Two hours into our ride I finally see something other than a tree.
We slowly come across a sign that reads:
WELCOME TO THE BRIDGE
What an odd name for a town.
I never remember Granda living in a place like this. She used to live to her farm.
As mom continued driving, we passed what looked to be the town's downtown area with some small boutiques. The homes in this town weren't small tiny cottages.
They were extremely extravagant and the people who owned them must be really rich. We passed a fenced mansion with a fountain encircled by four luxury cars. The people walking on the sidewalks wore stylish clothes and none of them looked out of shape.
This place was like something out of a movie where each character was chosen from perfection. Another thing that caught my attention was that each house had a white flag hung on their gates.
"Gran, why do all the houses have those white flags?" I ask.
The look on her face transformed to that awkward expression again. It took all I had not to stare at her rudely the way Jordan did to earn her smite.
"It's that time of the year," she mumbled.
"It's not Christmas yet," Jordan said.
She reached for her cane and jabbed the foot behind Jordan's chair.
"Mother!" Mom yelled at her.
"Yes, present! I'm here." Granny raised her hand jokingly.
"Time for what exactly?" I asked her, trying to diffuse another argument.
"Don't brainwash my kids with nonsense, I don't want them to get wrong ideas." Mom cut her off before Granny got the chance to say anything.
Granny scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest like a frustrated child then glanced at me.
"Sorry sweetie, your mom doesn't want me to talk. She's the boss, now that I'm a disabled old woman my opinion no longer matters cause I'm crazy," she said sarcastically while glaring at mom from the rearview mirror.
"I did not say you are disabled or crazy, mother. You are just too much sometimes and that's why I--"
Gran doesn't let mom finish. "Let me tell you this itty-bitty detail..." she leaned closer so that I could hear.
"Wait, I can't hear!" Jordan complained but I didn't realise he was ever interested in whatever Gran says out of her mouth.
Gran continues anyways. "In these parts...the flags--they are a symbol of welcoming."
Jordan's brows raise up in interest. "Welcoming of?"
Gran frowns "You made a tooty? Boy, open a window! No one wants to smell your gas! Jordan, open the windows."
Mom doesn't do it at first until Gran starts to poke her with the end of her cane for emphasis.
"I didn't fart!" Jordan exclaimed as Joey laughed.
"Of course you do! Or else you'd be dead. Fart is life." Gran said.
Joey's boisterous laugh masked mom's angry words.Gran's eyes twinkle between me and Joey.
"How old are you girls?"
"I'm twenty. Jordan is eighteen. Joey's eleven."
"Oh," was all she said, then looked out the window and at the trees. Gran doesn't talk much after that. She starts to doze off and snore through the last 30 min of the ride. The van struggled a little going up the mountain. The numerous turns made Jordan car sick and we had to stop once to let him cool off.
Gran's house was literally at the top peak of the mountain overlooking the whole town. You could see the forest on the other side and her farm house on the other.
The more I inspected the homes visible from where I stood, I noticed that all the homes had a white flag except for Gran's. I thought she believed in her story, so why didn't she put a flag up?
"I can't believe you own this house and you didn't mention it," Jordan confronted mom instead of helping her unload all our things from the back of the trunk.
"Your Grandmother owns it, not me." Mom answers without an ounce of emotion in her face. It seemed to me that mom wanted nothing to do with her mother.
Growing up, mom always struggled with making money to feed three children all on her own. Not once did she ask for help, nor have I seen her receive help since dad passed away. But she could have, through Gran. I was really confused by this and planned to ask her when the time was right and my siblings weren't around.
After taking all our luggage out of the car, mom heads over to gran's side to wake her up. "Mom, I get you like being independent, but I think it's time for you to live in a smaller home. Living in a big house all by yourself is too much for you. You should have moved to an older adult community. Didn't I mail a brochure to you? You can live closer to the kids, if you want. There is a place that's near our apartment."
Gran was not happy with waking up to mom saying those words. She slapped mom's hand away when she tried to help her remove the seatbelt.
"This house has been in our family for centuries and I'm going to die in it." She grabbed her cane, then slid down from the edge of the seat to plant her feet on the ground. The van was slightly high and I was surprised she was able to get out on her own.
Heading straight to her front entrance, she turns around and says."You'll have to carry me kicking and screaming if you want me to leave!"
Mom runs a hand down her shirt hair in frustration. "Kids, take your things out of the van. I'm going to make sure Gran gets to the house in one piece."
"Don't worry Vina, I'll keep all my assets tucked in!" Gran says and starts walking on her own.
"She's so cool." Joey bites back his smile.
"I think she's rude and nasty," Jordan whispered.
"Are you referring to yourself?" Joey says.
Jordan sent her a pointed glare.
We got the bags out of the car and as soon as we reached the front door an old man with a nice goatee, wearing a fancy suit, ran out of the house looking kind of deranged. My siblings and I pause in front of the stranger.
"Madam, I was worried sick about you! Why did you escape the house!" He looked Gran up and down as if scanning for any bloody gashes or foreign objects impaled into her skin. When he saw us, his eyes widened and he straightened his posture. His demur completely changed to a highly esteemed butler.
"Hello, my name is Lucas. I'll take your bags to your rooms." He reached for my bag first because I was closest. "Welcome yourselves inside." He bowed. When he looked up he saw mom and his eyes grew with familiarity.
"Lucas." Mom acknowledged him.