Parker, Mr Fredricks and Mr Moir. Grandma and I take a seat next to each other and Mr Harvey sits down too.
“I have all the paperwork that I could find regarding living arrangements, payments, bills and the will,” I tell them softly and open the folder.
“Well actually we just wanted to know what your plans were,” Mr Harvey tells me.
“Oh umm…” I stop talking and look at Grandma.
“Annie and Archie will be coming to live in Laidley with my husband and I, like the will states. We are going to enrol them in the local high school and go from there, however Frankee has decided that she would rather stay here and continue her studies, her neighbour and close family friend will be placed as her guardian until June 10th next year when Frankee turns 18,” Grandma tells them.
“How will Frances be getting to school each day?” Mr Parker asks.
“She has her own car and is now on her red P’s, she will also be getting a part time job and taking up professional soccer to be able to continue to pay the bills of her house and the school fees. We have that side of things all organised what we are wondering is if you will be able to help her if needed, say if she has a bad week and isn’t able to hand an assignment in on time will you be able to be lenient and give her the time she needs to do it, I’m not saying that it will be late every time and that she wants special extensions on all her work this will be an occasional thing that Frankee is very worried about,” Grandma explains, “She’s afraid that if she has to work night shifts everyday and doesn’t get enough time spare to do her work will you be able to give her an extension?”
“I think I can arrange that with Frances’s teachers, the main concern with that would be if she can cope with the work load or would she like to do her year 12 course over two years instead of the usual one, we’ve done it before and we found that it worked very well for the person,” Mr Connor tells us.
“No I’d rather do it all in one go, I think it would be easier to finish school by next year then in two years,” I tell him politely.
“Okay, is there anything else that you’re concerned about?” Mr Parker asks.
*
The meeting carries on until 2pm, we sort out everything that concerns Anna and Archer’s transfer and my continuing at the school. Grandma and I walk out of the office and I see Spencer sitting at our picnic table doing some paperwork waiting for us. I tell Grandma what I’m doing then run over to Spencer, he sees me coming and gets up picking me up in a hug when I get to where he’s standing. He kisses me passionately and puts me down.
“I don’t want you to go Frances, if you leave I’m coming with you,” Spencer tells me.
“Spence I’m staying, only Annie and Archie are leaving, I’m staying cause we know that I can’t live without you or the girls,” I tell him. His face breaks into a massive grin and he cheers and picks me up and twirls around with me in his arms.
“I was so worried, I even had my bags packed ready to leave with you, so did Blythe, Aimee and Denner,” Spencer tells me and hugs me close.
“Well I was talking to Grandma last night, she said that you three and the girls can move into my place eventually, but you’ll all have to chip in on the bills and stuff.” I tell him.
“I’m good for that, I have that job at the shops and also the one at the bar, I get paid about $80 an hour for the one at the bar,” Spencer tells me.
“Then that settles it, I’m staying, you’re moving in,” I tell him and kiss him sweetly.
*
Grandma and I sit with Spencer until the bell for the end of the day goes. Soon we’re surrounded by my group who are all yearning to know what’s going to happen to me.
“I’m staying, but Annie and Archie are moving away,” I tell them then turn to Aimee “You know how you’ve wanted to move out?”
“Yes?” Aimee asks.
“Come live with me,” I tell her.
“Oh my God you’re kidding right?” She bursts into tears and hugs me tightly, “Thank-you so much Frankee.”
“Mrs McAllister, Frances, come on in,” Mr Harvey smiles at us and leads us into the boardroom. Already sitting in there is Mr Connor, Mr Parker, Mr Fredricks and Mr Moir. Grandma and I take a seat next to each other and Mr Harvey sits down too.
“I have all the paperwork that I could find regarding living arrangements, payments, bills and the will,” I tell them softly and open the folder.
“Well actually we just wanted to know what your plans were,” Mr Harvey tells me.
“Oh umm…” I stop talking and look at Grandma.
“Annie and Archie will be coming to live in Laidley with my husband and I, like the will states. We are going to enrol them in the local high school and go from there, however Frankee has decided that she would rather stay here and continue her studies, her neighbour and close family friend will be placed as her guardian until June 10th next year when Frankee turns 18,” Grandma tells them.
“How will Frances be getting to school each day?” Mr Parker asks.
“She has her own car and is now on her red P’s, she will also be getting a part time job and taking up professional soccer to be able to continue to pay the bills of her house and the school fees. We have that side of things all organised what we are wondering is if you will be able to help her if needed, say if she has a bad week and isn’t able to hand an assignment in on time will you be able to be lenient and give her the time she needs to do it, I’m not saying that it will be late every time and that she wants special extensions on all her work this will be an occasional thing that Frankee is very worried about,” Grandma explains, “She’s afraid that if she has to work night shifts everyday and doesn’t get enough time spare to do her work will you be able to give her an extension?”
“I think I can arrange that with Frances’s teachers, the main concern with that would be if she can cope with the work load or would she like to do her year 12 course over two years instead of the usual one, we’ve done it before and we found that it worked very well for the person,” Mr Connor tells us.
“No I’d rather do it all in one go, I think it would be easier to finish school by next year then in two years,” I tell him politely.
“Okay, is there anything else that you’re concerned about?” Mr Parker asks.
*
The meeting carries on until 2pm, we sort out everything that concerns Anna and Archer’s transfer and my continuing at the school. Grandma and I walk out of the office and I see Spencer sitting at our picnic table doing some paperwork waiting for us. I tell Grandma what I’m doing then run over to Spencer, he sees me coming and gets up picking me up in a hug when I get to where he’s standing. He kisses me passionately and puts me down.
“I don’t want you to go Frances, if you leave I’m coming with you,” Spencer tells me.
“Spence I’m staying, only Annie and Archie are leaving, I’m staying cause we know that I can’t live without you or the girls,” I tell him. His face breaks into a massive grin and he cheers and picks me up and twirls around with me in his arms.
“I was so worried, I even had my bags packed ready to leave with you, so did Blythe, Aimee and Denner,” Spencer tells me and hugs me close.
“Well I was talking to Grandma last night, she said that you three and the girls can move into my place eventually, but you’ll all have to chip in on the bills and stuff.” I tell him.
“I’m good for that, I have that job at the shops and also the one at the bar, I get paid about $80 an hour for the one at the bar,” Spencer tells me.
“Then that settles it, I’m staying, you’re moving in,” I tell him and kiss him sweetly.
*
Grandma and I sit with Spencer until the bell for the end of the day goes. Soon we’re surrounded by my group who are all yearning to know what’s going to happen to me.
“I’m staying, but Annie and Archie are moving away,” I tell them then turn to Aimee “You know how you’ve wanted to move out?”
“Yes?” Aimee asks.
“Come live with me,” I tell her.
“Oh my God you’re kidding right?” She bursts into tears and hugs me tightly, “Thank-you so much Frankee.”