Living Again

Living Again~ Thirty-Three

CHAPTER 33

 "Let's go swimming! I'm tired of staying indoors!" complained my cousin Leah.

I looked over at Carey and she shrugged so I announced to all the other cousins, "Everyone get your swimsuits, we're playing Water Polo!"

Immediately  the room went noisy. I laughed as I saw all my cousins rushing to get to the pool first and already picking teams. There were nine of us. I was around the same age with Carey, Leah, Jamie (Leah's sister) and Anthony (Leah's brother and the only male cousin I had). I was actually the oldest amongst all of us but Carey was just two months younger. The rest of them were between the ages of 7 and 10. We all got along pretty well, except for the occasional arguements. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon playing Water Polo, it was SO much fun. We organised the teams so that the little kids and Anthony were in one team and us older girls were in the other. Both the teams won a couple of games so in the end there were no hard feelings. Though I swear we won more games than them. But I'm not gonna ruin the peace. 

After that we just laid on the side of the pool, relaxing in the warm weather and chatting about pointless things. I missed times like this. Times when in that one moment, everything is just the way it was before my life got messed up. They say change is the only constant in life, but I think too much change can cause a person to go crazy. Because if each day was different, people would go insane trying to get used to all the changes. So everyone need that one thing, or one person, which doesn't change. Everyone needs their own constant in life, because without it, life would have no meaning. Before the accident, my 'constant' in life was Sundays. Sundays were family days which I spent with my parents and grandma, or with my cousins. No matter what I do on any other days of the week, I had to keep my Sundays free. Though I got frustrated sometimes because I couldn't hang out with my friends on that day, I see now why my parents were strict about 'family' day. I never realised how much I missed it until now, sitting here with my cousins. Like old times, which I will never forget. Because right now, right in this moment, we were creating memories. People change, life throws you over and you lose faith, but memories are the one thing remain the same.

"What are you thinking about?" Carrie nudged my shoulder lightly. 

"Life."

"I see, what about it?" 

I knew she wouldn't give up until she got an anwer out of me so I simply said, "We can never take it for granted."

She nodded slightly but didn't say anything after that. I smiled a little, glad she understood that I didn't want to discuss it. Then I laid back on the beach-style sunbeds at the side of the pool. I put my sunglasses on and let my mind go blank, just listening to the little kids playing in the pool, their voices growing distant as I drifted off. Life was good.

"Marissa, have you packed your bags yet? We're leaving in an hour!" Aunt Claire's voice boomed down the hallway.

"I'm packing now!" I replied back.

It seems like the weekend had passed by so fast, but I knew I wouldn't forget it. And heck yeah, I was coming back. Every Sunday, just like old times. I randomly threw my clothes in my small bag, then began struggling to fit everything in so I can zip it up. 

A croaky voice distracted me, "Marissa, you never were the neat kind were you? Did you even fold the clothes before trying to stuff them in?"

I shook my head at Grandma, grinning slightly. She knew me all too well. She sighed, shaking her head playfully, "Here, just give it to me."

I watched as Grandma sat on the edge of the bed and slowly took all my clothes out, folded them neatly and placed them back in, zipping the bag up easily. I bit my lip, feeling stupid for wasting so much time trying to zip it up when I could have just done what she did.