Chapter 2

We moved exactly two months into summer.

I woke up at 7:30, and slipped out of bed.

I went over to the huge bay window that covers one wall of my room, and opened the curtains. Outside lay one of the most beautiful views in all of Paris. From my bedroom window, I could see the huge lake, with the Eiffel Tower reflecting in it. The sun glinted off the metal, and shone brightly.

I stared out my window for a little while longer, knowing that this would be the last time that I would see this view again.

I wiped the back of my hand across my eyes, and turned around, ready for the day ahead.

I packed up the last of my things, and got ready. I got dressed, taking the clothes out of my walk in closet. Everything was already packed away, but I had a suitcase of things for when we stayed in a hotel until the furniture arrived. My clothes looked lonely hanging there in that big closet all by themselves.

I put on my tan pants, my white t-shirt, and my black flip flops. I check myself in the mirror. I look good, but sad. I have to brighten up pretty quick unless I want to have to go through another emotional talk with my parents.

I make sure that I have everything, and then take my bags out into the hall.

I turn and go back inside, grabbing my purse and taking one last look around my room.

I shut the door behind me, take my bags downstairs, and set them in the foyer. I don't see anyone, but Peter and Adrienne's bags are already down there.

I go upstairs, and find Mom and Dad almost ready, but still finishing up their packing. I find Peter and Adrienne in the backyard.

They are turned away from the house, looking out at the Eiffel Tower. They look good, as always. Peter is wearing khakis and a green sweater that Mom had given him for his birthday, because it looked good with his eyes, and because Mom made him wear it today. Adrienne is wearing a lavender skirt with a matching low cut three quarter length sleeve shirt. She looks older than thirteen. Sometimes I have to remind myself that she is no longer the cute little eight year old with pigtails, no matter how much we all wish she was.

"Hey guys, you almost ready? Mom and Dad will be down in a few minutes."

"Yeah."

Adrienne walks over to me.

"Why are they doing this to us, Sophie?" She throws herself towards me, crying.

"Shh, it's okay Adrienne, everything is going to be fine, I promise. Things are going to be great. Just look at it this way, you will be able to get a whole lot more information for your book."

She is fascinated in travel, and everywhere Dad has traveled, she has made him keep a log of everything he did, saw, etc. She enjoys traveling a lot too, and she plans to write a book about all the places she has been too.

She nods, pulling away slightly, and wiping her eyes.

Peter comes over, and hugs us together, us snuggled against him, letting his happiness and sadness flow through us.

Mom and Dad call from the living room, and I sigh, taking each by an elbow, and lead them back inside.

We arrive at the airport an hour early like we are supposed to, and have absolutely not trouble getting to the gate and everything. Then Adrienne says she is hungry, and I offer to take her to get something.

"Thanks honey, just be back soon," Dad says, handing me some money.

"Thanks dad."

I know that the money he gives me was more than enough for food and also any magazines or anything we wanted to get. He is always doing that, giving us extra money for us to keep. He believes in the fact that if you buy things with your own money, you appreciate them more. We all have a nice amount of allowance, but the extra is a nice addition. Mom agrees with him too, so we all have a pretty good sized amount in our bank accounts. I know I sound like a rich, stuck up brat. But we earn most of our money, through baby sitting, etc.

As Adrienne and I walk over the food court, I think about all of the processes that we have gone through to get here, and to move to America. We have had to go through the whole passport thing, getting the new house, figuring out how to get all of our things shipped over, etc. The process was long and tiring, but here we are, and we are on our way there.

Nothing can stop us now.

I hope...