All Because of Him

Chapter One

I had tears streaming down my face as I was getting in the car and buckling my seatbelt. I'm not really sure what is going on; all I know is that lately my mom and dad have been fighting and now I have to leave with my mom. I don't want to go away from daddy but I have to because all of my stuff is being put in boxes and big men are putting it in a truck.

I got on me knees to look out the window and started wiping my tears only to see mommy and daddy yelling at each other. Both of their faces were red and I start to cry. I hear my car door open squeaking in the process. Looking up I see my dad, the man that has taken care of me and cuddled with me for the 11 years of my life.

"Hey baby girl. How are you holding up?" my dad asks looking a lot calmer than he had before when he was talking to my mom.

"Dad, I don't want to leave. I want to stay here with you mommy and Chichi." I began to cry again thinking that I'll never see my daddy and Chichi, our dog, again.

"It's okay baby, don't cry. Everything is going to be okay. I'll come and visit you and I'll bring Chichi with me sometimes. Does that sound okay to you?" he asks me, starting to tear up thinking about how he won't be able to see me everyday, how I'll live across the country.

"Okay but I'll still miss you. Do you promise to visit me?" I ask finally being able to calm down.

"Yes baby girl. I'll come and see you as much as I can I promise you that. I love you so much don't you ever forget," with that he left a chaste kiss on my forehead and shut the car door. I was left in the car alone for a short time before my mom opens her door and starts the car pulling away from both of our lives.

I begin to cry as I watch the town I grew up in, the town I know as home flash by me into oblivion. The town that I know and love; the town that I will never see again. I'm leaving it behind along with my friends, family, and memories. The only place I've known and I'm leaving it. Then before I knew it, that town that I love so much, turned into a blob and disappeared behind a hill, never to be seen by my eyes again.

I soon cry myself to sleep only partially oblivious to what was happening and why it was happening to me.

****

I wake up with my body jerking to the left because of a sharp turn my mom took to avoid hitting a raccoon she didn't see. My mom starts to slow down until we are at a complete stop on the side of the empty highway.

"Don't get out. I'm just going to make sure everything is okay," my mom says to me with a distant look on her face. I take notice of how her normal bright and healthy strawberry blonde hair lays flat and dull around her face making her look older than what she is. Her hazel eyes holding so much pain and worry, looking so glassy and sullen. The bags under her eyes tell how tired she is and it's not all because of lack of sleep, although that is more than likely a large factor. She no longer looks confident and sure of herself but distressed. It seems like she is here with me physically but not mentally.

As I sit in the car I become very alert of all the sounds around me. I could hear the sound the wind hitting the car, the occasional semi driving past us, owls hooting in the distance, the silent cries of my mother. I sat in the car for approximately ten minutes before my mother finally opens the door to get back in the car. The car starts with a jerk that forced a squeak out of me.

"Mom, are you okay?" I ask.

"I'm okay baby," she said kissing my forehead hoping I didn't see the tear escape her eye, but I saw, "everything is going to be okay," I could tell that she was lying because it was written all over her face. She wasn't okay and I don't know why, I don't know how to help her so I just decided to hug her. Her response was almost immediate as she held me tight making me feel more claustrophobic than I already was in the small car.

She released me after a while and buckled me back in my car seat. We pulled back on the empty highway starting our journey to the place that will be my new home.

"Mom where are we going?" I ask honestly curious as to where we're going.

"California. Arcata, California. I think that you'll really like it there. I know I do," she muttered the last part but I still heard it seeing as it is really quiet in the car.

"Okay," I whispered almost silent. I stared at the stars through sunroof of the car. It was calming and eased my mind. I felt safe and finally felt like everything was going to be okay. I don't know when I fell asleep but I was taken deep into my mind, into the parts of the unknown; of my dreams, my fantasies.