The Gypsy Princess's Diary

It's hot, muggy, and the occasional smell of rotten eggs wafts by when there's the slightest breeze. I roll up the windows and stare out at the marsh, silently praying that this will be over soon. "I love my sister, I love my nephew; I love my sister, I love my nephew." I repeat the mantra over and over as I drive past the marsh, past the chain restaurants, and down the road towards my destination. When I get to the gate, the guard checks my ID and pass and, for the thousandth time, asks where I'm going. I reply that I'm going to my sister's house, and they wave me through. I pull into the driveway, get out, and go inside, repeating my mantra. When I get inside, I ask my sister if there's any news. She gives me a dirty look, says she'll send everyone a text when she finds out, and storms outside. I'm left sitting in the floor with my 7 month old nephew, silently repeating my mantra. I've decided that Beaufort, South Carolina is my own personal hell. How did I end up here? Well, when you're the oldest of four girls, you have only two classes left before you graduate college, and no love life or career, your family expects you to pick up and move from Tennessee to South Carolina to help your sister with her newborn son. My sister is in the United States Marine Corps, being medically retired at some point this spring (I was asking if she'd received her retirement information when she stormed out), and her fiance is in Arizona. All of our family is twelve hours away, she had major hip surgery less than two years ago, and she needed help. So, here I am, stuck in the "low country" with a baby during the day, and a waitressing job at night. Downtown is interesting, and the place is full of history, but once you've been downtown a few times, it loses its charm quickly. Don't get me wrong, being a history major I fully enjoy learning about any new place. But that's the problem: places don't stay new very long, and when you're tied down by a baby and a job, you don't exactly get to have a social life. And what little free time I do have these days is spent cleaning and sleeping. My heart aches to leave this place, to see the world, to take in the sights and sounds, the smells and the faces! But no, I'm here, in South Carolina, waiting. How did I get here? My family are master manipulators; but I wouldn't change a thing. I've met great people and learned a lot. Besides, every great adventure needs a jumping off point. This is mine, and it is only going to get better!