CHAPTER 1
“Look April, honey, you’ll feel a lot better if you talk about it.”
“Dad, I’m fine. I mean yeah I miss mom a lot, but Thomaston is going to be fun. Don’t worry.” I tried to convince my dad again that I would be fine.
We were on our way to Thomaston Georgia. I was moving into my dad’s house because my mom, who had custody, recently died of brain cancer.
“I know your gonna miss Oakland, but you’ll be fine.” Dad said.
“Look dad, California was great, but I need to forget about it. Y life is with you now, in Georgia. I will get used to it.” I told him.
“Okay honey, I just want you to feel like your at home.” I didn’t say anything because the truth is it’ll never be home with out mom. We pulled into the driveway of my dad’s house, ugh. I mean my house. It is just as beautiful as I remembered.
“You will be going to school tomorrow, and I won’t be able to get you to school because I have to work. So I uhh bought you a car, so you can get around and umm you know.” Dad told me, anxiously waiting for my reaction.
I looked at him shocked. “I thought I was going to get my car dad, I mean thank-you but you really didn’t have too...” I was babbling.
“Well I did. It was the least I could do. Now let’s get you settled upstairs.” He interrupted me. Dad wasn’t really good at small talk.
“Okay, well thanks again dad.” I said. We got the bags out the back of my dad’s truck and went through the garage. This is where I saw my car for the first time. I stopped to admire it, it was beautiful. It wasn’t new but it looked good. It was an old 1995 Porsche, it was a faded black color. “Oh dad it’s perfect, but how much was it?” I asked worried he spent too much money on me.
“Well it was only $520. I bought it off from an old family friend. It was totaled but I fixed it up.” He informed me, sounding quite proud of himself.
“I love it dad.” I said smiling.
“Well I’m glad.” He replied quietly
We continued on through the garage door. We went through the big kitchen, that had green walls, white tiled floors and the smell of soap coming from the dishwasher. We went into the large living room and passed the black leather couch that sat in front of the big screen TV, and went up to the stair case. Everywhere I looked there was a picture of me and brother on the wall of the long hall way. Finally we made it to the end of the hall where my bedroom was located.
I opened the door, nothing had changed. The walls were still a light blue, the queen sized bed was centered on the right wall, just where I left it. I mean there were minor changes like a newer computer, a bigger TV and an empty closet. I hadn’t been here since I was 10 but here we are 7 years later and it still had the same old curtains hanging.
“Well what do ya think April?” my dad asked me interrupting my inner analysis.
“Well for one thing, I notice you haven’t changed a bit.” I answered him laughing.
“Ha ha very funny. Well I’ll let ya get settled in while I cook dinner.” He closed the door behind him.
The first thing I did was go to the window that led to my balcony. I loved the view of the field and the way it gives the illusion that they meet somewhere at the end. It was cold, it being January and all, so I decided to not go outside right now. I hope it snows, it did once when I was five and I remember playing out in it. I remember when my dad woke me and my brother up to show us the snow, it was so beautiful. That day mom had out her camera taking pictures of us in the snow, it was one of my favorite childhood memories.
I shook the all too painful memory of my mom out of my head. Turning away from my window I walked to my bed and opened my suit case. I didn’t bring a lot of clothes because I planned on going shopping soon.
I unpacked all my clothes in about 30 minutes, they only filled a quarter of my closet. With that done I turned on my TV and booted up my computer. I flipped to a rerun of NCIS and sat down at my computer desk, checking my mail. There wasn’t anything important, just a lot of those stupid chain letters. Yawning I turned off my computer, and my dad knocked on my door.
“Yeah dad?”
“Dinner’s done.” He said through the door.
“Kay, I’ll be right down.” I replied. I went down stairs and set the table.
“What’s for dinner, dad?” I asked.
“Cheeseburgers and fries.”
“Yummy, I’ll get the ketchup and stuff, want a drink?” I went to the fridge, and got out the stuff for cheeseburgers, and a bottle of water. I looked at dad waiting for his answer.
“Uhh no thanks kiddo, I’m fine.” He answered.
“Alright.” I sat down at the kitchen table across from him. We ate in silence for the first couple of minutes, then the small talk started.
“So school’s tomorrow.” He said.
“Yupp, Upson Lee High. You went there right dad? Like a super long time ago?” I cracked a smile.
“Well I wouldn’t say a super long time ago, but yeah. It was a great school, you’ll love it.” He replied
“I’m sure, but it’s probably change a lot since you’ve been there.” I let out a giggle this time.
“Well aren’t you just hilarious!” he said sarcastically.
“Yupp, got that from you.” I matched his tone.
He smiled and then changed the subject. “So do you cook?”
“Oh yeah learned from mom.” I laughed.
“So that’s a no.” he laughed along with me.
“You catch on fast, dad” I laughed some more.
“Yeah, must come with the age huh?” he asked me sarcastic again.
“It must.” I replied. We finished up dinner and I cleared the table.
“Well I’m gonna go to bed, dad. I will see you in the morning. Good night, love ya.” I kissed him on the forehead and headed to the staircase.
“Night kiddo love ya.” He called from behind me.
I went up to my room and closed the door. At that time I was grateful that I had my own bathroom. All that time closed up in the car alone with my dad was just too much, and not to mention dinner too. I really need some alone time, some privacy. I took a long hot shower, letting erase the tightness of my joints, due to sitting in the car all day. After my shower I went straight to bed.
