Status: In chapters
Goode Parenting
Staying In Jersey
“So, what do you do?” The teenager asked.
“I run a school in New York. Lotus Academy.” Vivian replied, disappointingly watching the girl wipe her mouth on her hand.
“Never heard of it,” the girl said. “Is it special?”
“It’s a prep school if that’s what you’re asking.” Vivian answered.
“Would I have to go there if I lived with you?” Henny asked. Vivian scanned her bright pink hair and the belly shirt and parachute pants the teen wore. She looked like a Halloween costume to her aunt.
“There’s a public high school next to my apartment building. You’d most likely go there to finish your schooling.” Vivian replied diplomatically. She wouldn’t dare tell her stranger of a niece that she would never be admitted into Lotus Prep because of her appearance. She figured it wouldn’t start them off on the best terms.
“That’s the problem I have with living somewhere else,” Henny said. “I’m almost a senior in high school. What sense does it make leaving everything I have here to go to another school and graduate?”
“Your classes would transfer over fine, I see no problem in—“
“Me losing all my friends? And my spot as Captain on the basketball team? Yeah, no thanks.”
Vivian thought the idea over. It did seem silly.
“You’re only 16 though. You can’t stay here by yourself.” She thought out loud.
“I’ll stay with Lily,” Henny said. Vivian shot her a confused stare. “She’s my best friend. Her parents wouldn’t mind me staying there until we finish school. I stay there half the time anyway.”
For a moment, Vivian’s selfish bachelorette side came out.
“And they would let you stay with them?”
“Of course.”
“I could pay them each month for—“, Vivian stopped. “No, you’re my responsibility. I’m family.”
Henny snorted. “I’m not going to New York.”
“I’m not saying that.”
“Then what are you saying?” Henny asked, confused.
Vivian took a deep breath and contemplated the next words out of her mouth. She was taking a huge risk.
“I’m going to stay here with you…until you graduate.” She said.
“What?” Henny asked, still confused.
“I’m going to stay here with you.” Vivian replied.
Vivian was unsure of her decision. Of course she wanted to look after her niece. It’s what Ginger’s will surprisingly said, but to leave Manhattan and the life she had built for herself? That was risky. Very risky.
“Are you sure about that?” Henny asked in disbelief.
Vivian mulled it over. She had saved enough money to take a four year vacation much less one and with allowing for summer vacation and Christmas break and spring break it was less than one year to spend in New Jersey. The school would get a new headmaster in her absence and would manage just fine. She could keep her loft and on weekends maybe go back to visit New York. It would be easily doable. But it would be incredibly selfless. Was she that selfless?
“I’m sure,” Vivian said. “It’s already been decided. Where do I sleep?”
“I run a school in New York. Lotus Academy.” Vivian replied, disappointingly watching the girl wipe her mouth on her hand.
“Never heard of it,” the girl said. “Is it special?”
“It’s a prep school if that’s what you’re asking.” Vivian answered.
“Would I have to go there if I lived with you?” Henny asked. Vivian scanned her bright pink hair and the belly shirt and parachute pants the teen wore. She looked like a Halloween costume to her aunt.
“There’s a public high school next to my apartment building. You’d most likely go there to finish your schooling.” Vivian replied diplomatically. She wouldn’t dare tell her stranger of a niece that she would never be admitted into Lotus Prep because of her appearance. She figured it wouldn’t start them off on the best terms.
“That’s the problem I have with living somewhere else,” Henny said. “I’m almost a senior in high school. What sense does it make leaving everything I have here to go to another school and graduate?”
“Your classes would transfer over fine, I see no problem in—“
“Me losing all my friends? And my spot as Captain on the basketball team? Yeah, no thanks.”
Vivian thought the idea over. It did seem silly.
“You’re only 16 though. You can’t stay here by yourself.” She thought out loud.
“I’ll stay with Lily,” Henny said. Vivian shot her a confused stare. “She’s my best friend. Her parents wouldn’t mind me staying there until we finish school. I stay there half the time anyway.”
For a moment, Vivian’s selfish bachelorette side came out.
“And they would let you stay with them?”
“Of course.”
“I could pay them each month for—“, Vivian stopped. “No, you’re my responsibility. I’m family.”
Henny snorted. “I’m not going to New York.”
“I’m not saying that.”
“Then what are you saying?” Henny asked, confused.
Vivian took a deep breath and contemplated the next words out of her mouth. She was taking a huge risk.
“I’m going to stay here with you…until you graduate.” She said.
“What?” Henny asked, still confused.
“I’m going to stay here with you.” Vivian replied.
Vivian was unsure of her decision. Of course she wanted to look after her niece. It’s what Ginger’s will surprisingly said, but to leave Manhattan and the life she had built for herself? That was risky. Very risky.
“Are you sure about that?” Henny asked in disbelief.
Vivian mulled it over. She had saved enough money to take a four year vacation much less one and with allowing for summer vacation and Christmas break and spring break it was less than one year to spend in New Jersey. The school would get a new headmaster in her absence and would manage just fine. She could keep her loft and on weekends maybe go back to visit New York. It would be easily doable. But it would be incredibly selfless. Was she that selfless?
“I’m sure,” Vivian said. “It’s already been decided. Where do I sleep?”