My name is Trinity Grant. My mother and I just moved to Michigan, from North Dakota. She got a job as a teacher. Why she couldn’t teach in North Dakota is beyond me, but it’s what she wanted.
“Besides, I’ve got that Aunt and Uncle who live in Allendale.” My mom had said moving her brown hair behind her ears.
“Yeah, the ones we never see or hear from.” I rolled my eyes and put my head phones back in. My dark brown hair with red highlights kept sliding back into my face.
“I wish you would listen to me for once instead of listening to your walkman.” She packed a few things into a box.
“Mom, it’s an ipod, not a walkman. The walkman died quite a few years back.” I put my earings in.
“Whatever, and it looks like you’re a pirate with that earring in the top of your ear.” She rolled her eyes and left the room.”
“Aaargh!” I gave a pirate sound after her.
“Keep packing, we leave in a week.” My mother just had to keep reminding me. I was about to leave all that I love behind. My friend Kristin, who dressed emo, only because I showed her. Then Blaine, who was her boyfriend since Freshman year. We had all become close. I finished packing a few things off my dresser, and watched some television. A week went by too quickly, between one last slumber party, and going out with the group often I was finished packing my room and put the last piece of tape on a box when my mother yelled it was time for dinner.
“Ok, I went to your favorite chinese place and got all the goodies!” She smiled and licked her lips, which were bare. Mom didn’t wear make up anymore. Always said that she had no reason anymore. Though, if you’re back in the dating game, why wouldn’t you wear it.
“I got some Orange Chicken, Lo Mein, Fried Rice, and Egg Rolls.” She dished them out onto some plates. Her wedding ring hitting the plate every now and then.
She still wears her wedding ring, even though it’s been twelve years since my father’s death. I was five when his plane was struck down in Africa after his missions trip there.
“Mom, why do you still wear your wedding ring? Men aren’t gonna know you’re available.” I smiled and nudged her. She laughed, and licked her thumb where some orange chicken sauce had gotten.
“I don’t know. I guess, I just feel like it’s the last thing to link me to your father. I just would hate to take it off.” She wiped her hands on her jeans that she was wearing, put the plates onto the table. Our house was getting really empty, the movers had loaded most of the stuff into the moving van yesterday. All we had left was the tv and the dining room table. I didn’t like seeing it so bare. I ate my food and put the dishes in the sink.
“Thanks mom, it was really good.” I got a glass of water and went upstairs. My mother and I weren’t all that close, but every now and then. We had talks. It was rare though.
“No problem.” She started the dishwasher and sat on the sofa to watch Jeopardy. I went upstairs. Though on the way up, I kept hearing. “Who is blah blah blah, or What is this and that.” My mom really gets into Jeopardy, she usually answers before the contestants, and she’s usually right. I laid in bed thinking about how my life was going to be very different starting tomorrow. I wasn’t quite ready yet, but I knew mom was ready to move on. Get out of this house. Start again.
The morning was hectic, between eating breakfast, and loading the rest of the stuff into the truck, I had no time for my friends. My mom was an organizer, she was instructing the men what to do every step of the way.
“Ok, make sure those boxes aren’t getting squished.” She put her hands on her hips, her Tshirt exclaiming Michigan is more than a mitten with a map on the front getting sweaty.
