Golden Hearts | Rafe Cameron [1]

2

2.0

I'm in the middle of an exciting chapter of the romantic book I brought home. So engrossed that I don't even notice when my mom steps out onto the balcony where I'm sitting with the sun shining on me. She stops at the doorway and crosses her arms. I look up at her, and she's smiling at me.

"I hate to interrupt your wonderful reading, but it's time to eat. If you're late, your dad won't be happy, so make sure to come down in time." My mom waves at me to follow her.

I put the book down and get up to go to the kitchen. My dad is rarely home to eat with us, so when our whole family is gathered, he thinks it's very important that we come on time. Otherwise, he usually thinks we don't deserve any food if we're late.

I sit in my usual spot at the dining table. The food smells good and warm.

It's some kind of potato gratin with ground beef and salad. My mom thinks it's very important to have salad with everything we eat and always ensures that we eat vegetables every time.

"I see it as progress that both of our children are at the dinner table on time today," my dad says with a smile. We were both late last time.

"So, how was work today?" my mom asks, changing the subject immediately.

"Fine, just a bit boring since there weren't many people," I say, and my dad nods thoughtfully as he chews his food.

"Boring as usual," Nathan says, and mom gives him a meaningful look.

"Don't say that, we help people find the perfect surfboards. Tomorrow neither of you needs to work anyway. We have that young lady from the cut coming," mom explains.

"She asked to work extra, but I said no because I want you both to get paid too" my dad says.

"But let her work extra. She can work instead of me. She probably needs the money to pay for food and electricity for her family" I say. Even though I don't like the Pogues, I don't want them to starve just because I'm standing there bored. 

"It's midsummer soon," my dad says, clearing his throat as if he's completely changed the subject because I know he doesn't like talking about the Pogues.

"You both need to find a partner, and this year I'm hesitant about whether your mom and I will arrange someone for you. You're old enough now to find your own".  He continues.

Midsummer. I've never really liked midsummer. Except when I was little. But then it was more about playing with all the friends you never meet. Now it's about finding a partner to go with, and not all the kids stay until the evening, and it's boring when all the adults just stand and talk.

"Or I could just go with Sarah," I say with a smile. I really don't want to go with that guy I went with last year. His name was William. Never met a more cocky person like him, but I think his family moved to Brazil or something, so hopefully I won't have to deal with him.

"There are a few weeks left, so you can take your time. But we're telling you now just to warn you. Without a partner, it's difficult to get in. You know the rules, and you know very well how we must live up to our reputation," dad says.

Living up to our reputation. Blah blah blah blah, reputation here and reputation there. Nobody cares much about us anyway. It's just my dad who thinks we should do that and then gets my mom involved because she doesn't have much to say about it.

Dinner continues as usual with my mom asking Nathan and me what we plan to do this summer and how our friends are doing. My dad also starts talking about the colleges he wants me to attend and how he has contacted the dean there. It was the same thing last year when Nathan was about to start college. Now I mostly see him during the summer before he continues college. At least he goes to a college on the mainland, so you only need to take the ferry and ride for a few minutes before you get there.