Love the life you live

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That evening - 19:30

Heather knew as soon as she stepped a foot in the front door she would be bombarded with questions from her dad. As she walked along the long private driveway she decided to text Jack and see how angry their dad really was.

'Hey, walking up the drive. How is dad? Hx'

'Finally! Mum and dad are ridiculously worried. I suggest you prepare yourself, dad isn't happy. JD:)'

'Ok, will you take the kids upstairs and put a DVD or something on, I don't want them to get upset or anything Hx'

Heather waited until Jack had text back before walking any closer to the house.

'The kids are in the movie room glued to Happy Feet with popcorn, mum and dad are putting the twins to bed. I'll wait by the door. JD:)'

Heather took a deep breath and headed for the front door, walking in she was relieved that the first face she saw was Jack's.

"Where have you been? Mum and dad are going off their heads!"

"I know, I'm sorry. My train was delayed and I didn't have any signal." Heather headed for the kitchen.

Jack was about to say something when they heard Chris coming down the stairs.

"That's it. I'm calling the police. I can't wait any lon-" Chris stormed into the kitchen. "Where the hell have you been? Do you have any idea how worried your mum and I have been?"

"Dad, calm down. The important thing is Heather is home and safe like I said she would be!" Jack said trying to calm his dad down.

"Calm down! How can I calm down? She goes missing all day, not telling us where she's going, then wanders back in as if nothing has happened." Chris said raising his voice.

"I hardly 'wandered' in. You were putting the twins to bed with mum so I came in here to wait for you both. I didn't tell you where I was going because I wasn't sure anything was for definite.' Heather said raising her voice too.

"Hey, what is all the noise for? You'll wake the twins if you shout any louder." Jayne said in her usual calm manner walking into the kitchen.

"Sorry, mum." Heather walked over to her mum giving her a cuddle. "I'm sorry for scaring you today, I didn't mean to."

"It's ok hunni. I know you are old enough to go out and do what you need to do, I just don't like not knowing where you are." Jayne wrapped her arms around Heather.

Chris eventually calmed down and made tea for the others and a coffee for himself. The four of them went to the living room and Heather explained about her secretive day.

"Please just let me explain everything then you can ask questions. I wasn't at school today because I was in Glasgow." Heather said playing with her hands. "I had an interview at the Glasgow School of Art. They want me to study there. I had put an application in just before mum told us she was pregnant, I never thought I would get in I didn't think I was good enough, I didn't hear from them so I thought they had declined my application and I forgot about it. Then I got a call the day mum went into labor and they said they wanted to talk to me face to face and the first available appointment was today. They told me they loved my work and would love for me to study there. So as soon as I finish school in July I move to Glasgow to start two years of Photography and Sculpture." Heather looked at her parents for the first time since she started explaining about her day.

When Heather looked up at her parents she saw her mum fighting back tears and her dad staring into space.

"I told you I'm going to University, not the moon! I will be coming home eventually."

"I know but Glasgow? Why do you want to go so far away?" Chris said still not looking at Heather.

"If I want to do anything decent with my life involving art, this is the best first step to take! You have to be genuinely interested and have a certain level of skills before they will even consider you to attend the school." Heather said trying to convince her dad this was a good thing for her future.

"I will support everything and anything you want to do in life and you know that. I just don't understand why you want to go to Glasgow." Chris said looking up at Heather for the first time.

"If the school was only just down the road I would still go, it's got nothing to do with the distance. I want to be as close as I can to you. Which is why I declined the offer go to Boston to study." Heather said letting out a bit more than she had intended.

"Boston! You let go the opportunity to study in Boston?" Jack exclaimed.

"Yes, because I knew if I got homesick or wanted to see mum and dad I was only a train ride away. Boston is at least a 10-hour flight away."

"She has a point. At least if you are only in Glasgow you can come home every or every other weekend." Jayne said, speaking for the first time since she heard the news.

"Oh, and just so some of the agro is taken off of me, Jack also has something he would like to tell you," Heather said trying to get the attention off of her for a while.

"You're not leaving as well, are you?" Jayne almost sounded deflated.

"Yeah, I've been accepted to attend Nottingham Law School," Jack said looking down at his socks.

"Wow! Congratulations son! That's fantastic news!" Chris said with a smile.

"So much for the support," Heather said running to her room.

Chris was about to go after her when Jayne put her hand on his arm.

"Give her some time. I'll go in when I take Jess to bed."