Summer of 13 | Teen Ink

Summer of 13

September 21, 2017
By jimenezaj BRONZE, Cadiz, Kentucky
jimenezaj BRONZE, Cadiz, Kentucky
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

The trees shifted in as the light winds charged between the tiny thin branches. Kids running and playing tag on the porch of her old, white and grey house. Tiny pink petals fall upon ther hair as they walked up to the crowded bank of the pond. Walking up nervously not knowing what was going to be done or said. She sees a single tiny tear fall upon her mother's cheek. So much sadness that you could feel it in the air. She knew the news wasn't going be good but she wasn't expecting what was going to come out of her mother's mouth when she walked up. A day that she'd never forget and a day that changed her for the better. People take a lot of things for granted sometimes especially family. Anna was one of those people that didn't really care to spend time with her family until the morning of July 11th.
The summer of 13 was the summer everything changed for Anna. Every summer shed go to her mother's. She was kind of nervous that summer because she didn't see them for a year so she didn't know what to suspect. She wondered if her mother was still as tired looking or if she still had long brown curly hair and if she still smelt of smoke. She had skipped last summer so she could hang with some friends. Her mother was very disappointed in her because she only saw her sometimes on holidays if she was lucky and school breaks.The whole way to her mother's house, her and her brother were dancing to the latest hits on the radio, a mixture of pop, country, and some mariachi for her father. She looked out the window and saw many people walking up and down the sidewalks downtown and into the court house, restaurants, and cute antique stores nearby. She started to think of how much shes missed this place and all the nice folks in it. Anxiety, excitement, and nervousness filled her entire body as they were getting closer and closer to the house. They pull up into the wide gravel road. As she was getting out of the car she could here the playful laughter of three little brown and black headed girls, one with straight hair, one with tangled messy hair, and another with curly. All jumping for joy and excitement. The front door swings open and they all run out like a herd of gazelles. ¨You came! You came!¨ They shouted with the biggest brightest smiles she'd ever seen. The next couple of days flew by with lots of playing and running in the yard, coloring, fishing, and more. It was June 8th, they all were in the house playing around, and watching Spongebob on tv. They heard a truck pull up into the driveway. The engine roaring as loud as a lion, and the truck black as cole. She instantly knew that it was her grandfather. All the kids ran to the door in such excitement. The door of the truck opened and a 6ft tall man with bright grey hair, and ocean blue eyes got out carrying a bunch of happy meal boxes. He came onto the porch and Anna gave him to most warm and tightest hug ever. He asked her how everything was going for Anna, her brother, and her dad, but something didn't seem right to Anna. Her grandfather wasn't acting like himself. He was trying to act right but Anna and her mother knew something was wrong with him. A couple of hours pass by, there all smiling, playing around, and having a good time on the porch but it was time for there grandfather to go home. Anna's mother tried to make him stay and spend the night. She didn't want him to get in a wreck because he wasn't feeling well but he declined he said he'd better get home. He started up his truck, backed out, and went his way. Mother went into the house and called my aunt they talked on and on about how hard headed there dad was. The next morning Anna woke up to the smell of scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and soft warm biscuits. The smell was great to Anna but the taste was even better. After breakfast her mother was cleaning up when the phone started to ring. It was her aunt Christy, she called to tell them that Anna's grandfather had been rushed to the hospital this morning. Her aunt Katrina had found him unconscious in his apartment. Anna didn't hear anything but she could tell by her mother's face that it wasn't good. After the phone call her mother got up from the chair went to her room and began to get ready. She was going to the hospital. Anna insisted in going but her mother said no. Sadness filled her whole body. She prayed that nothing bad would happen to her papaw. She couldn't even sleep that night she wanted to wait on her mother to ask how he was doing but her mother wasn't coming home. Her tired eyes couldn't stay open any longer and soon she drifted into a deep sleep. Morning came, her eyes slowly opened she looked out the window to see if her mother's car was in the driveway but it was gone. Later that day around one o'clock, her mother came back but it was only to change her clothes and then she left again. They were all outside watching as she backed up out of the driveway. Anna looked up at the sky and all she could think was Please God don't take my papaw. The sky that was once sunny was now pure dark. Her mother came back that night and brung her cousins and aunts. They talked about all the memories they had of there dad, and we kids talked about all the memories of our beloved grandfather. Anna's mother had told her that the doctors said he'd get out soon. Her frown turned into the biggest, brightest smile. The night had ended and Anna decided to got spend the night with her aunt and cousins. Once they got to there house they stayed up a little talking and watching movies soon they all feel asleep. The sun beamed through the hot pink curtains kissing her light tanned cheeks telling her it was morning. She got up ate a bowl of cereal, got dressed, and they headed to her mother's house. Once they were turning into the driveway she sees many cars parked. She sees lots of people crowded around her favorite spot where her and her grandfather would stand to fish. Curiosity filled her body. What happened? Why are they all here? Is everything okay? Are all the questions going through her head. It was that moment when she realized that she shouldn't of taken her family for granted. The word coming out of her mother's mouth pierced at her like a knife. ¨Anna your papaw Roger passed away this morning.¨ Those eight words kept replaying in her head. She didn't want to believe it. She tried so hard to not believe it but she lost her best friend the only person that really cared for her, the only one that could actually make her smile. He was gone and she could do nothing. Tears started falling from her eyes slowly but then they became like the Iguazu falls. The wind blew onto her cheeks drying her tears. Her heart felt like it was in two. So much pain filled her. She went up to hug her mother, crying into her shirt. She never got to say goodbye or tell him how much she loved him, that hurt her the most of all. He had died at 3:42 a.m while they were sleeping. The next couple of weeks went by not one single drop of happiness was in her mother's house. Her grandfather's death had drained them from that. Soon It was his funeral, getting ready was painful for her. Before the funeral her father and brother drove by to drop of her dress. Her brother wasn't staying for the funeral he had told her that he didn't want to see him lying in a casket. ¨ I don't want my last memory of papaw roger to be him dead.¨ her brother said. ¨I don't blame you but you'll never get to see him again you know that right.¨ said Anna. A couple of hours later they got into the car and headed to the funeral home. Anna took a deep breath to ready herself. They walked into the funeral home and went up to the casket. She saw him lying the closed eyes and pale skin. He looked so peaceful. She placed the palm of her hand on his cheek. It was as cold as a winter's morning and his skin was as hard as a rock. A single tear dropped from her eye and then another. She leaned down and placed a single kiss upon his forehead. The service was depressing and all she did through the whole service was watch the casket. It was if she was waiting for him to get up from a deep sleep but in the back of her mind she knew that would never happen. Tomorrow would be even harder for her. The next day it was time for them to go and bury him. They meet at the home and followed the black Hearse all the way to the cemetery. Not only were the people crying but the sky was too. What was once bright and sunny was now grey and dull. We pulled up and there was a tent set up and under the tent were chairs and his casket. On top of his casket were beautiful red, pink, and white roses. That was his favorite type of flower. Before they lowered him into the ground the family members each took one rose. Anna took a red one because that was the color he loved the most. Anna still has the pedals of the rose today hid inside a book. She takes them out every once in awhile just to refresh her memory and remember him.
¨It's been 5 years, do you still remember him?¨
¨How could I forget. I still hear his voice, I still smell the scent of sawdust and cigars, I still see his bright grey hair and his paint stained shirts. I don't think i'll ever forget him.¨


The author's comments:

I hope that you learn to love your fmaily and to spend as much time as possible with them because you never know how much time you or they have left on this earth. They could be here one day and gone the next. Cherish every second, day, year, or moment you have with them.


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