Summer With the Bertram Brothers

I reach inside my house and look around for mother. I close the door behind me and kick off my shoes.
“Mom?” I call out. I bet she’s been waiting for me all this time to come home with that fish. I immediately feel guilty. I sigh heavily, remembering the whole reason why I left the house. Although Doyle said not to worry because he’ll bring us dinner, I feel bad making her wait so long. I got distracted…
“Oh, there you are! I almost got worried,” she says coming down the hall.
“Doyle says he’ll bring dinner,” I say.
She stops in her tracks and clasp her hands together. She opens her mouth and puts on a smile.
“Okay,” she breathes, “I guess we’ll have to wait then.”
She does a 180 and walks away from me. I follow her.
“So what are you doing?” I ask, leaning at by the entrance of her bedroom. It already seems messy with all the unpacked clothes lying around waiting to be sorted out. I see in the corner of my eye the small orange containers sitting by her dresser.
“Putting things away. I think I packed too much stuff for three weeks…” she says, looking around her. My eyes pop and my hands fall to my sides.
“What? We’re only staying three weeks?” I argue. I walk up to her with an angry face, expecting some logic explanation.
“I have to go back to work, Ambrosia,” she gives me an obvious expression, but then turns around and hangs something in the closet, “I already talked to your sister about it.”
“So I’m not important enough to talk to anymore?” I ask.
She shakes her head, “No, no. You don’t have to worry about it.”
“Why does everyone want me to not worry about stuff? Is there something wrong?” I stick my fingers in my hair, confused.
“I meant not to worry because you’ll spend the summer here while I go back home,” she tries to reassure me.
“Alone?” I say, stumped.
“With your sister,” she answers, hanging something else.
I shrug, “Same thing.”
She turns again and looks at me like I’m a hopeless case.
“But mom, you really need a vacation, don’t you think?”
“I am taking my vacation,” she speeds up her task, “I only get three weeks’ vacation.”
I look down, feeling worst.
She goes on talking, “I just want you girls to enjoy your summer. Ever since your father died, it’s been hard. I don’t want you girls to stop yourselves from doing the things you love, okay?”
“Okay…” I reply, more harshly than I intend to.
“It’s time to move on, Ambrosia.”
I sigh and twist myself out the door.

I find an apple and bite into it. In two seconds, Winnie jumps through the door. She twirls in her light pink summer dress and poses like she’s a super model. I smile, recognizing my dear friend. Winnie and I are inseparable. Every summer we are together. We live in the same city, but we go to different schools. I’m glad to see her in her exuberant state.
“Ladies and gentlemen, applaud for the one and only! Winona Jerried!” she walks with her hands in the air. I clap playfully, laughing. She comes straight to me and hugs me tight. I wrap my hands around her and squeeze her. We giggle unstoppably.
“I’m so glad you’re here!” she exclaims.
“Yeah,” I say.
“How are you? I can’t wait to hear what I missed.”
We sit in the sofa.
“You haven’t missed anything. It’s the same old, same old,” I describe my school life to Winnie.
“Well, I got a fifty dollar reward for the winning cheerleading team competition. I couldn’t stop myself from shopping!” she sings. She hands me a rectangular bag drawn in pink and white stripes with a note saying ‘for Ambi’. I smile widely.
“You shouldn’t have!” I say accepting the gift bag.
“To be honest, it was buy one get one half off. I couldn’t resist!” she giggles.
“You’re the best,” I say. I push my hands in the bag and slip out a magenta two piece swim suit that’s strapless and ties up with strings on the sides of the bottom. I mouth out a ‘wow’. Winnie laughs.
“There’s another one,” she says, picking in the bag too. She reveals the second swim suit with blue and white polka dots and cute bow in the middle of the bikini.
“You’re spoiling me, Winnie.” I laugh. I’ve been wearing the same black sports bathing suit for years. She gets new swim wear every summer. I guess she’s tired of my blandness. I don’t know how I’m going to get used to these bikinis.
“Ugh, that’s nothing,” she waved her hand.
“Thanks though. I like them.”
“So-o…” she stretches, “I’m thinking, we go to Travis’s party tonight. Everyone’s going!”
“We’re invited?” I ask, folding the bikini’s on my lap.
She snorts, “Ambi, Ambi, Ambi. You don’t need an invitation—everyone’s invited!”
“Oh.”
“So? Are you coming?” she tugs my arm.
“Well,” I look at the hallway, “I… Sure.”
She squeals and jumps next to me in excitement.
“Yes! Finally! Ambi’s going to a party!” she throws her head back in laughter, “This is going to the best!”