A Lily in July

(Note: This is my 1st ever story. If it is well liked then I will work on another part.)

I am an only child. My mother died during child birth and my father never remarried. My father died in a car accident the summer after I graduated; a drunk driver crossed the double lines and hit him head on.

I sold the house and his business. Between the money from the sales and his life insurance, I was able to buy a house close to the college I was to attend and have plenty of money left over that I wouldn’t have to worry about money for a while.

It was a nice little neighborhood; there were a few families and everyone seemed to get along nicely. The house was a 3 bedroom, large kitchen, dining room, deck/patio, hot tub and a pool. It really helped that my best friend since preschool, Jim, moved with me.

I attended a local culinary school for two years and then spent another two abroad in France focusing on pastries and baking. When I returned home, I worked at a couple of different places before deciding to open my own place.

One year ago, Jim’s girlfriend Tracy moved in with us. We’ve both know Tracy since middle school. It was only recently that they decided to take their friendship to the next level. Six months ago, Jim was deployed to Iraq with the National Guard. It was a little weird at first just me and Tracy there by ourselves but that quickly passed (Now I know at this point you probably think something happened between me and Tracy, nothing of the sort. Just stick with me, I’m getting there). It was Tracy’s encouragement to start my own business. I quit my last job at the beginning of June to focus on starting my own café.

One week before July, my neighbor Erin came over to speak to Tracy and I. Erin lived in the neighborhood before I moved in and was a great woman. She got pregnant at a young age and gave birth to a little girl when she was only 16. Even with the challenge of having a child so young, she went on to complete college and get a high paying job with an advertising company.

Erin came to ask if we would be willing to watch her daughter Lily for a month, she had to go to Japan for a month for work. Lily wasn’t interested in going to Japan for a month, and even though she was 16, Erin was afraid to leave her alone for a month. I knew Lily, she was a great kid, but I had reservations about her staying with us for a whole month. Before I could voice my concerns, Tracy had agreed. I know it is my house, but I learned a long time ago, once Tracy commits to something, there is no going against her.

So Lily moved in with us. Lily seemed a little sad for the first few days, but Tracy had a chat with her and she seemed to perk right up. A week and a half into July and Tracy tells me that she has to go out of town for the weekend for work (she is a photographer). Now I’m really freaking out; what would people think of a 24, almost 25, year old spending a weekend with a 16 year old girl….alone.

The morning after Tracy left, I walk into the living room and I’m just floored.