Löded summer

When it rains it pours

Sitting in the passenger seat of her father's old truck, Y/N had never felt such intense disdain toward him.

She sat twisted away, her knees angled awkwardly toward the door, and her eyes fixed on the rain-smeared window, relentlessly assaulted by the ongoing downpour.

After three consecutive days on the road, they had finally arrived at her summer destination: Plainview, Massachusetts. Or better yet, the source of what seemed to be all of Y/N's newfound sorrows.

The years had slipped away since her last visit, and it was more than obvious that this was the last place she wanted to be.

Y/N's father let out an audible sigh, clearly trying to penetrate the uncomfortable tension that hung between them like an indecisive pendulum. His pudgy thumbs rhythmically tapped on the steering wheel, a clear indication that something troubled him.

"Too bad," Y/N thought to herself.

Still caught in her turmoil, she remained unfazed, refusing to make any type of connection. Although undeniably, she could feel his gaze upon her. Secretly wanting to reach out. A few more moments passed between them before Y/N's father finally relented. He removed the keys from the ignition and pocketed them.

"I'll go ahead and head up," Y/N's father said before pulling his hood overhead and ducking out of the car. Cold, harsh wind mingled with stray raindrops rushed in, coating the dashboard. The door snapped shut, and her attention quickly gravitated from the window to watch him approach the patio ahead.

She idly chewed the skin on her bottom lip and twisted a lock of hair between her fingers. The interaction hadn't even started, but Y/N's stomach turned in silent, nervous anticipation.

His knuckles struck the door three times, just loud enough to hear through the persistent rain.

A clear rustle from inside rippled through the air. A creak sounded, and Y/N's mother came out to greet her ex-husband. The dialogue was unclear to her, but she could easily guess what it was about.

Possibly discourse about Y/N getting caught partying, dabbling into bud, getting absolutely plastered during the weekends... all the while simultaneously keeping up with her grades in the strangest way ever... but she knew her father would never mention the last part.

This conversation carried on for another fifteen minutes before Y/N's father circled back around to her side of the car and opened the door for her.

"Alright, kid," he said, stepping aside to make way for his daughter. Y/N pulled on her own hoodie and maneuvered out of the vehicle.

The rain beat down on her, and she staggered through the merciless wind and precipitation to the patio ahead. Her mother stood there awkwardly, wearing a house robe, blue house slides, and an indecipherable expression, something of subtle sadness or plain exhaustion.

This wasn't the mother she had remembered, but to be fair, Y/N wasn't the sweet ray of sunshine she once was either. So, apart from their monthly phone calls, annual birthday cards, and occasional social media shout-outs, their relationship was pretty much nonexistent.

"It's about time I get her inside; it's late," her mother said warmly as she closed the distance between herself and Y/N, wrapping her arm around Y/N's sodden shoulder.

The sudden affection caught Y/N off guard, but she was quite tired. Her lips formed a tight line as she looked to her father, who seemed mildly amused by the interaction.

"So eager to take her off my hands, huh?"

Her mother's grip suddenly tightened around her, and Y/N could almost feel the hostility brewing inside her. But, just as it had come, she exhaled and let it go. All she said was, "Let's not go there, Vincent," before guiding Y/N inside and shutting the door behind her.