Daddy Issues

41 - Explain this

I told Mom and Dan about the job opening at the coffee shop some more over dinner last night. As expected, Mom wasn't too excited about it. But Dan really hyped me up, so I decided to go for it.

I swung by the coffee shop to hand in my resume in person, because Dan said it always makes a good impression to show your face. And I think he was right. The manager took a moment to tell me some more about what would be expected and asked me if I had any experience. I confessed that I didn't, but that I was eager to learn and I felt like we did get along. She said she'd get in touch with me later this week.

I get home somewhere in the afternoon, excited to tell Mom and Dan how it went tonight. But when I open the front door, I'm met with a surprise.

The very suitcase that I dragged with me a few weeks ago is standing in the middle of the hallway. I stand still and take a confused look at it. I don't know why Mom or Dan might need it. Neither of them is going on a trip as far as I know and if they were, I'm sure they'd have their own suitcase. I wasn't even expecting anyone to be home yet.

'Emma, is that you?'

My mother's voice sounds even, but for some reason, a sense of dread creeps up my spine when she calls me from the kitchen. I take a few heavy steps and linger in the entrance. She's at the kitchen table with a laptop in front of her. Her elbows are resting on the table and she has her hands folded over each other. She's looking my way and though her eyes don't really betray anything, the sense of dread grows stronger.

'What's with the suitcase?' I ask her.

She ignores my question, but gets up from her seat and gestures towards the laptop.

'I need you to take a look at something.'

I raise my eyebrow and wonder if I should just walk out now. I don't think this is going to be anything good. But I still take a step into the kitchen. And another. And another until I've reached her side. She gives me a smile that raises the hairs on my neck.

'Sit.'

Getting increasingly scared of what this might be about, I do as she says. My eyes fall on the laptop, but I only see the homescreen in front of me. Until she leans over and opens a page.

'Care to explain this to me, Emma?' she asks in a sweet voice that terrifies me.

It takes me a moment to realize what I'm looking at. But then I see. They're messages between Dan and Yuki. When I start to read them, my blood turns cold.

Yuki: Are you alright, hun? Haven't heard from you since the show.

Dan: Sorry bout that. Just a lot going on here.

Yuki: Anything you want to talk about?

Dan: Idk. I messed up. Big time.

Yuki: What happened?

Dan: It's Emma. Things have gotten complicated.

Yuki: Complicated how? I thought you were happy she came to the show?

Dan: I was. I was too happy.

Yuki: Wtf does that mean?

Dan: You got time to call?

That's where the chat ends. I've read the whole thing twice, but I'm still staring at the screen. I don't dare to move. I feel like I'm burning up, I'm sure my face is bright red right now.

My mother is staring at me, looking closely at my reaction. When I don't say anything, she crosses her arms and asks me. Still in that deceivingly sweet voice.