AGLOW [L.T]

30

TW: alcoholism/abuse

"Avery, come over here, he's coming!"

I watch the plane take off before I stand up from where I was sitting in the window. I was still in my school uniform, mum said it would make dad happy. When she picked me up from school she was dressed in a nice blouse and her lips were painted red. Her dark curly hair was put in a bun in her neck. I told her she was pretty. 

I walked over to my mum waiting by the big door. She held my backpack in her one hand and held the other hand out for me to grab. I took it and she held it between us. I was impatient and tired. I had my snack in the car to the airport but I was still a bit hungry. 

Mum started to fix with my braid she did on me this morning. She even added a tiny little red bow at the end that I accidentally lost when I was on break. I don't think she noticed yet though. 

The door opened and people started to exit with their big bags and wagons full of luggage. I tried to see through the crowd but I was too short. But when I saw the red teddy bear key chain hanging on his suitcase I looked up to meet my dad's blue eyes. I spurt of joy went through my body and I let go of my mum's hand. 

I start running towards him. He stops when he sees me and lets go of his suitcase as he crouches down to catch me. 

"Daddy!" I yell as I run through the crowd of people. 

I crash into his arms and he holds me tightly as he stands up causing my feet to leave the ground. He spins around once and then gets a better grip around me to look at me better. He examines my face quickly with a big smile on his face. 

"Hey Pumpkin! you've gotten so big!" He says before letting me down to the ground again. "I remember you as like this big" he shows his hand below my shoulder. 

"Dad I'm seven now!" I say with a little jump. 

Mum shows up on my side with a soft smile on her face. Dad looks over to her before giving her a hug. When they kiss I look away. They talk about something I'm too impatient to listen to. I just want to tell dad what I did for my birthday, what I did at school, the girls I met at school that I play with and show him the drawing I made for him. 

I take dad's hand and start to pull him with me. Mum takes his suitcase and we start to walk towards the exit. I skip merrily through the airport towards the exit. Dad helped me into the car and he drove home. He said he'd miss driving whenever he was away since he always got a ride everywhere he went. 

I talked his ears off all the way home. I spoke about my new friends, one of them who lived right across the street. I told him about what we did in school and how aunt Lilian gave me a karaoke machine for my birthday so I could sing with my own microphone. I also talked about my birthday party and how I missed him when he was away. 

We stopped at the store to buy some groceries for his favorite food. He bought me an ice cream even though it was only Wednesday and I got to pick out all my favorite fruits and a kids magazine. 

When we got back I showed dad my room we just repainted when he was away. The walls were light blue and my toys were mainly blue as well. He laughed a little and told me it was a boys colour.  I shook my head and said it was my favorite colour. He just snickered and went out into the kitchen. Mum and dad told me they were going to prepare dinner, so I had to play by myself in the garden. 

It was sunny outside and the afternoon sun was hot. The wind was a bit colder though. It was early September and school just started again after summer. 

I went out to the swing and not long after, Hanna came running to me. Her blonde hair was let out from her pigtails and she had changed into sneakers instead. We played together for a while. We kicked some footie, she just started playing in a team. We took turns on the swing and when dinner was ready, dad asked Hanna if she wanted to eat with us. She denied and said she just ate before she ran home.