The Power of Swan Cove

Chapter 4

21 days until Christmas 🎄

October 31, 2016
We got off of the plane. Maryland! I couldn't wait to see Kitty. Once again, Aunt Ashlynn would be picking us up. To bad Kitty wouldn't be with her. My mom, Kaitlyn, Hannah, Luke, and I started walking towards her car. Briar or my dad wasn't with us. Briar couldn't go due to indoor lacrosse and my dad was off in Washington D.C. trying to help solve a crime. We were going ice skating and to a fancy Thai restaurant tonight. Apparently, the Wonders were coming with us too. I don't know who they are, but you know the saying. The more the merrier. We loaded our things into the trunk.
"Hey guys. How have you been?"
"Good." We all said in unison. My mom was going to use one of Aunt Ashlyn's cars. They have three. No, this aunt isn't some sort of supernatural being...at least I don't think so. She was completely human...probably. We drove farther into the country. The tall skyscrapers turned into farmhouses and corn fields. My aunt was the FACS teacher at the local middle school, like Aunt Angela. So, she was one of the best cooks in our family.
"At home we have cookies and I can make some mac and cheese. We have a lot of options for lunch." My aunt told us.
"Ok." We all said. Most of the drive was completely silent. Well, not including the questions about school, sports, family, and whatever people ask you. We made it to the small house in record time. Thirty-two minutes. We all got our luggage out of the trunk and started lugging it up to the door.
"Go up the steps and to the left. We only have 3 guest rooms, so Heidi you will probably have to share with Cecilia. Luke, Hannah, and Amanda will have your own rooms." Aunt Ashlynn instructed. When she said Hannah gets her own room, I think she meant her and Kaitlyn were going to share. Or mom and Kaitlyn, but who knows. I put my luggage in Kitty's room next to her dresser. Her room was a mix of princess fairytale and super astronomer. Yeah it's pink and princessy but has stars on the ceiling, a solar system mobile (or something like that), and a ton of posters of Mars, other planets, black holes, and anything space related. Yeah, this seventh grader is crazy. I read the clock on her night stand. It's 2:35? Really? I expected it to be earlier. That means Kitty will be getting back in a few minutes. Maybe around 3. Well, there's nothing else to do so I guess it's time to snoop in Kitty's stuff. Does she have a diary or something? Time to find out. I looked in drawers, under mattresses, and everywhere imaginable. Guess she doesn't have one. I plopped on her bed with my phone and was stalking Lin Manuel Miranda on Instagram and Twitter. I was liking all the photos because I'm a stalkerish weirdo. Later, I went to Joey Rickard and the other Oriole's accounts. Lastly, I was looking at the Psych cast. See, stalkerish weirdo. I heard someone clomping up the steps.
"But mom! It's not even that cold outside! Do you want me to overheat and die?!" Kitty whined. She walked into her room and threw her 100 pound backpack on the bed. In the process, it crushed my leg. She sat down at her desk and was eating bologna and reading "The Lightning Theif" or something to do with Percy Jackson. I didn't think she exactly noticed me.
"Aren't you gonna say hello to your favorite cousin?" I asked. She turned around and tackled me.
"Heidi! I'm so glad your here! Are you going ice skating with me tonight?"
"Yeah." I replied casually. I'm supposed to be the cool one to her. The one that's not a total brat or spaz. Aka Hannah, Kaitlyn, and Syrena. Actually, they are all kinda like that.
"I'm so excited! This time your jerk of a boyfriend won't be here, too!" I smiled and did one of those laughs.
"Sure, let's go with that."
"He's here, isn't he?" I nodded.
"Hey, I'll make sure him and I will stay far away from you."
"Will you still hang out with me?" She asked with worry in her voice.
"Yeah. I'm not that mean to you." I said as I continued to look at my phone.
"Cecilia, do your homework! You won't finish it if you do it tonight!" Aunt Angela yelled from downstairs. Cecilia rolled her eyes.
"I know mom! Can I not take a 10 minute break?!" She yelled back.
"It's not my fault if you don't finish! Don't come crying to me." She replied. She got her binder out of her backpack and started her math homework. It looked easy. There were only 5 questions.
"Is that all you have?" I asked.
"Yeah. Mrs. Federroll sometimes slacks on giving homework and Mrs. Fenn couldn't find it...again." She answered.
"I'll be right back." I quietly snuck away and went to Luke's room.
"Still unpacking?" He asked.
"No. I've been on my phone for the past hour. Then I was talking to Cecilia. Also, we are staying in the Maryland Inn." He gave me "the look." Yeah, if you didn't know, him and Kitty weren't exactly on good terms.
"Wanna get lunch? I'm starving." I asked.
"Sure. Wanna go into town or..."
"I can do that." We walked down the steps and out the door. Hey, at least Kitty won't have to see him. Not until tonight.
......
We drove separately from Cecilia and Aunt Ashlyn. Mainly because of Cecelia's piano lessons. Poor girl had to go home after she dropped off someone off at their house from her school. We weren't sure if they'd make it the same time as us and Aunt Ashlyn didn't want us to sit around. She told us to start driving. Kaitlyn sat in the front with mom. Luke, me, and Hannah sat in the middle section of seats. We drove through the crowded streets of Maryland until we made it to a skating rink. Boy, was it crowded. My mom got out her phone. It rang for a few seconds until my mom started talking.
"Hi Ashlyn, I'm not sure if this skating rink is the best idea. It has at least 300 people here." My mom paused.
"Ok, there's a rink near by your house? Glen Burnie Skate Rink? Got it, see you there." My mom hung up and put her phone back in her purse.
"Ok, we will be driving to Glen Burnie Skate Rink now. It's gonna take at least 20 minutes to get there." We all groaned. I took out my phone and started texting Reagan.