A Walk Down Memory Lane

Chapter 9 - Reminiscing

Clad in an over-sized grey sweater and her go-to pair of black skinny jeans, Raven walked over to the door and absentmindedly knocked thrice. Wrapping her arms around herself, she turned around to take in her surroundings; a white Honda parked in the driveway, fresh mowed lawn, birds chirping, a chilly morning... an eerie quite. She turned back around to knock at the door again only to see the door opening, a sleepy Mrs Miller in the doorway.

"Raven? Honey, is everything okay?"
"Yes Mrs Em. Is Tuck home?" An odd question to ask, considering how early in the day it was. 
"He's in his room," she opened the door and moved out of the way to let Raven in, "but I'm not sure he's up yet."
"That's alright. I'll wait, if that's okay?" She made her way into the all too familiar TV lounge and planted herself on the couch.
"Would you like me to get you something to eat? Drink?" Mrs Miller, still dazed and sleepy, asked Raven. 
"No thanks, Mrs Em. You can go back to bed. Sorry for coming in so early. I just... I'll wait here till he wakes up, if that's okay?" said Raven, as she untied the laces, slipped off her converse and settled into the couch. 
"Sure honey, make yourself comfortable." 
"Thank you Mrs Em."
"You're welcome, dear."

Mrs Miller yawned herself back to her bedroom. As soon as she heard the door click into place, Raven let out a sigh and relaxed. I have to see him. Why won't he talk to me? I need to see him. I'll make him talk to me. We can't just end like this. She rested her head on the cushion and closed her eyes. No. It can't end like this. It can't end at all. She forced herself to stay awake but jolts of sleep kept coming at her from every side. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep.

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"Wake up sleepy head! Wake up!" 
A distant voice was ringing in Raven's ears. She ignored it, covered her ears with her pillow and tried to lull herself back to sleep. But the voices wouldn't stop. 

"Ugh! Leave me be!"

"Wake up! We're having pancakes for breakfast!"
And that was all it took to shake Raven out of her sleepy reverie and jump out of bed.

"Pancakes? Yes please!"

Kat giggled at her friend's obvious love for food and said:
"Well then get your butt downstairs. ASAP.  I doubt my sisters will leave anything for us if we take too long."

"Point taken." 

With that, Raven rushed herself to the bathroom to freshen up for the breakfast table. Within a matter of minutes, she was downstairs in the kitchen, joining the Strum sisters for breakfast. Between a mouthful, Raven seemed to remember something and asked, "Why aren't you guys in school?"

"Because it's a Saturday?" Kat's little sister, Lacy-Jo, replied questioningly. 

"Oh. I guess I've lost track of the days..." was what Raven said when she noticed the lack of parental supervision in the house and added "but then where are your parents?"

"Oh they had errands to run and left us at home." Was the reply she got from the eldest of the three Strum sisters, Jamie-Lynn. (Hyphenated names were a big thing in the Strum household.)

"Now that makes more sense." With that statement from Raven, the girls lost themselves amongst giggles and pancakes. 

**********

A couple of hours later, Kat and Raven were huddled together discussing prom dress ideas. 

"What color do you think I should go with? They haven't decided the theme yet but I don't really care. I just want to get my dress and get this over with." Kat's feigned eagerness made her friend laugh.