The Willow Tree by Amber Nicole Collins (the beginning after the end read novel TXT) 📖

CHAPTER 1
Birthday

I stood by my window that morning, looking out into the distance. I glanced down toward the old willow tree. Someone's standing their! I squint and rub my eyes to get a better look. But when I look at the willow tree...nothing! Swear I saw someone but it must just all be in my head. Shaking my head, I turn and walk toward my closet. I can’t help but get the creepy feeling that someone’s watching me. I turn my head to make sure but my eyes fall on the picture of papaw and me. I walk over to it and hold it in my hands. Tears start rolling down my cheeks no matter how hard I try to stop them. I lightly run my fingers over the picture.
"Happy birthday papaw...I miss u" I mumbled.
Three years ago today he went missing, on his birthday and.....on mine. Everyone gave up hope on him, everyone except me. I’ll never give up hope I know you’re out there somewhere. I wipe off the stray tear that fell onto the picture. Gently I sat the picture back on the nightstand and wiped away the rest of my tears. I walk over to my closet and finish getting ready. I walked down stairs for breakfast, but when I go to the last step I noticed my brother was home. He was sitting in his favorite chair with one leg lying over the side. I just kept looking at him, I can’t believe he’s home. Finally he notices me and says, “Hey sis!”
“OMG! Zack,” I run over to him and hug him tight, “what are you doing home!?”
“Am I not allowed to come see my little sis on her birthday,” he wraps his arms around me and laughs.
“Yea your allowed but I thought you had class.”
“I took the day off so I could come see you.”
“You did that for me!”
“Of course, silly.”
I squeeze him tighter in the hug and say, “your awesome Zack! I love you!”
“I love you too sis. But I think you’re going to squeeze me in half if you don’t loosen your grip a little,” He said laughing.
I let go and step back some, “sorry” I mumble.
“Audrey, what’s wrong?” he asked, looking down at me.
“Nothing Zack,” I lied, moving my gaze from his and looking at the floor.
He laid his hand on my shoulder and said, “Audrey, I know you better that anyone and when you say nothing I know you’re lying to me. Now sis tell me what's wrong. You know I’m always here for you.”
Looking back up at him, I could feel the tears trying to escape from my eyes. I swallowed hard and said, “I’ve just been thinking of papaw a lot.”
He wrapped me in a hug and stroked my hair to try and calm me down. But that’s when the tears started to flow. I couldn’t help it I tried to hold them back, but it’s like when I’m with Zack I can tell him anything and I don’t have control over my emotions anymore. We stood like that for about five minutes, him just stroking my hair and hugging me. Until, I stopped crying and began to breathe slower. We let go of each other and I noticed the big wet circle on the sleeve of his shirt.
I look at him and say,” I’m sorry I don’t know what happen.”
He took his hand and wiped away the rest of my tears saying, “It’s ok sis. I know how close you and papaw were. It’s hard to lose some one you’re so close to, I know it’s going to take time to get over it. But sis it’s been three years.”
“I know it’s been three years, but I’ll never give up hope on papaw. He always had faith in me and I’m going to do the same for him. I don’t care if its ten years I’m never giving up hope.”
He sighs and says, “You and papaw always were the most hardheaded people I knew.”
I laugh a little and say, “I’m not hardheaded I just don’t listen well.”
We both smile and hug again. Then he sits back down and watches the football game and I walk into the kitchen.
Dad was sitting at the table, looking at today’s paper, and drinking his coffee. He raised his head up over the paper and noticed I was standing in the walkway.
“Good morning sweetheart,” he said.
“Morning dad,” I said.
“It's your birthday today isn’t it?”
“Yea,” I make a weak smile.
“Happy birthday sweetheart,” he said. Then he stood up and gave me a hug, I hugged him back.
“Thanks dad,” I say and look at the floor.
He noticed and asked, “What’s wrong baby girl?”
“This morning I was looking out the window to the willow tree…….”
He nods his head, “yes?”
“I saw a shadow……….and I thought it might have been……..u know,” I’m still looking at the floor.
“No honey it not papaw Ed. He’s gone and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
“Ok,” I nod, but I don’t believe him I still think its papaw.
“You’re just seeing things because that old willow tree was something you and papaw had in common.”
“Yea...ok.”
I went and sat across from him at the table and started thinking about what he said. The willow tree was the place where papaw and I would go every morning before I went to school. He would tell me how he proposed to granny under this tree. How he would come here when him and granny got in to arguments, how he carved his and granny’s initials into the tree and why he did it. I kind of did the same thing almost. I would climb into the tree when I was sad, or I would sit under the trees nice and shady leaves. I would try to climb to the main top of the tree just to hide when dad and I argued but papaw always found me and talked me in to going back in the house. But I still wouldn’t talk to dad for a day or two…
“Audrey…… Are you ok?” a voice said.
I look up out of my daydreaming and see my mom’s face. I make myself smile and say,” yea mom I’m ok.”
“Ok honey as long as your sure,” she said.
I nod my head and say,”Yep.”
She sits my breakfast down in front of me. Then leans down and hugs me tight, “Happy 17th birthday honey.”
“Thanks mom.”
“You’re welcome,” she says and walks back over to fix everyone else’s breakfast.
I look at the plate of food in front of me. Theirs everything a kid with a starving appetite would eat! Theirs scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, blue berry pancakes, and my favorite homemade biscuits!!! I can’t believe mom made this much I would have been happy with just a bowl of cereal. I look up a little and see a basket in the middle of the table it has more biscuits, toast, and even muffins! There’s also blueberry jam, strawberry jam, and grape jelly! Mom really wants to make my birthday special. I’m so happy I end up eating every bit of my breakfast and a lot of grape jelly too. When I’m done I notice everyone else has eaten too. Dad just ate cereal, Zack only alt a few eggs and some toast, mom ate cereal too. Now I’m really confused….. Why was I the only one who ate the big breakfast?? Why didn’t anyone else eat like I did??
Then as if my mom knew what I was thinking she said, “We didn’t eat what you did because we wanted you to eat something special since it’s your birthday.”
“But that’s not right just because it my birthday doesn’t mean I need special treatment, I could of ate what you all ate!” I was getting angry and I don’t know why.
Mom smile disappeared, “honey we just wanted to do something special for your birthday.”
“Maybe I don’t want anything special!” I say yelling.
Dad looked up from his paper, “Audrey! U apologizes to your mother now!”
Looking away from all of them I say, “Papaw didn’t get anything special….”
Mom starts to say something but dad cuts her off and says, “Papaw’s dead Audrey… you’re just going to have to face it and move on.”
Now I’m really furious, “papaws not dead! I don’t care that u gave up dad! Papaws alive and I know it weather u care or not!”
“Audrey Kay! Your 17 damn years old! Grow up and move on with your life! NOW!”
I pick up my plate and throw it against the wall hard…SMASH! It breaks in to at least 10 pieces. My face is blood red I can feel it and dads is too. He never calls me Audrey Kay unless he’s mad. I turn and start to head for the stairs, but dad’s voice stops me.
“Audrey Kay! Get back here and clean that up!”
I don’t know what came over me, but I turn and look my dad in the eye and say calmly, “since u think papaw is dead…maybe I should die too…”
Tears were in my eyes now and everyone was quiet. Before anyone could say anything I run up stairs to my room and end up knocking a picture of me off the wall. I slam my door shut and just fall on my bed burying my face in my pillow. I think I cried for a good thirty minutes before I heard the knock on my door.
“GO AWAY!” I screamed.
“Audrey…” It was Zack I could tell he was concerned.
“I DON’T WANNA TALK!”
“Please Audrey...”
I lay there for about five minutes before I got up and unlocked the door. I slowly walked back to my bed and just sit there looking at the floor. Zack opened the door and walked in.
“Close the door please…” I said quietly.
Zack closed the door without saying anything. He walked over to my bed and sat down next to me. The next thing I knew I was wrapped in Zack's arms, it feels nice to be in his arms. I laid my head on his shoulder and tried not to think of what happened just a few minutes ago.
“Audrey I know your upset, but do you want to talk about it,” Zack said.
“I don’t know Zack…it's just I know papaws out there and no one wants to think it but me.”
“It's been three years, and you know with everything in me I want to believe that papaw is alive, but I don’t think papaw could survive that long on his own considering he has Alzheimer’s.”
“I know Zack you gave up just like the rest of them.”
“No Audrey, I still have a little hope but it just keeps fading as the days go on.”
I look in to his eyes and I know he is telling the truth. I can just tell because of the twinkle in his baby blue eyes. It makes me happy to know he has at least just a little bit of hope. He bends down and kisses me on the forehead and brushes my bangs from my face.
“Happy birthday Audrey…” He said.
“Thanks Zack…” I said.
Zack walked out of my room and shut the door behind him to give me so time to myself. I lay on my bed