To Cross the New Divide

“Today we gather to mourn the loss of Jennifer and Ian Swan, who lost their lives in a terrifying car accident. Ian and Jennifer, as I am told were two of the most wonderful people in this life, and passed their greatness to their only child Sophia, who stands with me here, Sophia would you like to say a few words?”

I glanced at all the people gathered here for my parents funeral. Friends, co-workers, and my caretaker. I looked to the two cherry oak caskets and sniffle. At the same time, I slowly slide of my heels and look to everyone. I shake my head and drop my umbrella and take off leaving the cemetery. My parents were dead, and they were never coming back.

I woke up as the plane hit the tarmac of the Seattle Airport. That was my worst nightmare, losing my parents. I’m being sent to live with my mom’s brother Charlie. I wondered if he looked any different from the last time I saw him. He’d probably still have brown hair and brown eyes.

I grabbed my bag from under the seat and exited the plane and did a walk/run to the luggage part of the airport. Charlie, as I said was my mom’s brother. My father had took her last name. My mother has the same brown hair and brown eyes, but my father has dark hair and dark hazel green eyes. I inherited my mother's dark hair and my father’s dark eyes, but mine are slightly more bright then his dark ones. When I was younger, my cousin Isabella Swan and I were as close as sisters. We could even finish each others sentences. Then, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona and I moved to Atlanta, Georgia. I don't think we've talked since.

I saw a man in a police uniform with brown hair and brown eyes. "Uncle Charlie!" I screamed, he turned around and pulled me into his arms. One of the last remaining people I had in my life. I sighed against his chest and pulled away. He kissed my forehead and picked up my back pack. I picked up my purse, and he lead me straight to the carrousel. “Uh uncle Charlie, why don’t you go get the car, this might be a few minutes,” He told me where he parked and to meet him on that level. After he was gone, I walked over to the luggage that had already been put out and grabbed my fives bags and loaded them onto a trolley. I pulled out my phone and dialed a number I knew by heart. I heard it the ring for the first few seconds and smiled at the voice who answered on the other line.

“Sono a Seattle, quasi,” I heard my friend who chuckled on the other line.



The ride was silent. We pulled up to the house I remembered from my childhood, and looked around the yard. Nothing had changed. "Come on inside. Don‘t want you catching frostbite." I grabbed my bags and headed into the house. “Your bedroom is upstairs to the left and the last door at the end.” Charlie led me up the stairs and showed me my room which happened to be green, my favorite color.

“I hope the green is okay, it’s been so long I don’t know what you would like.” I gave him a one arm hug and set my backpack down on the bed.

“It’s perfect uncle Charlie.” he nodded and then face turned into the look of awkwardness.
“Well I’ll give you a minute to settle in, but hurry so you can eat dinner.” I nodded and opened my backpack. I pulled out my books and put them on the self that was above my bed. I grabbed my picture frame and walked over to my dresser and set it down. One of my mom and dad smiling and me in the middle with my leotard on. It was when I won first place in the floors and beam.

I walked down the stairs to the kitchen and took a seat right across from Charlie. I took a bite and made a face. I saw Charlie do the same but he tried to hide it. "Well, this is...good," I tried. He rolled his brown eyes and gave me a look.

“You lie just like your mother you know that?” I gave a small chuckle and pushed my plate away.

“Yeah, this taste like total crap.” I said softly. I looked at him and gave him a very sarcastic smile. “Can I cook from now on?”

“Yes please.” He said very quickly. I took looked at it and shuddered. I burst out laughing as Charlie did the same.

“Pizza okay?” He asked. I gave him a thumbs up and put the crappy tasting food into the garbage. He ordered pizza as I cleaned the kitchen. After finishing the kitchen, I sat back down at the table and took a sip of water.

“Pizza will be here in 20 minutes.” I nodded and went upstairs to finish unpacking. Apparently it’s been a while because everything here is so awkward. He’s been a terminal bachelor since aunt Renee left and he didn’t fully understand women. Lord help this man.

Pizza came twenty minutes later like said and I went back downstairs and ate.

“Uncle Charlie, don’t let this go to your head but dinner is delicious.” I teased knowing his lacking in basic cooking. He threw his napkin at me, which I threw right back.

“So I hear you skipped junior year and went straight to senior.” I nodded and gulped my water down.

“Did you also hear that I have been taking all my college classes during high school, so when I graduate, I don’t have to go to college, I would have already finished.” he frowned.

“Your mom was always the brains, smart devil she was.” I nodded. Mom was smart. She knew just about everything and she always taught me to keep my mind open. Not jut restrict myself to the smaller things.

“But I’m so proud of Sophia, just don’t go out into the world and make me a great uncle yet, huh?” I chocked on my piece of pizza I was chewing and started to laugh.

“Uncle Charlie, you always crack me up.”

After cleaning up dinner for the second time, I went upstairs and started to get ready for bed. After taking a shower and letting the warm water come down felt good on my aching muscles. I stood under the water for a minute trying to push all thoughts of my parents from my mind. I turned off the water and jumped out and quickly changing. I walked into my room and sat on my bed for a few minutes. I played my fathers wedding ring that was on a chain around my neck and playing with my mom’s who’s was on my right ring finger. I turned off the light and laid in bed. I stared at the rain that was dropping onto my window. I felt a stray tear run down my face, and before I knew it, I was asleep.