Chapter 5.8 - Parting Ways

 I woke up the next morning, changed, and had a cup of tea before leaving the house. I was excited to take a walk through town and hopefully get to know some of the locals.

 Down town was very nice and had the feel of an old town. I could tell everyone here loved animals as I saw lots of cats and dogs and even horses. There was even a fountain in the shape of a dog bone, very cute. I also noticed that there were a few places with Help Wanted signs and decided to start looking for a job when I got back home. We only had $30,000 left in my bank account and that would not last forever. It was left to me from our parents but I did not know why or how. Another thing for me to figure out.

 It didn't take me long to tend our garden when we got back home and when i was done I noticed Gloria was laying out in the sun again.

"I guess now is as good a time as any to talk to her about getting a job," I thought to myself as I washed my hands.

"Gloria," I said as I walked up to her,"I need to talk to you."

"Now what?" She said as she got up.

"Well, as I was walking through town I noticed a few Help Wanted signs," I began

"Wait, let me guess," She said interrupting me "You want me to find a job here?"

"yes, we both need to so we can pay our bills and anything else we want or need to buy."

Gloria began to laugh

"Yea, that is not going to happen so you can stop thinking about it. I'm not getting a job, especially here, you can do that. I'll just come to you for everything," She said with a smile.


"Okay, you know what," I said beginning to get very upset," You will be getting a job. You will NOT be sponging off of me and you will NOT be laying around the house all day anymore!"

Gloria suddenly glared at me and took a few steps closer to me.

"I am sick and tired of your bossy attitude Haley! You are not my mother and you better stop acting like it!"

"Gloria, you need to stop acting so childish. We only have each other now and we need to make it work."

"No, I refuse to and I am moving back to Bridgeport as soon as I can."

With that she stormed inside and went upstairs.

I didn't understand why she was acting like this. I mean, yea we both missed our friends but that didn't mean we couldn't make new friends here.

I shook my head and went inside. After sending my resume to a few companies I made mac and cheese for dinner and headed to bed.

  The next morning I headed over to Grahams Pet Swap Shop. I wanted to get some information on pets and what all I needed to buy to take care of a pet. If Gloria was going to leave me al alone then a new pet would defiantly keep me company.

 I immediately noticed a beautiful green bird when I first walked in but decided not to buy him. A cat or dog would probably be best for now.

"Hello, how may I help you?" The store clerk asked me as I walked to the counter.

"Hello, I wanted to get some information about pets and how to take care of them. I am thinking about buying a cat or dog soon."

The clerk explained everything I needed to know about taking care of cats and dogs.

"When you are ready to purchase a pet may I suggest calling the pound first? They have lots of cats, dogs, and horses waiting to be adopted."

"Oh thank you very much. I will look into that!"

"Once you adopt please feel free to come back to purchase everything you will need."

By the time I got back home I noticed that the house was unusually quiet, even more than it normally is. There was a note on the fridge and I immediately knew what it was about and who it was from.

Dear Haley,
  I first want to apologize for yelling at you yesterday but I was very upset. Unlike you I cannot just put my old life behind me and settle down into some small town. I want my friends and social life back so I made some arrangements and I am moving in with one of my friends back in Bridgeport. Maybe someday we can put everything behind us and see each other again. But we shall see. here is my cell number just in case that day comes. I have your cell number already and no I will not give it to anyone. I know how you feel about that.
 Despite everything that has happened I love you sis! please take care of yourself!

                                                                                                     ~Gloria


I couldn't believe she had actually left, I didn't want to! I sat down with the note still in my hands and cried.

"I can't believe I am really on my own already!!" I thought to myself as I cried.

Chapter 5.7 - The Strangeness

"Haley"

I opened my eyes and was blinded with sunlight. It took my eyes a few moments to adjust to the light. When they finally did I immediately began to observe my surroundings. It looked like I was back in Renaissance Italy at some elegant looking tea party in a fancy garden. I was wearing a beautiful gown with dark cherry red jewels all over the deep red satin fabric. My hair was pulled up in an elegant up-do and just a touch of makeup.

"Haley, sit."

It was then that I noticed the lady standing near the table. She was dressed in dress a bit more elegant than mine but in a beautiful blue color. Her hair was in an up-do as well and I noticed she had not looked up at me yet.



"Who are you? Why am I here?"

"You are here because I need to tell you something and because we are family," She said as she brought her head up and looked over at me.

"Great Great Nonna Isabella," I said in disbelief. "I have seen many pictures and heard many stories about you. I was always so amazed by you. I wanted to learn so much about you but I don't understand what has happened these past few years and I why mum can't tell me more."

Everything will be clear soon my dear but for now you need to do something for me. You need to go back, back to where it all began."

"Back to where? Where what began?"

"Apaloosa Plains and it will all be clear in time."

With that she was gone and everything around me began to disappear.


I was suddenly woken up by the sounds of birds chirping out my window and then the sound of my cell phone beeping for voice mails. I rubbed my head trying to wake myself up a little bit more and to distract myself from the weird dreams I was having since before we got here. But now that we were finally here what was it I was supposed to be doing.

Shaking my head I put my thoughts to the side and got out of bed. I grabbed my cell and checked my messages while I made some tea.

A few messages were to confirm delivery of the stuff I ordered and the rest where from friends back in Bridgeport (I had all calls forwarded to my new cell without giving anyone my new cell number.) I felt like crying, I missed them all so much but for reasons I didn't understand I had to loose contact with everybody, no matter what the circumstance was. For two girls who just turned 21, it was hard to put their friends and entire social life to the side and move somehwhere where not a single person knew them.

 I deleted all of the messages and wrote down the delivery times.

As I drank my cup of coffee and finished cooking my pancake Gloria came in and grabbed some juice.

"Morning," I said sitting at the table, noticing the no eye contact again "How did you sleep?"

"Fine," She said sitting at the table.

"Okay.....are you hungry?"

"If I was hungry I would get it myself Haley."

"Gloria, you don't need to be so cold. You could at least try to make this work."

She got up, threw her box in the trash and turned away.

"Nope," She said as she headed back upstairs.

Whatever kind of funk she is in, I thought to myself, she better snap out of it real quick!

I finished my breakfast, washed my dishes, and then showered and changed.

As I put our clothes in the old washer the doorbell rang. I opened the door noticing two moving trucks in our driveway and walked down the stairs to greet the gentleman at our door.

"Hello Miss....."He started as he looked at his paper, "Abruzzi."

It was then that he finally looked at me and he didn't say anything else. he just stood there and stared at me.

"Hi," I said noticing his creepy staring, "is something wrong??"

"Ummmmm, no," He said quickly looking away and adding, "All of your deliveries are here, please sign on the line."

I signed the paper and then he turned away going back to the trucks, almost in a full run.

Well, that was odd...


None of the other workers acted strange like the one guy and they all worked extremely hard. One by one each room was taken apart and redesigned. I was amazed at the quality of everything I ordered. It all looked much better than it did online.


I planned on walking through town today but by the time everything was completed it was almost 9 at night, so i just headed to bed.

Oh well, I can always walk through town tomorrow.

Chapter 5.6 - A Fresh Start?

"So why are we in this small town now?" Gloria asked me as the cab driver drove us to our new house.

"Because we can't stay in Bridgeport and because it is time for us to come back to where everything began."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I don't know Gloria. Can we just get home and finally relax please?"

"Yea sure, whatever."

 As our driver began to slow down and turn into a dirt driveway I looked out the window at the property surrounding us and my eyes widened. The property was amazing and the house was beautiful!

  There was a big barn, with what looked like, a 2nd floor and a huge section of the front yard was fenced in, probably for horses. I looked at Gloria hoping to see happiness in her eyes and instead all I saw was disgust and hatred. Our new home at 1007 Pomona Promenade was a lot different than when we lived in Bridgeport but i didn't care. I had a feeling that this was where i was meant to be and I wanted to make it work.

 Once we got our bags inside we took a look at the interior of the house. It was nice and somewhat rustic looking, it could use a more modern look but other than that....

"Are you kidding me?! We have to live HERE now? This place is just..."

"Gloria, please stop it! This place is beautiful and after we update the interior a little it will look even more amazing!"

"Yea, I don't know why you are saying "we" but I am NOT helping redo this run down shack."

I shook my head as she walked away. How could she be so stubborn? This place was to be our new home and it defiantly was not a run down shack. Instead of trying to go reason with Glori, I pulled out my laptop, phone, pen and paper and began looking up places to order our new furniture, flooring, and everything else from. It took the whole day to get everything ordered (while Gloria was doing nothing but reading and sitting in the sun) but I found a bunch of great stuff and by the time I placed my last phone call I was very happy with what I had ordered.

Gloria came in as I put my stuff away virtually ignoring me.

"Are you hungry?" I asked her as she took a soda from the fridge "I can make...."

"No, i'm going to bed." She said going out of the kitchen and upstairs.

I grabbed a glass of sweet tea from the fridge and decided I should head to bed as well. It was a long day and tomorrow was going to be just as long.

Chapter 5.5 - Bad Grades

"What do YOU want?" I said as Scotty walked into our living room.

He was soon followed by "Bianca! I have been SO worried about you! Are you alright?"

"Sis, I am fine, Scotty and I just needed some time alone to talk."

"What's going on and why is HE here? Hasn't he done enough already?'

"I am leaving for Bled island in an hour."

"Oh, yea, it's time already huh?"

"Yep...and Scotty is coming with me."

"What!? Bianca he is only a teenager!"

"I know Mia but we love each other very much and this is what we both want."

"Oh my god Bianca...this is just," I shook my head and just stood there for a minute, "After all we did for you! I don't understand.....Get out of our house, now. I'm not doing this anymore Bianca! both of you get out now and don't come back. Don't even ask for my help anymore."

~~~~~~~~~

"Mom...hey mom!"

"Yea hunny"

"Where is dad? I want to talk to you both."

"Oh, he is inside doing some paper work."

"Okay, i will be right back."

Angelo seemed so excited about something and I needed to concentrate. The events from 3 months ago with Bianca and Scotty popped into my mind at least once a day. I hated myself for saying what I said to her but it seemed like she was just going down the same dark path again.

"Alright," Julian said as he came into the living room and sat down with me, "What is the big news?"

"Well, i thought long and hard about what you guys told me and I do NOT want to go to some boarding school. So," He said as he took 4 pieces of paper out of his pocket "Here is proof #1 why you should change your minds."

"Whoa, Angelo! Straight A's, that is a huge improvement!"

"Well, that isn't all. I also need you guys to sign all 3 of these papers."

Julian and i looked at each other in shock. Not only did Angelo make the football team but he also needed a camera because he was the new yearbook photographer and he was cast as the lead in the upcoming fall play (but no one knew anything about it yet.)

"I should know more about the play in a couple weeks."

"This is fantastic son!" Julian said getting up and giving Angelo a hug "I...WE are so proud of you!"

We signed his permission slips and I gave him a hug as well.

"Why don't you boys go toss the football around while I make dinner. The girls are outside as well if you want to go spend time with them Angelo."

~~~~~~~~~
"So, girls," I said as I dished out dinner "Let's have your report cards."

"Yes, we know you got them because Angelo already showed us his," julian said as I noticed Gloria glare at Angelo.

As the girls passed over their report cards I noticed Gloria putting hers on the bottom.

"Fantastic Tara and Haley! They are getting A's and B's Julian," I said as I handed them to him and picked up Gloria's report card " and Gloria is getti....GLORIA! What is the meaning of this!"

"What," Julian said taking her report card from me "You aren't turning in your homework AND you are sleeping during class?!"

Gloria didn't say anything and she just looked down at her dinner and became flushed.

"Gloria," Julian started sternly, "You need to start paying attention in class and start turning in your homework...or else!"



"Mommy," Haley said in her most innocent voice trying to break the tension "Since I am doing so good in school and I am good to all the other children in school, may I please take ballet classes?"

"Daddy and I will talk about it tonight. Now all of you go wash up and get to bed. I will be up there soon to read you girls a bed time story."

~~~~~
"I don't know what to do about Gloria Julian," I said as I took off my robe and climbed into bed after reading the girls a story.

"We will figure it out babe," Julian said cuddling up to me "For now lets get some rest since the girls birthday is tomorrow."