A photo of the photographer as a young lady: INSTALLMENT 1

By Anyagirl

Alice was in the car, watching the clouds swirl and change on a windy day in Seattle. She and her father had to drive all the way to Colorado to visit Daniel Ashby's former wife, and Alice Ashby's mother.

Daniel and Abigail divorced 15 years ago, when Alice was 2 years old. Alice was really glad she only had faint memories of those turbulent months when the divorce was being filed. Alice's mother didn't want Alice at the time, so she was her father's responsibility. Since then, Alice's mother managed to stop being depressed, get a job, and get a brand new husband and baby. Alice's half-sister Susanna was already 5 years old by now and was most likely the prettiest thing on Earth. With her wide blue eyes, ivory hair, pale skin, and melodic voice, what wasn't to like about Susanna. Alice felt too old to have a half sister in the early stages of childhood. After all, Alice was almost 18 years old and already had a blue car that she drove from school to home and vice versa.

Unlike her half-sister though, Alice wasn't always being admired by mothers. It was always: "Why Alice! You're grown up already! Will I be seeing you next time?" versus: "Oh Susanna you pretty little thing! Give Mrs. Insertnamehere a hug! You've gotten prettier since the last time I saw you, dear. You're gonna be famous someday Susanna dear." Not that Alice was a rebel, Alice was far fro that. It's just that Alice was "too much like her lousy good-fer-nuthin' father!" as her grandmother on her mom's side put it.

Was Alice REALLY prepared to face another Christmas under Family Perfect's roof? She would not stand another second of her father being criticised behind his back, of her being thought of as 'that poor girl with a bad-influence father.'

TO BE CONTINUED...

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