Like Sheaves Of Corn (#Wattys2016)

Sowing: Confusion

Dear diary,

Dad picked me up from school at lunch today. I was glad to get out of there. School always sucks. We went to my brother's school and picked him up too. 

Dad looked tired. Abe looked happy to see him though. I was not sure how I felt. I had questions for him, I wanted to know why the house felt like an empty chair without him. This was supposed to make my parents happy, they were supposed to spread their wings and fly. Find new love and all that jive. They didn't look happy.

Mom made it seem like dad had left us and dad...well, dad was dad, but he was tired which was weird because dad is always  a bundle of energy. No wonder the house feels empty, he took all the energy with him but who took it from him?

We all went for ice cream and after a while of awkwardness we lightened up. I'm glad we did because I hadn't laughed like that in a long time. He always makes the best of jokes.

Oh and diary, it turns out that Neptune was mathematically calculated before being observed, isn't that cool? Dad told me that.

I tried to think of something that he didn't know to even the score but all I could think about asking him was whether or not he knew that he had turned the house into an empty chair , or that he was making my brother quiet, or that he was making mom ask me about school.

I didn't ask him.

Anyway, we had lots of fun then we drove to this other neighbourhood across town and dad led us to this other house. It was smaller than ours but it was pretty nice.

"I live here now," he had said.

"You can come live with me if you'd like. I'd drive you to school everyday on my way to work, there are rooms for each one of you. We could be together again."

My brother jumped up and down in excitement and went to check out his "room".

I felt weird and confused. I smiled and dad smiled too but it was weird. Dad was asking us to be together again but just without mom.

I don't know diary. 

After a while, dad drove us home, mom wasn't back from work then. He gave us both R50 and we kissed him goodbye. It sucked watching him leave.

My brother went inside and started to pack his things...how could he have made that decision so quickly? 

I decided to watch TV instead. I didn't want to think about dad's smile, I didn't like it. He was asking us to choose. We shouldn't have to , right?

Mom came home and was surprised to see us home. She asked why and my brother explained. She looked mad or sad, I don't know.

My brother said that he was going to live with dad and then I saw my mom wear a face I didn't know. She started shouting and took out her phone then shouted some more.

My brother cried, I came to my room.

I made cheese and polony sandwiches for all of us for supper. My brother and I sat at the table, mom said I should put hers  away, she was in her room, on the phone, pacing.

It was just Abe and me...oh and the two empty chairs.