As I looked to my right I could see the "Virginia welcomes you" sign. I sighed and turned back right into my seat. 

"I understand this is hard for you sweetie I really do but since you aren't 18 yet we can't let you live by yourself" Michelle, my social worker says with a pitied look on her face.

"I know Michelle, I just miss him that's all", I say choking up at the end. With one last glance at me, Michelle finally turns her attention back to the road.  

I haven't seen my mother in person since I was 14. My parents got divorced when I was 7 and I hadn't seen much of her growing up. It was usually just me and dad. 

I watch the pretty scenery as it goes by my and eventually, I find my eyes closing to the soft hum of the radio. 

_____________________________________________

"Wake up Aubrey, we are at your mother's house", Michelle said as she shook me awake. I sat up rubbing my eyes and I looked around. It appears my mother has been doing pretty well.

The house was really beautiful. It was a simple two-story house with beige colored siding and a white front porch. Around the front porch was a skillfully planted garden with multiple different kinds of colorful flowers. 

As soon as I got out of the car my mother's front door opened and she came running out. My mother still looked as pretty as I remembered her. Same shoulder length, stylish cut brown hair, deep green eyes, and her short frame. 

Much like my short frame. 

My mother immediately started crying as soon as she saw me and that also caused me to tear up. 

"Oh my poor baby", she began to sob which only made me start to cry.

Losing my father was something that had never even crossed my mind. I figured that since he had gone and come back so many other times, this one would be no different.

But it was. It was so, heartbreakingly different.

My father was my hero. A true, kind-hearted man who was my best friend. 

++++Flashback++++

I wipe my hands on the cute blue and red dishrag hanging beside me as I hear the doorbell ring. I make my way to the door, unlock it, then open it. 

An older man stands on the other side of my door, in his fancy, shmancy uniform, which caught my eye right away. 

"Miss Wilson?" he questions, catching my attention. 

"Y-Yes?" I question worriedly, hoping this isn't what I think this is. 

Praying that this man isn't about to give me a message I had watched a few neighbors receive.

"Why don't we go inside and talk?" he asks mannerly. 

"Okay," I open the door wider for him and he enters. I lead him to the couch and we both take a seat. 

"Would you like anything to drink?"

"No, I'm alright," he smiles with a hint of sadness in his eyes. 

"Your father, miss Wilson, what is your father's full name?" He asks and my eyebrows furrow. Why would he ask that?

"Nicholas Malcolm Wilson," I say softly, and he takes a deep breath before letting it out slowly and dragging his eyes up to mine. 

"The commandant of the Marine Corps has entrusted me to express his deep regret that your father, Nicholas Wilson, was killed in action in Afganistan late yesterday. The commandant extends his deepest sympathy to you in your loss."

My heart pangs with sadness and I feel a tear roll down my cheek. 

He said he was coming back.

I just sit there with silent, large tears traveling down my face.

"I'm very sorry Miss Wilson."

++++Flashback End++++

As we walked into my mother's house I noticed a big pool in the backyard. I would love to be in that pool not worrying about a thing right now. As we walked further into the house I noticed my step-father, Rick, coming to give me a hug with, once again, a pitiful face. 

I understand people feel bad but giving me that face just reminds me of what happened over and over again.

As we both pulled away from the hug Rick wipes away my tears that I hadn't noticed. We then all sat down in the living room and began to talk.

"Along with Nick's will, he also wanted you to have all of his medals, uniforms, badges, and his folded flag when it comes time for the funeral", Michelle said kindly to me. I had to leave, I just needed some air, this all hurt too much. 

"I need some air. Is there a certain place I can go?" I asked my mother while standing up.

"Oh honey, I know it's hard. You can take a walk, there is a park nearby, it is pretty easy to find, but keep your phone on", my mother said. I nodded as I walked out the front door.

I didn't want to go to the park, people would see me cry. I decided to just go into the backyard and dip my feet into the pool making sure my back was turned away from the glass doors as I silently cried. Throughout this whole week I never once really cried hard. It still really hasn't sunk in yet. 

A few minutes later I decided to walk back into the house.

"His body still hasn't been recovered from Afganistan yet, but they are hoping it will be back within two weeks, if not then they will go ahead and have funeral anyway", I heard Michelle tell my mother as I walked back into the living room. That sentence alone was just about enough to send me right back out to the pool.

"Hey sweetie, you alright?", Rick asked when he saw me. I just nodded my head.

"Well since it's Sunday night, and you just got here, you have the rest of the day today to get settled. I know that sucks but you have to start going to school." Michelle says with an annoyed look on her face.

"That really is stupid", my mother says, "you don't have to go if you feel you can't"

"No mom, I think it'll be good for me, it might help me get my mind off of things", I say with a small encouraging smile.

"As long as you are comfortable", My mom says with an uncertain look on her face.

"Well I must get going, I have to get back to my office, so let's go get all of your suitcases out of my trunk", Michelle says and we all follow her out of the door.

_____________________________________________

Once we finally have gotten everything taken out of Michelle's car she walks up to me and gives me a big hug.

"Once again I'm so sorry for what has happened, your father was such a wonderful man", Michelle says pulling away from me and holding me at arm's length. As I look back at Michelle I can't help but be thankful that I had her to help me through this, she is such a wonderful lady.

"Oh dear, you are going to make me cry, I don't need anymore wrinkle lines than I already have", Michelle says and I let out a small laugh.

"I will be calling within a few weeks to check up on you, goodbye sweetheart," Michelle says as a last goodbye then she gets into her nice BMW and drives away.

"Well let's start getting you unpacked honey", my mother says with a bright smile that I can't help but to return.

_______________________________________________

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| Well that was the first chapter, and I am super sorry if it kinda sucked. This is my first story and I am just learning how to use Wattpad on my computer. I really used to hate when I would read short chapters of other people's books but I totally understand now. Writing a chapter that is long is super hard. 

This prologue is just mostly about Aubrey and her getting to her mother's house. In future chapters, they will be a lot different and hopefully longer since I didn't have a lot of time to do this chapter (school tomorrow and it is already 12:14 am)

I am also currently enrolled in a school (lol kill me) so that means that I have homework and I also have chores (kill me again). 

Anyway, I really hope that you actually did like my story because I will be posting more. Also, I don't have any kind of posting schedule or anything so my updates will kind of be at random. 

                                                   - Ashlyn M.