What's eating you?

Chapter 23

* Jacky's POV*

I couldn't tell how long we had been driving, but it seemed like a eternity. My legs ached from being cramped in the middle of a smelly old rust bucket for a truck, and  my stomach twisted in painful knots with each agonizing mile we grew closer to the new house. I tried to sleep half of the time, but every time I tried, my mind would drift into unpleasant thoughts about Jaz or end smashing into the dash board in front of me, because I would end up leaning too far forward, trying to sleep the ride away.

"Only a few more exits!" My mother gripped the steering wheel tighter as a bright smile crossed her face. I clenched my fingers in to a tight fist and exhaled a long slow breath. It's going to be alright, I repeated to myself. Jaz was going to to help, and I'm going to get better, and everything would slowly start to fall back into place.

I glanced out the side window and sucked in a hard breath. Rolling hills, replaced sprawling neighborhoods. Quiet back roads, replaced the traffic filled streets I had grown up with. " Are we living on a farm?" I turn to face my father and he gave me a tight smile.

"No, but it's pretty close too it. We'll be live in Shay Brook, it's a little town. Pretty peaceful if you ask me." My mother turned off the highway, gave a burst of laughter. 

"We are finally here!" We bounced down the road for, what seemed longer than ten minutes, when finally mom pulled into a dirt drive way.

I stared out the wind shield, gawking at the beautiful looming log house before me. The roof was arched at a perfect angle that gave the house the perfect cabin feeling, just what my mom always dreamt of.

"Wow." Was all I could say.

"I know! Wait to get inside, and Jacky me and your father have a surprise for you, come on!" My mom tugged on my arm like a eager child.

She pushed open the light oak wood door. It swung openly slowly revealing a beautiful entrance. Two spiral staircase set on either side of a wooden banister, framed the foyer like two large arms. My mouth hung open as my eyes jumped from wall to wall. The house may have been empty and bare, but something about it gave it a a calming presence.

"Come on Jacky, you haven't even seen the best part of the house." My mom wrapped her arm around my waist and lead me through a long hallway.

"This is your studio." My mother gently grasped the small brass knob in her hand and pushed the door open. 

It felt as if my heart flew right out of my chest. Art easels  sat against the cream color walls, pain sat perfectly on the large mahogany desk. I slowly entered the room, letting everything about this room sink in. I ran my fingers across the desk and felt the cold smoothness of the wood. I turned to look back at my mother when two large mirrors caught my eyes. They where like something you would see in a ballet studio. The mirror covered the whole back wall, from floor to ceiling. 

"Your father wants to take those down, but to do that we would have to take out the whole wall, and that's gonna cost a lot of money, we really don't have right now." My mother cupped my hands gently and stared at the two reflection in the mirror. " But we'll figure it out some how."

I was quiet for a moment and gave a gentle smile. " I'll be okay. Besides, I have so much drawing and painting to do, I won't even be paying any attention too those stupid things." Something glinted behind my mother's eyes, I couldn't tell if it was fear, or trust. Maybe it was just a mix of both.

" I would still feel better once you start to hanging your painting up over them." My mother placed her hand on the mirror and slowly dragged it away.