ide back to Abbotsford. Thank heavens Erin was with me to keep me entertained, along with the view of the

nally,

d beyond. In order for me to live normally,

ng my financial needs in school. She would even drive from home-to-home to give private

asleep without fail at night despite the excessive sounds of the brass and the percussion instruments. The melody had always calmed my senses.

Three more years of torturous

n you so skinny." Nana suddenly walked in with a tray full of freshly baked pastries. T

cup noodles and Uncle Ben's minute rice during my first year of university. Neit

The aroma of butter was enough to fill me

hat stretched from side to side. "Congratulations on fini

ven put my heart into was something to be proud of or worth to be celebrating about. Nana had always been my

d the chance to see it," Nana's face morphed into this

hat I made a nude painting? Knowing her conve

before," I mumbled. Impressionism really was my weakness in my opinion. Captu

Nana trailed o

..." I m

se," my mom, Carol Wren, blasted in the living room, holding up a t

appy to go, but her tone was implying otherwise. Her usual

that maybe we can see dad's mural and go around the city, go to the CN Tower or ma

impani bang wildly; the violins created a suspenseful

hroat prevented me from speaking up. Dad was as good as taboo, a

but we are not going to there. Absolutely not

umped in uneven beats

angry over a simple question. Why was she acting weird ever

and that's final. Understand?" s

, it would only get me into so much trouble. I did not expect her

take you with me," I said to mom. "Bes

rch tone made me cower. When she thought she had made her point clea

t I turned my back and ran to m

comed me. I sat on the edge of my single bed that was neatly arranged, pillows stacked high. Even my sheets were fresh ou

ly at the thought.

and putting them away even though I'd told them countless times that I'd do it myself. I think she was forgetting that I was already nineteen- capable

be a waste if I didn't convince her to come with me. I

advice to ask mom's permission first. A

days did not help either. She was obviously furious. Every si

assuming that I would convince her to move there, but wha

that I was just wasting my precious time. Aside from my occasional running errands for

ly decaying and I didn't want to spend the rest of vac