Alexis's Choice

Alexis Green had just graduated in May 2020 from Marigold High School in Cartersville, Alabama. It has always being Alexis's dream to be an actor like her father Julian. She wants to go live with her dad in Ireland so she will be able to go to The Gaiety School of Acting. Her mother wants her to go to Cartersville Community College like she did and study nursing. Alexis is torn between making her dreams come true or disappointing her mother. Her Grandmother Lily always knows what to say when she's having a problem. Alexis gets on her bike and goes over to see her grandmother. When she gets to her grandmother's house, she sees her outside water her plants.

"Hello there sweetie," said Grandma.

"Hi grandma," said Alexis. "I need to talk to you about something."

"What's going on," said Grandma.

Alexis explains to her grandmother about her mom wanting her to stay in town and go to community college. She tells her grandmother that she had already made plans to go to Ireland with her father after she finished school to study acting like he did when he was younger.

"I know you don't want to disappoint your mother," said Grandma. "You have to do what makes you happy".

"You're right," said Alexis. "Thanks, grandma for listening."

"Everything will be just fine honey," said Grandma.

Alexis hugs her grandma and leaves to go home. She sees her mother getting out of her car as she pulls up on her bike. 

"Help me with the groceries dear," said Mother.

"Okay," said Alexis.

Her mother goes to the trunk and begins pulling out bags with groceries inside handing them to Alexis. Alexis takes the groceries inside the house and puts them on the kitchen table. After putting the groceries into their place, Alexis sits down at the kitchen table and tells her mother that she had decided to live with her father to go to the acting college.

"What did your father have to say?" asked Mother.

"He said it was okay," said Alexis.

"Alright, said Mother. "I need to talk to your father first."

Alexis calls her father and tells him the good news. Her father has to come to town on business in a week. He agrees to talk to her mom about the move to Ireland when he comes. Alexis hangs up the phone and tells her mother her father was coming to town in a week to talk with her more about the move to Ireland. 

"Okay honey," said Mother. "Help me set the table for dinner."

Alexis was so excited she barely ate all her food. After helping her mother clear the table, she went into her bedroom and opened up the package she got in the mail from the college. The classes Alexis wanted to take started in August for the Fall and ran through December. She had already registered early in the spring for the school and was sent a package about the college afterward. The Gaiety School of Acting is the most prestigious leading drama school in Ireland for professional acting. Alexis's father was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. He's a famous international actor and has done some acting in the United States. Her parents met while he was filming "An Autumn Love Story" in Dodders Ville, Alabama. Her mother was there helping her aunt Jill while her husband Jack was recuperating after his back surgery. Alexis's mother and father had their first date at a little country restaurant on the strip downtown. They were married three months later. Alexis was born in Ireland. After her mother and father got divorced, her mother moved back to Carterville with her grandmother until she got a house of her own. Alexis was real young when her parents divorced. She didn't remember much about living in Ireland. She's heard only stories her father has told her about when he was a child growing up. Her father told her how the St. Patrick Day celebration was a big deal in Ireland. Her father's families were Christians. Christians in Ireland attend church on St. Patrick Day as it's a holy day of Obligation. Families dressed in their best clothing with shamrocks pinned to their breast and attend church together. After mass was over, families would return home and sit down to a large roast dinner.

It was 10:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. Alexis's father called her mother from the airport. He was getting a cab heading to their house. Alexis was so excited to see her father. He didn't get the chance to come down as often as he did when she was younger. The two would skype every week to see how the other one was doing. Her mother was in the kitchen putting the breakfast plates and glasses into the dishwasher. Alexis's mother turned on the coffee maker to make coffee since her dad was on his way. Alexis heard the taxi pull into the driveway. Her father got out of the cab with his suitcase and briefcase in hand. Alexis opened the door and helped her father with his luggage.

"Good morning," said Julian.

"How was your flight?" said Mother.

"It was okay," said Julian.

"Hello Daddy," said Alexis.

"Hi, sweetness," said Julian.

He opened up his suitcase and gave Alexis a gift wrapped in silver wrapping paper with a big yellow bow. Alexis began to tear open her present. It was a pink and blue Irish tweed tote shoulder bag. Alexis had begged her father to get her one for the Christmas holidays. It was the best early Christmas gift ever.

"Thank you, daddy," said Alexis.

"You're very welcome," said Julian.

Alexis places the bag back into the box and sat on the couch near her father. Her mother brings him a cup of freshly brewed coffee. He takes the coffee and takes a sip from the cup.

"Good coffee," said Julian.

"Thanks," said Mother.

They begin discussing Alexis's decision about leaving home to study abroad in Ireland. Julian assures Alexis's mother that she'll be living with him while going to college. Even though her mother has reservations about Alexis leaving home going so far away to college, she doesn't want to hinder her daughter from reaching her dream of becoming an actress. This is something Alexis had wanted to do ever since she was three years old. Her father was proud that his daughter wanted to follow in his footsteps. Alexis's mother wanted to go with her to tour the college before the start of the fall semester. Before her father left for town, Alexis's mother booked flight reservations for her and Alexis to go to Ireland. Julian agreed to meet them at the airport to show them both the sites when they arrived. The morning of the trip the airport was crowded with people. Alexis's mom gave the TSA agent their boarding passes. There was an hour wait before their plane arrived. Alexis and her mother went to grab a bite to eat at the concession stand. When the plane arrived the attendant announced for everyone on the flight to begin boarding the plane. Alexis and her mother were seated in the same row on the airplane. Alexis took the window seat so she would be able to look outside the plane. As the airplane takes off down the runway, Alexis sees it steadily soared high up into the sky. The amazing visions of cumulus fluffy white clouds look like cotton balls surrounded by the calm blue sky. Alexis falls asleep on her mother's shoulders. The plane ride to Ireland was a smooth and peaceful flight all the way. When they arrived at the airport, Julian was already there to meet them. He helped them with their luggage putting it inside his minivan. Alexis and her mom were going to tour the school the next day. Alexis could hardly wait to start her journey on making her acting dream become a reality.