Love or Lust

The next morning Hazel awoke surprisingly early after a very eventful Saturday. She rolled over, an attempt to try and get back to sleep, it was useless. Hazel sat up, stretched and walked over to the window. The brightness of the sun was already lighting up the room. She pushed back the striped curtain to the side to get a look at the outside. The sun had risen but it still appeared it be early. Looking back at the clock on the bedside table, it was only just past seven.

Slipping off her night wear, she changed into her running gear, a well-fitting tank top, gym shorts and hoodie. Tying up her shoes, she grabbed her iPod and silently made her way down stairs and outside.
The sounds of Coldplay filled her ears as she started into a slow jog down the street. Being a dancer, she needs to keep her physique in perfect shape by doing as much exercise as necessary.
She loved going on morning jogs as it was a time when everyone was only just stirring and no one was around to interrupt her. She could be alone to with her thoughts and get the chance clear her mind.

An hour later, Hazel was jogging back up the familiar street that her home was on. Sweat had soaked her normally perfect hair and body, while her muscles ached slightly. By now, the twins would have woken up their mother and be demanding breakfast. That was the curse their mother had to bear – all of her children were early risers.

Hazel walked past the living room, throwing a quick ‘Good morning’ greeting at Josie and Harry, who were fighting over the TV remote, and headed straight for the kitchen. Her mum was sitting at the small round table, wearing her reading glasses and glancing through the newspaper while enjoying a hot cup of coffee. Still dressed in her sleepwear with her dressing gown over top, it was clear she’d just woken up. When she heard Hazel come in, she looked up and smiled.

“Morning honey” she greeted, “How was the jog?”

“Refreshing” Hazel replied, suddenly feeling a slightly tired. She got a glass of water and sat across from her mother.

“That’s good” her mother said “I’m planning on making pancakes for breakfast, why don’t you go up and have a shower, then help me make them”

“I’d love to” Hazel placed her glass in the sink, before climbing the stairs to take a nice warm shower. The water instantly calmed her as it ran down her bare body, washing away the smell of her morning exercise.

Returning to the kitchen, she found her mother flicking through pages of her family cook book. It comprised of recipes that had been passed down through the woman on her mother’s side. Each member added to the pages their own recipes t throughout the years, including Hazel and her mother with their famous pancakes.

Hazel grabbed out all the ingredients from the cupboards and placed them on the bench while her mum got out the bowl and various other utensils. Just as they were adding the first few ingredients, the sound of little feet filled the room as the twins came running into the kitchen screaming ‘pancakes!’

While the twins joined them in making breakfast, managing to get flour in their hair and on their faces, Hazel answered all her mother’s questions about her life and future. It was a great mother-daughter bonding time that they rarely got to experience.

As they all sat down at the table to enjoy their breakfast, there was a knock on the front door.

“We’re in the kitchen!” Hazel called out, sharing a look with her mother wondering who it could be. Garrett’s mother, Judy, entered the room shortly after.

“Morning Judy, coffee?” Her mother said, her and Judy had grown close just as their children had.
“That would be wonderful, thank you Claire”. She joined to family at the table, taking a seat next to Hazel. Clair placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of her, taking a sip before setting it back down on the round wooden table. “Hazel darling it’s been far too long, how are things?”

“Things are great” Hazel replied, the two of them grew into a conversation about what she’d been doing since she left Arizona, Julliard, even Garrett was brought up.

Since they were a very young age, Judy and even Hazel’s mother, believed that one day Garrett and Hazel would end up together. The pair did get on exceptionally well, even sharing a cute kiss, which had been captured by the lens of a camera, at the age of three. But even though they were such good friends, Hazel and Garrett could never be in a relationship, both of them knew that.

“I actually came here with a purpose” Judy announced, “This year, instead of the usual family dinner at Thanksgiving, I’m going to throw a big dinner for friends and family and I came over here to know if you would all like to come”

“I think that would be lovely” Claire smiled “It definitely saves me from cooking, but let me know if you need help at all, I’ll come over early to help out”

“Thank you” Judy said. “I best be off now, I have a lot of shopping to do”.

Claire escorted Judy out the door, talking of various recipes that might be usual for the dinner and just catching up like old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years. With a small hug, Judy left with the promise that she would send Garrett over to visit for often.

Hazel returned upstairs to retrieve the book she was currently reading. Placing herself on the back veranda, she soaked up the sun while swinging slightly on the two seater swing hung from the ceiling above. There was one other thing that Hazel loved to do just as much as dancing, and that was reading.

Hazel’s Sunday ended up being uneventful but relaxing nonetheless. She spent the remainder of it outside with Harry and Josie, watching them play their little games they’d learnt from other kids at school, and occasionally joining in. Despite being an only child for so long, she adored her little brother and sister and couldn’t imagine life without them. Once the day started coming to an end, Hazel helped her mother with dinner and put the twins to bed, before turning in for the night herself.
She thought about her last two weeks in Arizona and drifted off to sleep with a certain green-eyed singer on her mind.