A Change in the Tide

Elizabeth Hammon awoke to her father and mother fighting over who knows what. She turned her groggy head towards her alarm clock to see what time it was. She pushed her blonde hair out of her face and looked at the time that read 2:48 A.M on a hot, humid soon to be Saturday morning. Elizabeth thought to herself;

What must they be arguing about now at this time of night? They both have work in the morning so it can't be anything to severe. Unless my Uncle got caught again. 

My Uncle Nick was a man that had done various misdeeds against the law. He may be skawny, tall and balding, but he could pack a punch and had connections in places that kept him away from trouble. Lately his luck had been running out he owed so many people money he was always on the run.

I snuck out of my typical, messy teenager room to see what her parents were arguing about now.

"Your brother has cost us everything!" yelled my mother, "He owes everyone money and now thanks to him Elizabeth is going to have to move with my sister in Gerogia!" 

"I can't control my brother, he's an adult and so am I we both have different priorities for ourselves and for me that happens to be my family, you and Lizzie!" yelled my father.

My father sighed and said; "Maybe it is best that she goes lives with your sister for awhile until Nick gets caught or until things get better for us."

He walked over to my mother and hugged her while she started to cry in his arms as her legs gave away and he held her up comforting her. 

My father was thrity-five but he was a big man but not heavy-set. He had stubs on his face from his forming beard, and his blue eyes that always looked exhausted lately. His hair was curly but not bad it was short enough to where it looked decent and presentable. He always wore a shirt tucked in his jeans with working boots either on or slipped off. His pride and joy was, me, his daughter Elizabeth but he always called me Lizzie since she was little.

My mother was only thirty-two but she looked in her forties due to stress. Her brown eyes looked tired, but mostly sad because of all the events going on lately. She always wore sweatpants and a lose collar shirt when she was at home, but when she left she wore jeans and a casual shirt with her brown, graying hair up in a ponytail. 

I turned from the scene of her parents holding each other and tearing up because of me. I went back to her room and layed in my bed thinking the rest of the night.

I can't believe I have to go live with my Aunt just because my Uncle Nick is in such a big mess right now. The only good think about moving is I'll be closer to my best friend Hannah but I haven't talked to her in so long I don't know if she remembers me. In a way I'm happy I can finally have some alone time to myself and relax, but I'm also afraid for my parents cause of Uncle Nick.

 A knock on my door breaks me from my trance and I turn to see my mother standing at the door.

"Elizabeth we need to talk, sweetie." she says as her voice still alil scratchy from yelling and crying.

"What is it, mom?" I ask already knowing its about me moving.

"Honey, I called your Aunt Marie and told her you're going to be staying with her for awhile." she says as she looks away tears swelling in her eyes again.

"Oh, ok," I say pausing for a minute and asking; "When do I leave?"

"Tomorrow afternoon, your father will drive you since I work in the afternoon." she says as she looks at the ground going into a trance and then snaps out of it.

"Get some rest honey, I'll wake you in the morning for breakfast." she says as she closes my door shut without saying goodnight.

I lay their thinking about tomorrow,but know I should get some rest for tomorrow will be a big day. So I soon allow the depths of darkness consume me and allow me to go to sleep.