When Will I Meet You Again

The Box in the Attic

I'm so happy that I'm finally home so that I could have a time out with all this drama on the first day of school.

Anyways,my skirt got a little bit torn so I asked mom where the sewing kit is .She told me that it was in the attic.

I climbed up the ladder leading to the attic.

I searched everywhere and I didn't mind the dust that was covering my face.

The only thing I was thinking about on how I'm gonna fix my skirt cuz I desperately need it for tomorrow.

Then I found a big box saying "Memories with John".At first I didn't know who was John but when I saw the pictures inside the box I was sure it was my father.

I know I forgot what he looked like but I can tell by the eyes and hair cuz I inherited that from father.My relatives kept telling me that I have my father's eyes and hair.

What really struck to me is when I saw a little box also inside the "Memories with John" box.It was labeled "John Maxwell Haven".

I knew that was my father's box so I opened it.It was a bunch of letters,expired chocolates,and a single dead rose.

I picked out a letter randomly and started reading it silently.This is what it says:

Sept 10 2005
1064 98th Street
Bloomington, Minnesota

Dear Tanya,

I've got a job already in Japan.It's in Japan Waterworks inc.I'm nervous yet excited for my new job as a engineer in JWI.Please pray for me.

Anyways how is our daughter Lilly?Is she doing well in her kindergarten classes?Tell her I love her and I miss her and I can't wait to go back to America to be with you guys again.

Please write or call back.I love you Tanya!

Love,
John

"So this was written in 2005 when I was in kinder"I whispered to myself.When I was kinder I was 5 years old and that was the exact age when my father left me.The question is what month did he leave America?

I decided to investigate about my father so that I can know him better. Alright first of all I'm gonna buy a notebook to list all of my clues.Oh wait I have an unused notebook lying around my bed.Might as well use it.

So I pasted the first letter that I read and labeled at the bottom "Sept 10 2005 - the date my father got a job in Japan Waterworks inc.".

"So far so good" I whispered to myself .Then I heard my mom going to my room so I hid all of my investigation stuff under my bed cuz my mom doesn't want me to "look for my dad" which is weird.

"Dear dinner is ready"My mom said
"Ok I'm gonna be downstairs with an empty stomach"I said
"Good dear!"Mom replied

So I went down the stairs then into the dining room.Mom set up the table and plopped down her cooked meal for us.

Ugh! It's mom's broccoli salad again.Just the worst meal ever!!!!! Worst than the cafeteria's meatloaf. Yuk!

I froze as I looked at the broccoli salad while mom was enjoying her own cooked meal.

"Well honey. I thought you're gonna eat my salad."Mom complained.
"Uuuum. I - I - I just ummm....."I stammered
"Don't you like my meal?"mom asked
"Noooo.I love it"I pretendly replied
"Why don't you eat it dear?"Mom curiously asked.
"Mom,why won't you lay your head on a pillow and rest while I'll take care of the rest of your chores for the day cuz you look very tired "I offered, hoping that mom would just leave the dining room so that I could have a chance to give the broccoli salad to Mr.Sniffles (Our neighbor's cat).I don't even know if cats are allowed to eat broccoli salad.

Mom went up the stairs to her bedroom delighted that she 's done for the day.

I waited for mom to shut the door of her bedroom and I sneakily got out the hose and put my broccoli salad on Mr.Sniffles plate and petted him.

I ran out the neighbor's house and went back to my house.Then I finished the rest of mom's chores and went back to my bedroom pretending that I had just finished my salad.

I was so hungry but luckily I still have Doritos in my closet.I guess I had that Doritos since two months ago but I didn't care cuz I'll rather eat food that was not yet eaten long ago than eat mom's broccoli.

I ate my "dinner" while I was reading the rest of the letters in the box hoping that I could have useful information.Then I saw the first letter that father sent us when he was in Japan:

August 29 2005
1064 98th Street
Bloomington,Minnesota

Dear Tanya,

I'm just letting you know that I'm already in Japan.I'm still looking for a job and hoping I'm gonna get a good job so that we could enroll Lilly to a big school when she starts her grade school years.

About Lilly how is she?Does she need anything?Do you need anything?Let me know Tanya.

Love,
John

I immediately pasted the letter in my notebook and I wrote down "August 29 2005 - father's first day in Japan".

I heard mom going to my room so I hurriedly his everything under my bed.
"Have you done your homework dear?"mom asked
"Geez mom,we have just started school."I complained
"Well what were you doing"mom suspiciously questioned me while looking around my room.
"I was just taking selfies mom"I lied while I took a selfie of myself on my IPhone.
"Ugh!What happened to this world.In our days we always played outside and didn't bothered that we didn't have a single picture for the day."mom complained while slamming my bedroom door.
"Geez,it's only a selfie.Is it even illegal?"I muttered to myself.

I heard mom talking to herself about how kids like me bahave these days.

If my father was here mom wouldn't talk to herself like a lunatic.Seriously,I need to find mom some friends.

Since my father was gone mom didn't socialize with people any more and I have no idea why.To be honest mom is a drama queen.Every time I mention about my gadgets she will literally flip out.

Anyways I continued searching in the box for more information.I would always look for clues in the box everyday after school.As the investigation lasted longer I grew more and more curious.