Looking Forward

White Family

Amelie White never used to be the type to have to primp and fuss before seeing a date, but, then again, she had never felt this way about a date before.

She only got to see Gabe every few months, when either he would visit Port Manteau or she had reason to visit Simberry Fields. So she had to make each visit count.

Before Gabe got to the house, she sat down and visited with her brother and sister.

"Was Port Fest crazy or WHAT?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, it was great," Avery said. She looked at Amelie. "When did you even learn to play guitar? I mean, I know you took piano lessons when we were little but...that was awesome."

"I didn't have a job for like, four years, Ave. What did you think I did all day? I picked up a bunch of hobbies."

"Yeah, but I thought you made pottery, not music!"

"Well, I did. And apparently I was pretty good, huh? Brynn called me and asked me if I wanted to go in with her, like make a band with her."

"Wow, Ame, that's great!" Avery said.

"Won't that take up a lot of time?"

"Yeah," Amelie said. "But I only work part-time, so I think this will be good for me. I might actually do well in this. Maybe I could get my own place."

"But what about the girls?!" Logan was referring to the fact that Amelie had been the live-in Nanny to her nieces and nephew since they were born. "I need you, especially with Vera...gone."

"Logan, shh. This is her life. You can hire a new nanny. You can't just recreate this opportunity!"

It was surprising for Amelie that Avery was being supportive of such a risky venture, but she appreciated it nonetheless.

"Look," she said. "We all know I haven't really found anything that I like to do, or that I'm good at. This might really be my chance to figure my life out."

Amelie said goodbye to her siblings and let them argue it out while she went out with Gabe. They went out to eat and they played a few rounds at the bowling alley, but they both really just wanted to go back to the house.

Amelie was super excited to have him stay over.

But she wasn't looking forward to going to sleep. She knew the sooner she went to sleep, the sooner Gabe would have to go back to Simberry.

"I just want to remember you like this," she said. Gabe jokingly posed for her.

Try as she might to put off the morning, it came anyway. And the goodbye was as difficult as she thought it would be.

"I'll see you soon," he promised.

"You'd better."