Atria (Chapter 17)

Alex woke up at 6:30 and got ready for school. She made her lunch and cleaned her room before heading out to the lounge room. “Hi mum, Hi dad” she said, kissing each one on the forehead. “Morning Alex” the two replied in unison. Alex walked back into the kitchen and made herself breakfast. She glanced at the calendar and counted down the days. “6 days and I will be fourteen” she said to herself quietly. She sat down at the table to eat breakfast. When she had finished, she washed up her bowl and walked back out to the lounge room. “Don’t forget dad, I have army cadets tonight” she said as she headed for the front door, “How could I sweetie” Richard replied, not taking his eyes off the television” “Are you staying at Danielle’s?” “Yes dad” replied Alex “I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon” she finished, turning to walk out of the door. “Call me if you miss the bus you are running a bit late this morning” her mum called after her, Alex turned around “Me, late, never!” she replied defiantly before blowing her mum a kiss and walking out of the house. “She really has come a long way since our little ballerina, hasn’t she Richard?” said Kerry dotingly “Mmhmm” Richard replied, shushing his wife and pointing at the television.1


Alex reached the bus stop just as the bus pulled up. “Hi Frank” she said to the driver as she bustled past and hurried to find a seat. As popular as Alex was at school, she was the only one of her friends that lived this far out of town, so if she didn’t get a good seat she would end up stuck next to some dorky year twelve guy for the entirety of the trip. She spied a free seat, three from the back, and made her way there, throwing her bag down before collapsing sideways onto the seat. She waved to Zach who was sitting across from her. She only knew him through a friend of a friend so they didn’t really talk much. When the bus pulled up outside the school, Alex jumped off and headed towards C block to dump her bag. It was always heavy on Wednesdays because she had to put in a change of clothes for the afternoon. She headed down towards the Quad where her and her friends always hung out. She waved to Alisha and Sarah on her way past. They were in year twelve so Alex didn’t hang around them so much anymore. She reached the quad in next to no time and hugged everyone. Danielle walked up to Alex. “You stayin’ at mine tonight bub” she asked casually “If that is ok thanks Danni” Alex replied smiling. “Cool” said Danielle, “Dad is making burgers” “Nice,” replied Alex pretending to drool. “Anyway” started Alex, “I should go, they need to take another photo at the office,” Danielle made as if to say something but Alex held her hand up to silence her and continued “ why they would want to stick another snap of my ugly mug in the paper is beyond me though” she finished, laughing. “What did you win this time” asked Danielle, “or should I say, who did you sleep with to win it” “Danni” gasped Alex “How could you! You know that is a lie” she finished indignantly “Course I know it is a lie dickhead” Danielle replied smacking Alex softly across the back of the head. “Now piss off already, and smile for the camera” Alex grinned at her and walked off towards the Admin building. The rest of the day went off without a hitch. Danni had to stay at school late to finish off her Art project so Alex walked back to Danni’s house with her older sister, Carina. Alex loved spending time with Danielle’s siblings, she was an only child and loved the noise that the six girls and one boy, all of various ages, made when they were stuck in the house for an afternoon. Sometimes it got a little much and Alex had a headache. Thankfully though, it wasn’t raining so only three of the kids were home when Alex and Carina arrived. Caley was asleep in her crib, and the twins, Zoë and Jacinta were playing Snakes and ladders upstairs. Carina went up to her room to get ready for work and Alex collapsed on the couch and flicked on the television. Suddenly, two pink and purple jumpsuits came tearing down the stairs yelling “Alex Alex Alex Alex Alex Alex Alex” Alex found herself crushed beneath two adorable seven year old girls. She kissed each of them on the forehead and then used her arms to pull herself up and send both of the girls tumbling on to the floor. They lay there giggling and Alex looked down at them. “I take it that Carina told you I was here then?” she said laughing. A wail came from upstairs and Alex heard Carina yell “Alex, babe, could you get Caley please? I am running late!” Carina worked at the bakery on the main street and her shift started in 10 minutes. “Yea No worries” Alex called back. She got up of the couch, taking care not to tread on the two giggling pink and purple bundles and made her way up the stairs. Caley was still screaming when Alex reached the door of the nursery. She walked inside and picked 9 month old Caley up out of her crib. The door of the office creaked open and Danni’s mum stuck her head out. “Oh sorry Alex, you scared me” she said, “Thanks for getting Caley for me, I am halfway through a fabulous streak of inspiration.” she finished, slamming the door. Danni’s mother was a professional author and spent most of her day shut up in her office on the computer.
Alex looked around the nursery, it was nicer than her nursery as a baby, it was painted in blue and red so it was good for boys or girls, there were two cribs, one on either side of the room, two change tables, two toy boxes, two of everything. She wondered for a moment and then realised that when the twins were born they would have needed two of everything and the symmetrical room made a little more sense. She carried Caley down stairs and sat on the couch with her, rocking her slowly back and forth. When Lucy got home she took over watching Caley so that Alex could get ready for Cadets. She ironed her uniform, polished her boots, repacked her webbing and filled her water bottles. She loaded her stuff in the back of the car and then went upstairs for dinner. Dinner at the Cummings house was always a busy affair. Danni helped seat all of the kids at the table in an order to avoid minimal conflict. At one end there was Danni’s dad Jo, then Zoë, Carina, Jacob, and Lucy then Danni’s mum Susan, Jacinta, Alex and finally, Caley in her high chair. The order was arranged so that there was a teenager or adult between every two kids, and one of the twins beside each parent. Lucy was actually a big help considering she was only twelve and sometimes was able to control the younger kids better than anyone.
After dinner, Danni, Alex and Lucy all piled in the car for cadets, and yelled for Jo to hurry up. Jo walked down the stairs as slowly as he could to frustrate the girls, then when he reached the bottom; he jumped in to the driver’s seat with a surprising amount of agility for someone his size, and drove.
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