The Aura is With Us

Chapter 35: Returning Ryme

Riley walked towards the old RV parked outside of his aunt's house (He had an aunt, who knew?). An odd sense of nostalgia flooded him at the sight of the silver and fools-gold colored vehicle. It had changed since Riley had last seen it. Dad has always kept the thing shiny, cleaned and topped up with fuel. Ready at a moment's notice, he had told Riley.

Oh, the young man had so many wonderful memories inside of this thing. Dad had taken him camping in it from the moment Riley could walk. He could still smell the smoke from the fire, mixing with the aroma of a fresh stew along with roasted popcorn. Mom never joined them, but Dad always made up for it, he'd play his old guitar and sing songs of old before tucking Riley his sleeping bag to slumber under the stars. It got even better when Mandy was born. Riley was no longer a beginner at that point and would help Dad teach her the ways of camping.

Mandy's first camping trip had kind of been a disaster. Mom and Dad had been mad at each other the morning before they left, and it started pouring as soon as they got to the campsite. Riley remembered feeling as disappointed as a ten-year-old could feel, but Dad had pulled his grumpy kid and toddler back inside and they roasted marshmallows at the toaster oven. Mandy's big grey eyes grew so wide at the taste of her first ever smore. She had been so cute back then, marshmallow goo and chocolate smeared on her smiling face.

A heavy slam came from the other side of the RV, and Riley peeked around the hood finding his sister having finished up with the pipe system. Mandy wasn't that cute toddler anymore. No, his sister had become a woman. A woman who now took care of their old man's RV as if it was her own. When did Dad pass the responsibility of the vehicle on to Mandy, Riley wondered.

His sister barely gave him a glance before muttering, "What do you want?"

"Why do I get the feeling your mad at me?" Riley said.

Mandy turned to him raising an unimpressed brow, "If you're to play dumb at least be clever about it."

Her tone was one of "shut up before I stab you with my nails".

Riley looked away and popped his lips, suddenly feeling the uncomfortable atmosphere around them, "Uhm...well you seem to be taking good care of the old rig?"

"Do you honestly think I'm that irresponsible, Riri?" Mandy said.

"No, no," Riley said quickly, "I'm just surprised, Dad let you use this old thing. This was like his third child, and he took good care of it, you know?"

Mandy hands, which her previously whipping them on a stained cloth, stilled and for some reason Riley thought he felt a wave of sadness waft of her soul. She sighed but nodded.

"So, when did let you drive it?" Riley asked, "He said it'd be years before I was ready."

"He didn't let me drive it," Mandy said flatly, "I inherited it, about five years ago."

Riley's brows furrowed as he crunched the numbers in his head, "Wait, you inherited this when you were thirteen? Isn't that a little young?"

Mandy nodded, "No shit sherlock, but it was either I take it or the junkyard."

"Junkyard? Very funny. Dad would never..."

"Dad is dead!" Mandy snapped, "By Arceus! I'm not a little kid! You don't need to pretend he's still around for me!...."

Riley didn't hear the rest of his sister's rant..."Dad is dead?" His whispered, "Wha...When...?"