Childhood Dreamin' Part 4

I came home from school one day. Since I was the last person on the route, I rode toward Summer Hill Court. The bus driver, Ms. Audrey, and I struck up a conversation. "You're Savannah, right?" she asked me. She wanted to know who my parents were, and I told her.
"My mother drove your father to and from school. He used to live right by the stadium."
I thought that was kind of weird, her mom driving my dad, and she following suit as a bus driver.

"How come you're always by yourself," she then asked. "I see the other kids, they're always in crowds. You're always alone."

I didn't have an answer to that question, and I still don't think I do. I do think I've developed over the simyears a preference for solitude. It's part of the reason why I have the job I do. I spend days alone in tombs hunting for relics and treasure, sometimes working for hire.

I came home and did my homework in Aunt Margaret's room. I liked to go in her room and do it because she had a study desk. Her study desk was wooden and she said she'd had it since she was a young adult.
After I did my homework Aunt Margaret was going to take me to the park for a chess tournament. It just so happened that mom and dad were coming home at the same time. Mom was particularly teed off that Aunt Margaret and I were leaving the house.

"Um, where do you think you're going?" she asked.
"Savannah and I are going to the chess tournament at Maywood Glen."
"Chess tournament?" mom wondered. "At this hour? Those are usually over by now!"

As usual, dad was caught in the middle. Aunt Margaret had told me once that when dad first started dating mom, she didn't like her at all, but had slightly warmed up to her by the time my parents got married.

"Shan --" I heard dad say as I walked out of the house. Aunt Margaret was already almost to her car.
"Savannah, have you done your homework?"
"Of course, mom," I replied. Then I ran to catch up with Aunt Margaret.

By the time I got into the car with Aunt Margaret, it was getting dark. It was kind of cool to be out of the house, just the two of us. "You know," Aunt Margaret said, "your mother doesn't quite understand. She just doesn't get it."
I had gotten used to my mother, though. At that age I had already figured out that she wasn't happy with me for some reason. I didn't know if it was the fact that I'm blond and pale, or that I hated toys, dolls and dresses, or that I would rather read a book than go play outside with other kids, or that I wasn't exactly the sweet girly girl she wanted.

What I couldn't tell Aunt Margaret -- at least then -- was that I LIKED going to the chess tournament and I LIKED hanging out with her. I didn't know how much I'd miss it when she died. It was Aunt Margaret who turned me on to chess all those simyears ago.