"Stop with the acting, We should tell them" I heard mom telling dad.
"Wait until tomorrow"
"Why?"
"It's christmas eve now"
"Tell us what?" Steven went inside holding the baby.
"Nothing." Dad said.
"I wanna know too" I said.
"Mark just tell them, it'll have the same effect whether it is now or tomorrow or after the vaccation"
"What? Did something happen?" I asked.
"No honey.. Go inside, we'll tell you" Dad said with a sigh.
I went inside holding a huge bowl of popcorn and squeezed myself between Meg and James. We were watching The Christmas Carol.. It's a family tradition to watch it on Christmas eve.
Mom and dad came in with anxious and worried expressions. Dad turned off the television.. We complained but then we shut up since dad and mom sat down with serious expressions on their faces.
"What's up?" James was eager to know what is going on so he'd return to the movie.
"Your mom and I have some news.. We wanted you all to be here to tell you but you have to understand that we both love you unconditionally." Dad told us.
"Yes, your father and I love you, and we love each other. But we've grown apart over the years.." Mom said.
"We're having a divorce, we've been waiting
for the right time to tell you." Did they practice this speech?
"Way to ruin Christmas" I blunted out.
"I knew it!" Steven surprised us all "I've been waiting for you to tell us for weeks now.. They've been fighting all the time.. I just knew it"
"Wait.. What's going to happen? How are we going to spend our vaccations? What about the house? It's our childhood home. Are you selling it?" Riley started weeping like a baby.
"The house is yours to decide what to do.. We'll gather and have family meetings here but We're moving out"
"I'm gonna live two blocks away from here" Mom said.
"With whom? Aunt Jackline?"
"Yes" She said.
"I got an appartment in the other town.. It's two hours away.. We'll be a better family for you.."
"We'd be better off like this" Mom continued.
Everyone was awfuly silent.. Is our family falling apart? It's only been 3 months since we left.. Did everything really changed this fast? Or were they acting all those years?
"When did you decide?" Megan asked.
"2 years ago.. We decided to separate but we waited until you'd be in college" Mom said.
"Is this a sick joke?" Jade said "What about Emma? And our family barbeques and who'd we meet? Did you at least try to fix the marriage?"
"There was no time and it's over now.. Our marriage can't survive.. This doesn't mean that your father and I are enemies, you still got us"
"Is this your final dicision?" Zack asked looking at his hands.
"We're sorry" Dad said "But we really think it's time."
"Families are supposed to be forever" James said "Guess forever is a long time for you two" James spoke hatefully and mom sighed.
"I'm going to sleep" I said hoping this is just a bad dream and I'd wake up soon.
