Holding On To You (A Twenty One Pilots Fanfiction)

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

My parents eventually returned from the funeral. I was in my room blow drying my wet hair. I shut off the blow dryer when I heard them come in.

"No, I will not calm down!" I heard my dad yell.

He never yelled. My mom must have come clean.

I heard loud footsteps coming upstairs. I came out to see my dad. His face was bright red with anger. I wondered if he knew that I knew.

"Dad?" I said, as he went into his bedroom, ignoring me.

He came out a few minutes later with a packed duffel bag. He stormed back out of the house, and I heard his engine start up and his car pulled away.

"He's going to a hotel," my mom sobbed, "tomorrow's Thanksgiving."

I did the nice thing, and gave my mom a long hug. As much as I hated what she did, I didn't hate her. My mom and I sat at the kitchen table and we talked rationally, for the first time in a while. I still didn't forgive her, nor understand how she could do what she did, but I had accepted it as reality. After we had both gotten some feelings out, we laughed and shed a few tears about the messed up situations we were facing. She made my favorite kind of tea and we talked late into the night.

Eventually, I went upstairs. I heard Tyler talking in the guest room. I quietly leaned my ear against the door.

"Yeah.. I'm sorry too," he was saying.

He was talking to his dad. That was good; they needed to talk. I should really talk to mine too, but I think he needed time to soak in the news.

I quit eavesdropping and went to my room.

****

I awoke to a soft tap on the shoulder. It was Tyler.

"Hey," I said in a tired voice.

"Hey, my dad's been at my uncles, and they invited me for Thanksgiving."

"You should go. I think it would be good for you," I said.

"Yeah, I'm gonna," he replied. "I just wanted to let you know I was leaving. Thanks for letting me crash."

"No problem."

"I'll see ya tomorrow?"

"Yep."

"Okay."

"Okay."

He left.

****

My mom invited family over for dinner, and it was fun, like old times... except without my dad. We had apple pie for dessert, and by eight o'clock, everyone had left. I helped my mom clean up the kitchen. We sat at the table again for tea. There was a silent pause in our conversation, and then the front door creaked open.

My dad walked in holding his bag, with a tired look on his face. He dropped it at the front door, and came to sit with us.

"I'm so sorry," my mom said, starting to tear up.

My dad nodded silently. He gave me a hug and kiss on the forehead, which made me feel so relieved that he didn't hate me.

"Well, I hope you saved some pie for me," my dad joked.

"I did," my mom smiled and cut him a slice.

We talked like we were still a family, and nothing had happened, but I knew my dad wouldn't live like this. He couldn't. I knew he would file for a divorce. My mom knew it too, but we sort of, cherished this last family moment filled with smiles and laughter. It was Thanksgiving, after all.