Some Days, They Taste Like Lemonade

[Kelli-wa]

Some days, they taste like lemonade. Some days can feel like razor blades. I wish I could float away, some days.

Sawyer stepped off of the plane and made his way to baggage claim.  He was a pretty easy going guy and he couldn't even begin to imagine what was in store for him in America.  He knew that the culture was different over here, he was just unsure on how different it would really be.  It wasn't as if he was coming from a third world nation, but it still might be a shock.  He needed this, though.  To get away from home, to figure things out for himself without worrying about what how his mother was feeling.  He retrieved his bags and made his way into the main part of the airport.  He searched the room for someone who looked like the people in the photo he was given.  

They were a three child family, although one boy was older than him, the girl was around his age and the younger boy was younger than Sawyer was himself.  He glanced around the room and he found them.  The mother was holding a sign that read "Welcome to America, Sawyer!"  The rest of the family was smiling, aside from the girl, who seemed to be a bit bored.  He smiled lightly at the welcome and walked in their direction.  It was weird meeting them for the first time.  He felt like he knew them from the information he'd been given, but they felt like complete strangers at the same time.  He suddenly found himself wanting his mother and he felt like a baby.

"'Ello, I'm Sawyer," he said, giving them a light smile, a very thick accent in his voice.  He was introduced to them all.  The mother's name was Virginia and the father's name was Ray.  The kids names were Bo, Cybill and Vic, of course he had already known these things, just like they had already known his name.  "It's nice to meet you all," he said kindly.  "You'll have to forgive me today.  I'm a bit tired from jet lag."
"Oh of course you are," Virginia replied lightly.  "We thought maybe you'd be hungry as well, so we could take you to dinner?"
Sawyer smiled again, he couldn't turn down food.  Not ever.  "Yes ma'am," he said.  "I'm starved."  That he was.  He hadn't eaten anything on the plane, which was typically a wise decision because the last time he got food on a plane he was pretty sure he saw it move.  The boy named Bo took one of his suitcases and he held the other along with his carry on.  He was a big boy, he didn't need someone to carry his bag, but it was offered, so he took it.  

They ate at a restaurant called Monical's which was apparently a pizza place and he had to say, it was probably the best pizza he'd ever had.  He thanked them and then they were on their way home.  Once they got there, Virginia showed him to his bedroom and told him that when he got settled he could come downstairs and she'd give him the 'grand tour'.  The place didn't look super big, but he would need help to know where everything was.  He looked around the room an fell onto the bed and it wasn't too long before he ha fallen asleep, although not meaning to, the flight had worn him out.

[Kelli-wa]

“Sawyer?” Virginia asked lightly as she tapped on the door. When she didn’t get an answer she opened the door slightly and peeked in. She smiled when she saw him asleep and shook her head. He had to be tired. She didn’t need to show him around yet, and she figured that if he needed the bathroom, he could find it himself, so she let him be, closing the door softly as she left.
He woke up the next morning, however and smirked lightly, of course he had fallen asleep. It was a dumb idea to even lie down. He got up and glanced around the room. It was a lot brighter than it had been the night before and he could actually see what was going on. It was a very nice room. Grabbing the bag that housed all of his bathroom things, he found the bathroom quite easily and looked in the mirror. His hair was surprisingly tame for having been sleeping on it all night. He supposed he must have been fairly still that night, but it wasn’t typically what happened. Usually when he woke up it looked like a flock of birds had decided to build a nest. He did his business quickly and left the room, venturing downstairs to find Virginia. She wasn’t in the living room, but he found her in the kitchen concocting what looked to be pancake batter. When she didn’t look up he took a breath and smiled, “Uhm, good morning.”
“Oh, hey there, Sawyer, I didn’t even hear you come in. Did you sleep well?” she asked sweetly.
He gave her a light nod, “Yeh, I did. I’m sorry I fell asleep. The flights had me tired.”
“Not a problem,” she replied. “I figured that’s what happened, you seemed exhausted. D’ya like waffles?”
He was shocked. His mother never made him breakfast, so this was a new occurrence. He wasn’t sure he’d even had breakfast since he was twelve. “Oh yes ma’am. Ah, do you mind if I clean up a bit?”
“Of course not, you found your bathroom right?” she asked lightly.
“Uhm, I believe so. Is it right next to my room?”
“Yepp, you’ll share it with Vic. He’s off to hockey practice already with Bo.”
Sawyer smiled, gave her another thank you and then went back up to the bathroom. He took a huge breath and let it out slow. This was already so different. He now had to share a home with other teenagers and he had to share a bathroom as well. He had shared with his friends before when they stayed the night, but he’d never lived somewhere where the bathroom wasn’t his. He closed and locked the door and opened the bag with his bathroom supplies and got out his shampoo, conditioner and body wash. He found a towel in the closet and started up the shower, which took a bit longer to heat up than he was used to, but he didn’t mind. He took the time to text his mother to tell her that the people he was staying with were very nice and that the house was very nice as well. She had wanted to stay as informed as possible.

It only took him ten minutes to shower up and he got out dried off and then realized that he had forgotten his clothes back in his room. He wrapped the towel around his bottom half and opened the door before he turned and ran smack into Cybill. He backed up and shook his head lightly, “I’m sorry,” he said, not sure how she would take it and she shook her head at him, “No, I’m sorry.” But then she actually opened her eyes and looked at him. Her face turned a deep shade of red, “Oh! Oh. I’m so sorry,” she said before she rushed into her bedroom. She was not used to having half-naked boys in her line of vision, not all the time, only when she went to Mason’s. She should be used to that much ab by now, but when it attacked her straight in the face in her house, it was surprising.
He was also blushing as he returned to his room and got dressed quickly, fixing his hair as best as he could before he decided he should return downstairs to the kitchen. Virginia was still in there and now Ray had joined her. He was sitting at the table reading the funnies in the daily paper.
Sawyer licked his lips, “Uhm, do you need any help, ma’am?” he asked lightly.
Virginia started to shake her head, but apparently changed her mind, “Actually, dear, could you set the table, I’ve got the plates and everything right there on the end of the counter, but Cybill hasn’t come downstairs yet to do it. There’s only four of us since the boys are at hockey. They asked if they should invite you along, but I figured you’d rather get your rest this morning.”
He smiled lightly at her, “Much appreciated. I was exhausted last night.” He picked up the plates from the counter along with the forks and knives that were sitting on top of them and set the table quickly and wordlessly. He was always very helpful at home, especially after his father had died. He didn’t want to put any unnecessary stress on his mother, so he’d done as much as he could.
“Thank you, honey, you can go ahead and sit down. The waffles are almost done.” She walked over to the kitchen door and opened it before hollering through the living room where the staircase was. “Cybill! You’d better get your butt down here before we eat all of your waffles!”

Cybill wasted little time in coming downstairs and plopping down in her chair. “Mom, you realize that six people cannot possibly finish all of the waffles that your batter recipe makes?” she asked. “And if you haven’t noticed, we’re minus two. So I should be fine, but that smell has been starving me for the last ten minutes.”
“Well whatever works,” Virginia said as she set a plate of waffles down in the middle of the table and sat herself down in one of the remaining chairs. “Dig in, guys, there’s plenty.”
So they did. That plate of waffles was gone quickly after each person had two each and they all decided they were full, but Virginia said she’d make the extras to put in the toaster later. Sawyer offered to help clean up, but Virginia wouldn’t let him since Cybill hadn’t helped him set the table. He thought cleaning up was a much bigger job that setting up, but he wasn’t about to argue and make a bad impression on his first day, so instead he just carried his own plate over to the sink and retired to the living room with Ray.
“So, Sawyer, what kind of sports do you like?” he asked.
“Well, anything, really. I prefer to play Football, or Soccer was it?” he asked lightly with a smile. “I don’t really understand the rules of American Football, but I’m sure I can get the hang of it and I love watching hockey, I’ve just never played it myself.”
Ray let out a light laugh, “Well I’m glad you’re willing to learn, because we watch a lot of football around here. And you’re at least going to have to learn how to skate.”
Sawyer gave him a smile, “Sounds good to me, sir. I’ll learn anything.”
Ray gave him a firm pat on the shoulder and smiled, “I like you, kid.”