Blood Lines

After some careful thought almost a week, I finally got the nerve to tell Val about the college more and how long I could be gone if I'm accepted. Next week I should be getting some kind of news but everytime I go to the mailbox there's nothing in there for me except bills or something. I have arranged with Matt and Val that if they pay my bills, that I would pay them back right when I get the money. The accepted and I really didn't think they would but they said I'm like a daughter to them and Skylar looks up to me like a big sister. I've been trying to figure out some way of telling Skylar just as a precaution but nothing was coming to mind. It's like I was drawing a complete blank and it angered me. I finished cleaning up the kitchen and living room as Sky watched TV. I think the only way I'll be able to figure something out to tell Skylar if I have to leave...I need to visit my mother's grave. Since Val and Matt are both out of the house today and it's only me and him...I don't think it would do any harm.

"Sky?" I said and he looked over at me.

"How would you like to go and meet someone very special to me?" I asked sitting down beside him.

"Yeah!"

"Go put your shoes on for me please." I said and he got up and ran up the stairs. I went over to the door and slipped on my converse and grabbed my keys. Skylar came down and over to me and we left the house and got into my car. He buckled himself in and I started the car.

"First we need to stop by somewhere." He nodded and I headed to a flower shop. I parked in front of the little shop and told Sky to stay in the car and wait. I got out and went into the shop and bought 2 dozens of red roses. I left the shop and got back into the car letting Sky hold the flowers. I drove down the road a little bit of a ways and pulled through the rustic looking metal gates. I parked the car a few feet away from the gravesite of my mother and unbuckled my seatbelt. I took the flowers from Sky and got out as he did and we slowly walked towards her grave.

"Here." I said handing a dozen of the roses.

"What are these for?"

"You'll see shortly." I said as we got closer to the grave. He nodded and we stood next to the gravestone. I placed my flowers on the top of the headstone and backed away.

"This is my mother Skylar."

"Your mother died?" he asked looking up at me.

"Yes. It was 4 years ago today that the car accident happened."

"I'm sorry about your mom." He said as he placed the roses in front of the stone.

"Thank you Sky. She was a wonderful woman and I would have given everything I own to have her back."

"I don't know what I would if I lost my mom." he said looking down.

"Don't worry Skylar. You'll never lose her or your father. Matter of fact none of your uncles will leave you."

"What about you?" He asked looking up at me. I bent down to him and placed my hands on his shoulders.

"I can't be around forever. One day I'll be gone but then I'll come back."

"I hope you will. You're my sister." He said and he wrapped his arms around my neck. I picked him up and walked back to the car. I placed him in and I got into the driver's seat and pulled away. I exited out the same Iron gates and got out onto the road. I drove to my house and got out my mail from the mailbox before heading back to Matt and Val's home. We got out and went into the house where I began cooking something for dinner while Sky went back to watching TV.

I sat down as the pasta dish began to cook and decided to go through my mail. I pulled on one bill after another until I got to the end. I quickly opened the MMI envelope and began to read.

Dear Roxy Burns,

We recieved your application to enroll at the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute and to take the course of Motorcycle Electrian. We are proud to say that you have been accepted and we would like you to come to Phoenix, Arizona on the date give below to be give a tour of the campus and then you will be offically starting your first class the next day. I hope to see you in my office on that day.

Sincerely yours,

The Director of Motorcycle Mechanics Institute.

Tour Date: June 14, 2012

I wanted to shout so loud but I think I'll keep this excitement under. I looked at the date and seen I would have to leave in 2 days so I would have to tell Val tonight when she got home. I finished up the dinner keeping the paper in my pocket so no one would stumble upon it. I fixed the table just as someone came through the door and I could hear Skylar yelling happily for his mother. Val came into the kitchen with Skylar just as I put the food down on the table.

"This looks really good Roxy."

"Thank you Val. When will Matt be home?" I asked getting out 3 glasses from the cabinet.

"Him and the guys should be here in a matter of minutes."

"Oh good. I have to talk to all of you about something important." I said looking down that way she would be suspicious.

"Has something happened?"

"No...I just need to talk with all of you while you're together." I said pouring both Val and I some tea and filling up a small glass of tea for Skylar.

"Alright. Is everything done?"

"Yes you can eat. I'll set out more plates." I said grabbing more from the cabinet and setting the table as I heard multiple doors slamming shut. I grabbed some beers from the fridge and placed the around the table at the plates. The guys filed into the room adn sat around the table and we began to eat. After several plates and different rounds of comments on how good the food was, everyone was finished. I cleaned up the dishes and I asked Val to keep the guys plus Skylar into the living room. When I finished washing the dishes and putting them away, I walked into the living room.

"What's going on Roxy? Val told us you have something to talk to us about."

"I do Matt. I got a letter in the mail today." I said pulling the letting out of my pocket.

"What's going on? Who's the letter from?"

"Several weeks ago I applied to the MMI school in Arizona about taking the course on being a Motorcycle Electrician. Today I got a letter telling me that I've been accepted." I said smiling at my last sentence.

"You did!"

"Yes." I said still smiling.

"That's wonderful! When do you start?"

"I bet it's in the fall." Jimmy said smiling like a madman.

"I go for a tour in 2 days and then start the next day."

"You're leaving this soon?" Matt said standing up.

"Yes. I thought it would be a longer time than this but I was wrong."

"We'll support you every step of the way." Brian said smiling and nodding his head.

"Thank you and I have to say, I know I've only known all of you for a very short time but you all feel like my family."

"You are our family Roxy." Zacky said getting to his feet and coming over to me and giving my a huge hug. I smiled and hugged him back and before I knew it everyone was over and hugging the living shit out of me. I couldn't help but laugh. The rest of the night was spent sitting around the TV and just watching a bunch of movies. Jimmy said he was throwing me a party tomorrow since I am leaving the next day after that. I told Val I was going home and I would see her tomorrow with my bags packed and ready to leave.

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I've been here at Matt's house all day and it's just about time for them to get here. I explained to Skylar all day that I'm going on a little trip but I'll be back in no time at all. He did cry for a little while but soon enough he calmed down and we played outside together. The guys got home and Matt started cooking the food out on the grill and I tried to help Val but she said this is my day and I needed to spend as much time with Skylar as possible and I wasn't going to object. He is the cutest little thing ever. I sure will miss him. I will certainly miss Jimmy and his crazy antics and Brian for being there for me when I needed to talk. Val is the greatest and so is Matt. Zacky is such a good friend to me and so is Johnny. I'll making fun of that short shit.

The guys sat around in the house after we ate drinking and watching Movies as Val put Sky to bed. All the guys were pretty hammered by the time the move came to the end and I helped Val lug all the guys to guest rooms. Val let me use the shower so I wouldn't have to take one in the morning and when I laid down, it didn't take long for me to be asleep.

I woke up to my phone vibrating on the table next to the bed and I quickly shut it off. I went into the bathroom and splashed my face with water waking me up. I exited the bathroom after wiping the water out of my eyes and I got dressed. I fixed my hair so it would look decent and left my room quietly. I walked down the hallway and quietly opened Skylar's bedroom door. I went in leaving the door open and went over to him and kissed his forehead.

"I'll miss you little man." I whispered before leaving his room and shutting the door quietly. I walked down the stairs and grabbed my keys from the counter in the kitchen before leaving the house. I got to my car and looked back at the house.

"I'll miss you all." I said out loud and I got into my car and dacked out of the driveway and headed on my way to Arizona.