Sweet Love #Wattys2016

2 - Sweet Goodbye's

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I pull my sunglasses from the top of my head to the bridge of my nose. The sunlight in Michigan is killer.

I sit slouched on the porch steps with my phone in my palm. It's past 12:00 and my mom still hasn't come back from work to pick me up yet. Not that I'm complaining. I'm dreading the moment I leave for the airport. It didn't hit me until late last night that I am leaving for the summer to live with my dad. My dad. I was nine years old when my parents divorced. But it wasn't until I was twelve that he decided to pack up his things and move to California. Ever since then it's like we were disconnected. He'd call sometimes on special occasions like Christmas or Thanksgiving, but our conversations only ever lasted five minutes and were nothing but awkward. The last time we spoke was on my eighteenth birthday but that was almost five months ago. I guess it's safe to say my family is a bit dysfunctional.

My thoughts are interrupted by a loud car honk. I hadn't noticed my mom had pulled up onto the driveway.

"Sorry I'm late. My boss wouldn't let me leave."

She scurries out of the car to fetch my suitcases. "C'mon, let's go, you have a plane to catch!"

I grumble but stand to assist with hauling my heavy luggage into the back of her trunk. I packed like I was leaving for the year. All of my belongings, my life, is stuffed into three large suitcases. It surprises me that they're not busting at the seams.

"God Aria! What did you put in here? A ton of bricks?" I roll my eyes at her attempt of humor.

"No mom. Just my entire wardrobe."

I'm not even fully buckled in my seat before my mom backs out of the driveway and takes off down the street. A nagging silence pervades the vehicle until my phone begins to ring. Roni's name lights the screen. I answer it.

"Hello-" I'm cut off by Roni's deafening hollers. "Who's ready for the wildest summer road trip of all time?!" she screeches. I slump further into my seat. I spent all night cramming my things together that I totally forgot to break the news to her.

"Um, HELLO! Aria you in there?!"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Then why aren't you cheering with me?" her voice sounds disappointed and a little concerned.

"Because I can't go Roni." I glare at my mom. "My mother is forcing me to stay at my dad's for the whole summer."

"The whole summer?!"

"Yeah."

"But that's just ridiculous!"

I raise my unoccupied hand in the air. "That's exactly what I said."

There's a long pause before the both of us say anything more.

"When do you leave?"

I huff, sending another glower my mother's way. "I'm heading to the airport now."

Roni grumbles something to low for me to hear. "So I guess our summer plans are . . . off?"

I try to catch my mother's eye. I give her a pleading look. My lips curled in a pout. "Not unless my mom by some miracle changes her mind."

My mom doesn't give in. Not that I expected her too. "Not happening." she mouths.

I let my head fall back against the head rest. Why is it so important that I go to California now? Why at the very beginning of summer when schools finally out and the wild parties are just starting to roll in?