A Summer To Remember

Chapter 17

I kept listening to my music as I thought about these memories and stories I have experienced. Like the story of my Mom who was a pro surfer and the day I found out David's Dad was dying from cancer. The last time I saw David's Dad alive was when we went over for Sofie's birthday. Sophie invited me, my brother, and my Dad. I remember, David's Dad had lost all his hair and was wearing a gray beenie, he was seated in a wheelchair and he was only wearing sweatpants and an over sized shirt. His face has gone pale and there was not one single hair on his body. He was red patches in some areas. I remember while there when we sat at the table for dinner, David's Dad was seated at the end where his wheelchair was seated. While we ate, David, Ted, and Sophie all helped out by cutting his food and making sure he was alright. Shortly before Sofie's birthday, like a month or two, David's Dad was dianosed with ALS. At this point he couldn't move and had trouble talking. He lost the use to move before Sofie's party, so at the party they had to help him eat and drink. That's what I liked about their family. They where always there for one another. But then eventually, the cancer took over, the ALS killed his bones, and he died. We all knew it was coming but we didn't want to believe it but it was hard knowing that it was true.

Sitting here in the barn, I kept remembering things but I eventually ended up falling asleep on the hay, which I don't know how I managed with all the hay needles poking me.

I don't know how long I was out for but I was awakened by my brother's voice calling from below.

"Emily, you in here!" Timmy called out.

I leaned my head over the railing where I saw him walking through the center of the barn looking left and right. "I'm up here!" I called back to him.

He saw me and climbed up the ladder and sat on the hay.

"I like what you've done to the place." Timmy joked as he looked around. I didn't do anything to the damn place. He just knows how to make me laugh sometimes when I needed it the most. That's what I loved about Timmy, we rarely fight anymore but when we do it's usually over something stupid like taking all the hot water in the shower or forgetting to put away clothes that where just lying around the house. Other times we bonded like this.

"Thank you for noticing." I joked back making us both laugh, nudging him in the side gently.

"I just wanted to tell you dinner's ready." Timmy said more serious.

"Thanks. How long have I been gone?"

"Almost five hours."

I sighed. "Well, I'm hungry. What'd Dad make?" I asked him as I got off the hay stack as my brother followed my lead.

"Some Italian dish. I think lasagna with garlic bread." He said as we walked down the ladder. When we got down he said "Italia!" And pecked his fingers to his lips like the Italian chefs do when they create a master piece dish.

The walk home took about twenty minutes, unlike when I came up here by horse, that only took ten minutes. But walking took longer.

When I got home, I could smell the Italian aroma of lasagna and garlic. One of the best things about being Italian is the food.

We sat at the table eating and just chatting. Timmy was making jokes that made us laugh. I love eating with my family.

"So, what do you want to do for graduation?" Dad asked me as he took a sip of his diet coke.

"I would love a party." I answered.

"A party?" Timmy said. "How many people, Em?" He then took a sip of his diet coke too.

"I don't know. It's still over a month away."