Sincerely, Jonah

Chapter 20

Dad got home early and cooked chicken and shrimp, while I did laundry.  While I was separating the white colors from the others, he told me that he bought our tickets to go back to our hometown during Spring break. I was so happy that I almost cried as I ran around the house, jumping around and hugging him.

"I just couldn't wait to tell you," he says, shaking his head with a big smile on his face. He's leaning against the kitchen doorway watching me pace around the room.
"Sorry I didn't buy them sooner."

I look at him. "Are you kidding me dad?  I'm just glad that you got them in the first place. I thought you never wanted to go back."  I jump off the couch before he lets out a sigh. "Well, I didn't. But people have been reaching out to me to see how we're doing... I heard Amber, one of your moms close friends, told me that the chalk that you guys wrote your initials with, someone had carved."

I smile, remembering that day. It was pouring down raining on my birthday, and I wanted to carve our initials on the sidewalk in front of our favorite deli. We had turkey sandwiches while sitting in front of the window almost everyday for lunch, even when she had a meeting for work.

"Really? I ask, on the verge of tears. When we used to live there, it was almost the same as here, but I grew up with those people. I guess I just didn't think that we'd mean that much to everyone.
  I run upstairs.

"Where are you going?" He shouts.
I open my closet once I get to my room and take out a bunch of clothes; every pair of shirt and jeans I had.
"Packing!"

My laptop that's open on my bed goes off. Fin must be spamming me with random funny videos.
"We have 3 weeks! Come finish your laundry before the food is ready!"
I stuff a few of my polo shirts and tank tops in my suitcase and sigh as I run back downstairs.

He's in the kitchen, flipping the shrimp on the stove. I sigh at the smell of chicken in the oven. He looks back when he sees me. "Where are we gonna stay?" I ask him, still excited and out of breath.

He turns the stove to low and takes a seat in front of his laptop. "We were going to stay at a hotel...but Grandma wants us to crash at her place for the week."

We must be staying in their big guest room with the walk-in closet. I used to always sleep there whenever my parents sent me there during their date night to get rid of me.

"I've check our hometowns page and they're all happy to see us." He laughs. "Mainly you."
We talk about what all we're going to do there and that the first thing we're gonna do is turkey sandwiches at the deli. Mom loved having everything on hers: tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and even onions.
The oven goes off. "Got it."

I grab the mittens and take out the chicken. "Hurry and finish your laundry," he says, typing. "The shrimp should be ready in 5 minutes."

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The next morning, Fin came over to help me catch up on my assignments. I toasted some toast from our new red toaster Dad had bought for sale, and spread some jam on them for us. He also let me wear one of his brown buttoned up shirts since I didn't finish my second load last night.

After I had dinner, I rushed up to my room and told them all about it.
Fin takes a big bite out of his toast and brushes his hands together.
"Alright," he says, grabbing a packet of pre-cal problems.

"So I got the test back and made a 75..." I glare at him. I know I should've asked V instead. He makes an offended look. "Alright, at least I passed."
I shake my head in disbelief, grabbing my review packet. "Yeah, barely. I'm nervous now. You always get good grades."

"Yeah well this lesson is kinda complicated. I think it's because he just introduced it last week." He ticks his tongue. "I hate when teachers do that."