GRACE ☾ G.BLYTHE

20|The law is wrong

『 20| The law is wrong 』 ➳
❝ Where will I live? ❞

Together with Anne and Olivia, I rush to the wood house that we share with a couple of friends. I know for sure that Cole is going to be there, because where else would he go. He can't go home yet, because his parents would know that he isn't in class. And he can't go anywhere else because he has got nowhere else to go.

I go through the blanket door and say, "we came as soon as we were dismissed." I hold the blank wide open for the others to come through. "Not that anyone did any schoolwork after you left." We all take a seat next to Cole, who is making a small clay statue.

"Mr Phillips shut himself away in the supply room. He wouldn't even open the door to Prissy." Anne says, as she takes off her gloves. I take off my woolen hat, so does Olivia. "I'm never going back." Cole looks at us with a serious face and we don't say anything.

"Why do you think Mr Phillips hates you so much?" Olivia asks quietly to break the silence. I never really thought about that. He always seemed to dislike Cole but I couldn't think of a reason why. Cole is a quiet boy who never did anything wrong beside giving a wrong answer to a question in class, but everybody does that.

Cole looks holds eye contact with us while he explains, "he wanted to hurt me today, because he couldn't punish himself. For being like me." Like him? I don't get what he means and when I look to the other girls I see they don't get it either. We send him a vage questioning look and he starts to explain.

"I'm... the same as Josephine Barry. The same as you." He says you to Olivia and I start to get it. But when Anne says, "but with boys", it fully clicks. I stand up, take the seat next to him, put my ar around him and say, "thank you for sharing that with us." He smiles and a small tear rolls down his cheek. Olivia om the other hand sits with tears in her eyes, ready to let them all roll down.

"I think Mr Phillips is too, but he doesn't want to be." Cole tells us. "So he is marrying Prissy..." Anne concludes and Cole nods in agreement. "Life is very complicated. Then again, it's very simple. Love who you love and be with them." Olivia takes a deep breath and walks outside. I can see her standing against the wall on the other side of the house and I walk to the door.

"It's against the law to be like me." I scoff and say, "the law is wrong," before I walk outside to Olivia. I lean against the wall next to her and we listen to Anne, "I've just had the most brilliant idea. If the time comes and we haven't found our kindred spirits, I propose that we propose to each other. You'll be an artist, in all the ways of your choosing, and I'll be... I'll be something that thrills me, too."

Olivia's head turns to me and I see that she still has tears in her eyes. "I miss her." She says, and her voice cracks. I take her in my arms and stroke her head, "I know." I let her sob on my shoulders for some time and when she is done, I wipe her tears away. "It's gonna be alright." I tell her, and I mean it.

➳

"I'm home!" I yell, when I step into the house. I walk into the living room and I see Kyle folding laundry. "You're late," is all he says. I put my schoolbooks on the table and say, "I know, I know. I'm sorry. Where's Adam?" I take a seat on the couch but Kyle tells me not to. When I stand up and see that I was sitting on some laundry. "He is in the kitchen making dinner."

I thank Kyle and walk over to the kitchen. "How was work?" I ask Adam, who is putting the kettle on the stove. Before he says anything, he points at the potatoes as a sign that I have to slice them. "I didn't work today." I look at him with a confused look. "I went to Charlottetown to get some forms." I take a potato knife and carefully start slicing. "What kind of forms?"

"Application forms to the university of Toronto." All I know about that university, is that it's far far away. Is the application for him? For Kyle? Maybe for me? "I decided that I want to go to college. Get my mind off things and after that, get a good job." I shake my head in confusion, "but who is going to run the family flower business?"

"Uhm... I'm going to sell it. To somebody who will give a good price for it so that you have a starter on your college fund." My college fund? I already have that. I am already settled and I know where I want to go. What does he mean. "The university of Toronto is very expensive and I also have to get schoolbooks. And I didn't have a college fund, because mom and dad wanted me to take over the family business. So what I think is fair, is that I take yours."

"I take yours, and you can starts your own with some of the business's money." I am completely speechless and also mad. How dare he take away my future. He wanted to take over the family business, so he didn't get a college fund. He has worked for a couple years, can't he spend the money he got from that on college?

"And don't worry. Our flower business is very very popular on the market for some reason, and we can get the same amount of money as your college fund for it." That makes it a little better, but I'm still kind of speechless. "Where will I live?" I ask. With Adam as my guardian and him going away, I don't have anybody else. Who will take care of me? I can't live by myself yet.

"I am still looking for a solution to that, but it will all be alright, Grace, I promise." He takes the knife out of my hand and pulls me into a hug. I start to sob in his arms. What will I do without my brother. I need him in my life. I need my Adam.

We stand there for a while. Him holding me, while I cry my eyes out. His shirt wet from my tears, and he strokes my hair softly. I can't believe my brother is going to leave me.