"That sounds great, Anjanette," Uncle Bruce replied, when Anjanette told him about Tammy and her parents' pet rescue centre. "We'll go over on Saturday and look at the puppies."
"Thanks, Uncle Bruce." Anjanette smiled broadly at the thought of finding her Collie. Her first pet....
"I'm glad you're talking to the other kids at your school a bit more, too," Bruce went on, as he began to open the রান্নাঘর cupboards to fix Anjanette an আফটার স্কুল snack. "I know আপনি were nervous around them at first."
Anjanette nodded slowly. "They are different here from how they were at my old school. And Tammy seems like a nice girl. But - Uncle Bruce, at lunch today, she asked me what happened to my parents, and I just started crying. Ferdinand had to explain that I wasn't ready to talk about it." She swallowed hard.
Bruce was thoughtful, pausing in front of the open cupboard with a jar of চিনাবাদাম মাখন in his hand. "What did Tammy do?"
"She apologized for upsetting me," Anjanette remembered. "She didn't ask any আরো questions. And - she didn't make fun of me for crying." That was something. Anjanette wouldn't have dared to cry in front of her old schoolmates.
Uncle Bruce came over to Anjanette and put a steadying hand on her shoulder. "It sounds to me like আপনি can trust her. Anjanette, I want আপনি to feel নিরাপদ enough to make new friends."
Anjanette gave a small smile. "Thanks, Uncle Bruce. I'm just... not sure I'm ready to tell anyone else about my parents yet."
"You don't have to," Bruce assured her. "Not before you're ready. Tammy knows you're not ready to talk about it, and I'm sure there are many other things আপনি can connect over in the meantime."
Anjanette felt better. "Yes - she loves the Beatles, too. And we all প্রণয় animals...." Maybe her uncle was right, and she should let Tammy in. And then, once she got her Collie, she could find herself with two new friends.
"Thanks, Uncle Bruce." Anjanette smiled broadly at the thought of finding her Collie. Her first pet....
"I'm glad you're talking to the other kids at your school a bit more, too," Bruce went on, as he began to open the রান্নাঘর cupboards to fix Anjanette an আফটার স্কুল snack. "I know আপনি were nervous around them at first."
Anjanette nodded slowly. "They are different here from how they were at my old school. And Tammy seems like a nice girl. But - Uncle Bruce, at lunch today, she asked me what happened to my parents, and I just started crying. Ferdinand had to explain that I wasn't ready to talk about it." She swallowed hard.
Bruce was thoughtful, pausing in front of the open cupboard with a jar of চিনাবাদাম মাখন in his hand. "What did Tammy do?"
"She apologized for upsetting me," Anjanette remembered. "She didn't ask any আরো questions. And - she didn't make fun of me for crying." That was something. Anjanette wouldn't have dared to cry in front of her old schoolmates.
Uncle Bruce came over to Anjanette and put a steadying hand on her shoulder. "It sounds to me like আপনি can trust her. Anjanette, I want আপনি to feel নিরাপদ enough to make new friends."
Anjanette gave a small smile. "Thanks, Uncle Bruce. I'm just... not sure I'm ready to tell anyone else about my parents yet."
"You don't have to," Bruce assured her. "Not before you're ready. Tammy knows you're not ready to talk about it, and I'm sure there are many other things আপনি can connect over in the meantime."
Anjanette felt better. "Yes - she loves the Beatles, too. And we all প্রণয় animals...." Maybe her uncle was right, and she should let Tammy in. And then, once she got her Collie, she could find herself with two new friends.
The পরবর্তি day, Greeley accompanied Leila and her aunt and uncle on a ride to the nearest beach. Leila's uncle drove. Leila's dog, Paul, enjoyed looking out the window at the sights. When they stopped for lunch, Leila took Paul out on a leash to "do his business". A few people stopped Leila and asked her, "What kind of dog is that?" Most people didn't believe her when she told them that Paul is a purebred German Shepherd Dog. Leila didn't mind, though. She was aware that most people don't know that Shepherds can be blue, especially solid blue like Paul. Around 6:00 that evening, Leila, Greeley, Leila's aunt and uncle, and Paul arrived at the property. It was a nice সৈকত house, and it was very pet friendly. They were all tired from their trip. After unpacking, they got ডিনার and relaxed for the rest of the evening. A few hours later, they called it a night.
Leila and Greeley had just finished their first বছর of college. They were looking অগ্রবর্তী to the summer. Greeley asked, "What are আপনি going to do this summer, Leila?" She said, "I'm mostly going to relax and take it easy. What are আপনি going to do?" He said, "I think I'll do the same, but we should do some fun things this summer. After all, summer doesn't last forever." She said, "You're right. We should do some fun things together." He said, "I'd like that." Later, Leila texted Greeley and said, "My aunt and uncle and I are going to the সৈকত this weekend. They ব্যক্ত that I can bring one friend with me. I first asked Rita, but she can't come, because she's taking summer classes as well as taking on a summer job. Would আপনি like to come with us, Greeley?" He said, "I'd প্রণয় to, Leila." She said, "Great!" He asked, "Is your dog, Paul, going too?" She said, "Of course he is." The two বন্ধু were looking অগ্রবর্তী to their weekend getaway.
The first দিন of spring was approaching. Leila and Greeley were on Spring Break. Leila said, "It doesn't seem possible that we're going to be finished with our first বছর of college in less than two months." He said, "I know." She said, "It's also hard to believe that my dog, Paul, is not a কুকুরছানা anymore. He's fully grown." Greeley said, "They grow up very quickly." She said, "They really do. I also can't believe that my birthday is coming up. It's the first দিন of spring this year, March 20. I'm going to be eighteen." Greeley said, "Happy Birthday." She said, "Thank you." Knowing that she had বন্ধু that she didn't have to say "I thought we were friends" to gave Leila comfort. She also knew that she didn't have to have a romantic relationship to complete her. She has and supportive aunt and uncle and great friends. Because of that, she's not lonely at all.
THE END
THE END
