Red Riding Hood's Mate

Moving

I packed up the last of my things and put them into the box, taking one last look at my empty bedroom. Papa came and took the last box to the car. Mama hugged my shoulder and kissed my head before busying herself with the rest of the move. I'm sure that her busying herself was to distract her mind from the pain of leaving. We had been in this house for as long as I could remember. Papa used to live in the countryside. But all of my memories have been here, in the city.

Our next-door neighbour, Francesca and her family were like family to us. Francesca was a year older than me, but as I skipped a year, we had been in the same class since school started and she was my best friend. Her mother, Julie was Mama's best friend too, so we were always in each others' houses. Papa wasn't antisocial but he definitely kept to himself, although he got on with Francesca's papa, Craig.

"It's time." Mama said gently after all the boxes went into the moving van.

She was right, of course. Grandma was getting older and needed us to keep an eye out for her a bit more. That's why I chose my college that was close to her for my final year and why Mama and Papa agreed we should all move closer to Grandma. Papa was always saying we had to look out for each other, so it made sense he wanted to keep both me and Grandma close.

We saw Francesca and her family and we said our goodbyes. Leaving them was probably the most difficult part of this, but I knew we would still keep in touch.

"End of an era, kiddo." Papa said, kissing my head as we got into the car and pulled away from my childhood home. He always called me kiddo, but kids don't go to college.

"Papa, I'm almost an adult. I stopped being a kid a long time ago." I protested.

"You'll always be our baby." Mama insisted. Papa had a sad look in his eyes but Mama had a small smile that bent the corners of her mouth.

We drove in a comfortable silence for the journey, my parents swapping who drove every couple of hours. It was a long drive and I missed my friends already, but I was eager to settle in to our new house. Grandma has lived in the forest for as long as I can remember. Our new house would be on the edge of the forest in between Grandma's and college, around half an hour's drive from both.

We spent the next few days settling into our new home. It was a beautifully plain white timber house but much larger than our home in the city. My bedroom overlooked the garden, which led to the start of the forest. I never appreciated how calming the forest was until it was on my doorstep. I loved watching the birds in the trees, the leaves blowing in the wind and the squirrels scurrying up the trees. Breathing in the fresh unpolluted air and feeling the cool forest breeze on my face was better at clearing my mind than meditating.

I got ready and went into the kitchen.

"Happy moving colleges!" Mama and Papa cheered in tandem as they saw me.

I smiled, trying my best not to show I was missing my friends. Especially Francesca.

"You're going to love your new college." Mama said, kissing my head.

"We got you this." Papa said, pushing a large but soft present my way.

If this was another stuffed toy, I would go crazy.

I opened it carefully, making sure not to tear the pretty gold wrapping paper. It looked like a scarlet dress. It was silk on one side but a soft, waterproof, animal skin material on the outside.

"Thank you!" I grinned at them, before taking a closer look. It was absolutely gorgeous. I took it out of the packaging and held it up to see. I love how it feels in my fingers.

"That's sheeps skin," Papa said, noticing my hands caressing the outside. "It will keep you warm in the winter but the design means you'll be cool in the summer, too."

I appreciated the fact that he obviously had put a lot of time and effort into this present.

"It's a riding hood." Mama grinned.

It looked like something you would buy from a high end store, but I eyed my mother's look and the lack of labels so, knowing her skill, deduced she had sewn it herself.

"Thank you so much. I love it!" I said, pulling them both into a hug.

"When did you have time to do this?" I asked. We've been so busy with packing and unpacking the last few weeks, it left me dumbfounded.

"We still have a few secrets." Papa said, smiling, like even that was a secret.

"I'm making myself a green one." Mama said, pointing to her sowing machine that had an emerald green material in it. It was beautiful too, but I much preferred my own one.

"It matches your eyes." I said to her. My mother had long, black eyelashes that framed her beautiful dark green eyes.

"I know this is your favourite colour but it will also compliment your rosy cheeks." Mama said.

I smiled at her.

"Shall we give her the other one now?" Mama whispered to Papa. Mama was a terrible whisperer. I can hear her from all over the house.

Papa looked at me, knowing I had heard. He nodded solemnly.

Mama suddenly jumped up and grabbed Papa's and my hand.

"Follow me." She said excitedly.

We moved towards the front door. I grew in excitement, pulse racing.

"It's not a car." Papa said. He must have seen me. He was a lot more perceptive about these little things than Mama.

I looked at him grinning and he smiled back.

We went outside and there was a red bike with a red bow on the handlebars, leaning against the house.

I let out a shriek and spun around on the spot, not knowing whether to hug my parents or jump on the bike. I flung my hands around my parents' necks, giving them each a kiss on the cheek.

"It's for college," Papa grumbled.

I knew how proud they were of me but our move meant Francesca's father could no longer drive me and I was wondering what the arrangements would be. Cars around here weren't practical due to the lack of wide paths.

"We've got some bikes too. Ours are in the garage," Mama said.

"Going to Grandma's isn't possible in a car, but you should never go through this forest by yourself." Papa warned. "It's dangerous. So just go to college and back by yourself."

This was a huge deal for Papa. I could see him wrestling with himself, even now, about allowing me to go out by myself. Back home, well, my last home, Francesca's father used to drive Francesca and I. But here, with Papa working in the forest all day, and Mama working in the city, I would need a way to get to and from classes.

I loved the thought of having some freedom. Papa has wrapped me in cotton wool all my life.

"Can we ride to Grandma's now? I would love to see her!" I said, cupping my hands together and entwining my fingers.

Mama looked at Papa.

"There are bears and wolves in the forest." Papa said, heading inside.

We followed him in and he got a medicine pot from the kitchen cupboard.

"Whenever you go out of the house, take one of these. It stops unwanted attention and lasts for about a day." He said, handing me one, popping one himself and giving one to Mama.

The tablets made them smell different but not bad.

Papa used to be a wood cutter, but for the past few years he has had a job working for a sustainable energy company. When he found a job near our new house as a wood cutter for a sustainable firm, he took it. As much as he tried to hide it, everyone could tell he was much more suited to the outdoors than an office. His large build was just designed for the outdoors. It made sense he would know about everything to take to prevent against animal attacks. I swallowed the pill and Mama put some leftover chicken soup in a container to take to Grandma's. Then we got on our bikes.

We headed in the direction of the forest and I realised I had never been to her house before, even though she's been living there for a long time. She visited us mostly, or sometimes we would meet in the city. But it was obvious that, like Papa, Grandma preferred the simple life, without the hussle and bussle of a life in the city.

There was a cycle path near our house that we followed with only a few turns, so memorising the route was easy.

As we rode closer, the air felt thicker and the smell of flowers filled my nose.

There was a small clearing and a cottage at the end of it, with white brick walls and a thatched roof. It looked picturesque. I can see why Grandma loved it here. I love it already and I've only been here for a few moments.