Dusting Off A Heart

Chapter 17 - An Invitation For a Long Dinner

He drove his car through the darkness of the night. The light of streets lamps helps illuminates the streets and the houses he passed by as he slides one of his car window to feel the gushing wind of the night.

He wouldn't go home, of course. Oh, no. That would be suicide out of facing his father. He drove and drove, pushing the gas pedal even more. Houses passes by as he tries to clear his thought.

After a moment of driving, he decided it's time to stop his car and actually clear his mind.

He stopped his car after minutes of driving, to wherever the car took him. He killed the engine and observe the surrounding of...wherever he is. The surrounding of him is silent. The sounds of crickets accompany him with his thoughts.

There is a small park on his right. Two swings, a slide, and a picnic table. On his left there is a row of houses. Most of the houses' lights are off. Although a few (a very few) houses is still on. Huh, that means the majority of the people do attend the celebration party.

That made him curious of who didn't attend the celebration party. He knows it's not his place to know, but he just couldn't help himself. After a moment of thinking that finding out who did not attend the party will not help him finish his problem, he shook the thought away.

He took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. His father's sudden appearance made him angry. The rumor of his father and his secretary has been around from quite a while. At first, his mother didn't believe it either. But after a while and people around her believed it, she begins to believed it herself.

Dane honestly didn't know what really happens. He denies it too, like his mother does. But then his father travels for months, not informing anything to his mother or him. Not asking how things are going back in the house. That made him doubt his father too. Why would he do this to him? To his mother? This is not the father he had back when he was a little kid.

Seeing the hurt on his mother's face earlier, didn't help cease his anger. He has enough of his father. He has enough of seeing her mother crying every once in a while.

Love sucks. He said to himself as he tries to occupy his mind on something else.

Ah, yes. The black haired girl. That'll occupy his mind for a while. What's her name again? Lor...Lorrine? Lauren? Yes, Lauren. She's...quite okay.

I think you have a feeling for her.

Feeling? Pssh no. It's just a momentary fondness. No, not a feeling.

~'~

"Alby! Turn off the TV and help me with this!" She shouted from the kitchen.

"But it's my favorite!"

"Well then you can watch it later!" She said as she flipped the meat on the pan. "The longer you don't do the work, the longer you'll miss the show."

Albert dragged his feet reluctantly to the kitchen to help his sister. Realizing that his sister actually got a point. "What do I do?"

"Cut the vegetables would you? And don't forget to peel it first."

The sibling work together as they're preparing dinner. After a while of cutting the vegetables, Alby is done doing his work and went back to his show. When the beef is cooked, Lauren put it in a plate and cutting it into three and kept the remaining beef for leftovers.

"Is it dinner time yet?" Her father walks into the room and sit on a chair, ready for his meal. "The smell is so delicious."

Lauren laughed at her father. "Please, dad. I'm always amazing at cooking." She joked as she put the meat and the veggies into the plates and serving it. Her father and Alby already seated nicely, waiting for Lauren.