"What if I'd stayed?"
"We'd all be happier"

"Lana!"
"Aunt Marie!" I exclaim.
Aunt Marie takes my bag off my shoulder, setting it against the wall and pulls me into a hug.
She lets go after a moment and gives Persia a tight squeeze.
"Shrek is in the kitchen, I made him a but of breakfast after all his hard work unpacking the car," Aunt Marie explains.
I nod and head to the kitchen hesitantly as I try to remember the layout of the house.
"On the right," Aunt Marie calls, guessing what I was thinking.
The four of us stand in the kitchen talking while Shrek finishes his eggs and toast, at which point, he and Peria head out the door to Persias boyfriend who had been waiting in the car, even though he'd been the one who picked Perisa and I up at the airport early this morning.
"I guess it's time to do a little unpacking!" I take a deep breath, staring out the kitchen door at the hallway.
Aunt Marie nods, "I managed to set up the bed frame for you so all you have to do is make the bed now."
"Thats great, thanks!" I breathe, I hadn't even thought about the possibility of having to build my own bed.
As I begin walking towards the stairs, Aunt Marie calls to me.
"Just keep in mind while you're setting up that we'll likely paint up there at some point!" She says.
"Ok!" I call back, continuing up to my room.
Once I get up to my room I pull the door open wide and take a step in. The door opens easily and I notice its a good couple inches above the floor. Maybe Aunt Marie plans to get a new door eventually-?
Shrek had already carried my beside table up here, along with the two shelves My parents had ordered to be delivered here. I would have to build the shelves at some point, but that shouldn't be too hard.
I look around the powder blue room. The roon is dusty, but very bright with the light shining through the window.
"Time to get the boxes," I say to myself, "and maybe a broom and duster..."

The first box I open is the one with my bedding in it. I'd only brought one set of bedding and then a few miscellaneous blankets, sheets, and pillow cases we'd found around the house. The one full set of bedding I'd brought was the set my mom's boss had on the bed when we first moved to California; a lava/ember pattern on the comforter with plain black pillow cases and sheets.

The next set of boxes I open has my clothes in them. There's no closet in the room, but I see a faded silver clothing rack in the corner and it would have to do for hanging my dresses and Coats and the dusty wooden dresser beside it would work for the rest of my clothes.
I didn't have space in the car to pack hangers, but Aunt Marie said she'd get some for me. Sure enough, in a cardboard box next to the rack are various colored plastic hangers in a plastic bag from the local thrift.
I gather some hangers and start putting clothes on them. The rack wobbles as I hang the first dress on it, but not enough to worry about it falling down.

Once all of my dresses and coats are hung up, I sit down in my bed to pause for a moment before starting the next project; cleaning the shaky wooden dresser that was in the room when I got here.

Ash: Are you and Clyde hanging out a bunch during winter break?
Me: We hang out a bunch all the time 😂

I sigh, knowing that wouldn't be true anymore.

Ash: that's epic! Jake, Zack and I don't hang out near as much without you here
Me: aw man
Ash: but here's a pic of us getting DQ last week!

Ash sends a picture and I study it closely. The three of them are sitting at a booth table, each with ice cream and food in front of them. They all have such wide smiles on their faces, making me smile wide looking at it. Now the four of us can hang out again! A month ago that picture would've made me cry, upset that I couldn't be with them, but now it sparked an inspiration for the many hang outs to come.
I take one last look at the picture before setting my phone down and looking towards the old wooden dresser.

An hour or two go by and all my clothes are finally put away and its time to hang up things on the walls and place my various other items like my rock collection and various shells I'd found at the beaches in California.
The first box I worked on had been filled with rolled up posters, the second box would be full of all the pictures, cards, and art I'd had hung on the walls in my room. As I start hanging things up on the wall above my bedside table, the pictures of my friends and I at Homecoming catches my eye and a lump catches in my throat. I miss them already.
It only takes a few minutes to hang everything up and a few more to recover from the near tears I'd been in while doing it. Once I was done, I head downstairs to get the last couple boxes from the entrance hall.
As I'm walking down the stairs I hear a faint humming from the kitchen and decide to investigate.
"Oh! Hi Lana! Sorry to spring this on you so last minute, but I invited some of the family for new years eve tomorrow," Aunt Marie glances up at me from the pot she's stirring.
"Thats cool! I've been wanting to see them!" I smile.
"Good!" Aunt Marie says, "I'm sure they'll be glad to see you too."
I take a deep breath in and the curiosity wins, "what are you making?"
Aunt Marie turns, a spoon piled full in her hand, "Potato soup! Want a taste?"
"Yes please!" I exclaim, reaching out for the spoon.
I lick my lips afterwards and Aunt Marie laughs.
"Its not done yet, but it will be done in time for lunch in about half an hour."

Eventually most of the boxes are unpacked, lunch is eaten, and it's nearly five o'clock.

Clyde: how's Wisconsin?
Me: pretty boring so far, but I'm glad to be home!
Me: though I do miss you guys
Me: I nearly cried hanging up the pictures on the walls 😅
Clyde: did you hang up my plane drawing again?
Me: of course! I could never abandon it in a drawer or anything, it's a really good drawing! It could be an educational poster if you wanted it to be
Clyde: thanks
Me: and to think, you almost threw it away
Clyde: and then you ripped it out of my hand 😂
Me: shhhh it was for a good cause
Clyde: mhm
Me: i think I'm gonna go to sleep in a minute, I've been up all day and I'll be up late tomorrow
Clyde: that's fair
Clyde: Goodnight Lana
Me: Goodnight Clyde