Between the Lines

Thirty-eight - Oliver

For the next week, Dad and I go through my things. Calvin said his parents were getting a mover to take most of his things down, aside from a few clothes and toiletries, after we find a place to settle, and that we would have to put my things in the Mercedes. I don’t plan on taking any furniture, only the few things I kept after moving into the apartment like my books and clothes, so my belongings would easily fit into Calvin’s car.

Dad talked to me a lot about him moving and decided that he’ll move down to Eastcliff after the next three months. That way, he has the time to look for where he wants to live and to wrap it up with his work. He said that he’ll bring my furniture down in a mover, with the rest of the things in the apartment, and drop it by if Calvin and I need it.

I spent all the time that I could with my dad in that last week and saw Ronan as much as I could. It’s going to be sad to leave the both of them here. They were really the only people who were there for me in the hardest of times, other than Calvin when he could be. Both of them have done so much for me, it’s sad I have to leave, even if I do get to see Dad again after a while. But there’s no way I’m not going to spam Ronan with calls when we’re both free, just to make sure I don’t miss her too much.

Before I know it, my last week of living in Highland’s Lower-class zone is over. Dad wakes me up by opening the blinds and gently ruffling my hair.

“It’s moving day Ollie,” he says softly.

 I simply mumble at him and roll over. Even though today is very exciting (and also nerve racking), I am not a morning person.

Dad stands at the end of the bed and keeps talking so I don’t fall back asleep instantly, “Come on, don’t want to be late and keep Calvin waiting, do you?”

I mumble again.

“You get to see your pretty boyfriend,” he tries.

I get up then, hauling myself into a sitting position. “Okay, I can call him pretty but it’s a bit weird for you to say that,” I say amusedly.

“I can call him pretty if I want.”

“Dad, you haven’t even seen him!”

“All the more reason for me to say he’s pretty, because I haven’t seen him to tell if he’s ugly. And I will tell you if he's ugly,” he says matter-of-factly as he leaves my room. “Now, time to get up Ollie, there’s no going back to sleep now.”

We spend the rest of the morning getting ready. We move the two small boxes of my belongings and my bag out of the apartment and load them into Dad’s car, before heading to the gate.

We make a slight detour past Ronan’s house first. She’s waiting on the porch in her pyjamas with a robe over her when we pull up at her house. I quickly race up and give her a hug. Given her lack of height (even next to me), I stoop down, wrap my arms around her and lift her up. She giggles and starts kicking around like a toddler.

“Oliver put me down! I'll start crying if you don't get out of here!” She says with a hint of sadness.

I hand her a handwritten card and a bunch of cookies, thanking her for everything she did for me. Then I hug her one last time, say my goodbye and get back into the car. It was a bit of a rushed goodbye, but it’s not like it’s our last… and I was already late to see Calvin.

We reach the gate and drive right through. I decided it would be best for Calvin to pick me up a few hundred meters away from the gate, just for safe measure. Dad spots the white Mercedes parked on the side of the road and pulls up behind it. Calvin climbs out of the car as we pull up and as soon as the car stops, I get out and run at him, enveloping him in a hug.

“You seem very energetic for this early in the morning,” Calvin says hugging me back.

I kiss him quickly, “Yeah, like you know what I’m like in the morning.”

Dad clears his throat as he walks up slowly behind me and I let go of Calvin. “Dad, this is Calvin. Calvin, this is my dad.”

Calvin extends his hand to my dad and they shake firmly.

“A pleasure to meet you Mr. Night,” Calvin says with a nice smile.

“Oh, no need for the formality, and you can just call me Quentin,” Dad replies. “You’ve got a really nice car, Calvin.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Dad walks around inspecting the Mercedes.

Calvin lets out a little chuckle, “Well you’re definitely his son.”

“What? We don't see things like this in Lower-class,” Oliver shrugs.

My things are in the car. Now, I guess it’s goodbye.

Dad stops Calvin, “I’m trusting you with Ollie, okay?” Calvin nods along. “He can be difficult, especially in the mornings, but you’ll get used to it, and he can stress himself out a lot, which isn’t good for him. Look, I’m just asking you to take care of him for me while I can’t. You think you can do that?”

“I will, Quentin.” Calvin says, then shakes my Dad’s hand again.

Then Dad turns to me with a devilish smile, “Try not to be too difficult, eh Ollie?” He prods me with his fingers.

I push his hands away, trying not to laugh, “I won’t Dad. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Dad pulls me in and gives me one, long goodbye hug, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Please take care of yourself and call me if anything happens. If anything happens to you or if anything is happening with your head. Okay?”

“I will Dad.”

“I'll see you as soon as I'm down there myself. And make sure to ring Ronan and get your appointments transferred across to a new clinic.”

“I know Dad. I promise it'll be okay. You can call me anytime I promise!”

I love everything Dad has done for me. I know how hard this would be for him. I just hope he doesn't feel like he's losing me too. I put on a smile as I pull out of the hug.

“Let’s hit the road, shall we?” Calvin says once Dad lets go of me.

I nod, “Yeah.”

I walk around to the passenger side and Calvin goes to the driver’s side. He starts the car and I put my window down. Then we drive off and I shout my last goodbyes to Dad.