Utterly In Love

Chapter Two

Addison James

My duffel was packed and I was ready to go. It was Saturday morning, 4:45am.

"Addy! Come eat something real quick, you won't be having anymore than a snack inside the car," my mom called. She hated us kids- now just me- eating in her car, anything that left crumbs. I heard her mumble something as I was coming down the stairs, something along the lines of It is so ridiculous driving out two hours every weekend. If you didn't already figure it out, my mom was the one who asked for the divorce. She wanted full custody but my dad begged and pleaded for joint custody, and I begged along with him. I was the only reason why she actually accepted; The whole 'driving away two hours every weekend was 100% her own fault, as she was the one who decided to move out of town. Not a smart choice.

I sat at the table and began to eat my oatmeal. My mom had put little berries in it and it was delicious. I loved oatmeal. "You're not going to eat, mom?" I asked. She told me she already did, and that she had been up since 3am. "Why? You're gonna be too tired to drive." Two hours driving with barely any sleep? That was the a basic equation for trouble. "Oh, no, your brother is taking us. He wants to see your dad, hasn't since February. I'm gonna be asleep in the backseat," she laughed.

Oh was all I could say. Mason has not gone to visit our dad? He said he went just last week...Either way, he and my dad rarely gotten along, at least after the divorce, so it was hard to imagine him willingly going to see him. Mason was always on my mom's side when it came to arguments which made me feel bad for my dad.

My mom interrupted my thoughts. "Ready?" I nodded.

With my stuff in the back, we set off to my father's house. I was in the passenger side, my mom in the back and Mason driving. I kept trying to change the radio station, but Mason wouldn't let me. "Come on Mace!" he cringed at the nickname, "I hate rap!" "I know," Mason said, with a snicker.

Groaning in frustration, I pulled out my earphones and opened up Pandora on my phone. The rest of the car ride just consisted of me reading an old book and listening to my own music. I knew we were super close when we passed by Lelah's Diner, the hangout spot for the kids in that town. I had been there only twice in my life, and the food was just okay, nothing to die for. Sorry Lelah.

It was bright out now, and when I hopped out of the car, I heard the birds chirping the same old song as always. My dad's house, recently moved, was big. The walls were a combination of peanut shell brown and beige stone bricks, two story, and huge windows on all sides of the house. I loved that because I could sit in front of them and read or better, take pictures with that great lighting. Back at our house, we had regular sized windows which was okay, except I had to have them open 24/7 to get this much light in my room. His front door was a double door with decorative glass. On the side of the house was a balcony, which was connected to the game room. As soon as you entered the house, you saw the my dad's office on your right. To the left was a small living room, the one nobody used, unless guests came. Still on that side, just further into the house, was a round table with three chairs around it and a flower centerpiece in the middle. No one used that table at all; I guess it was there more for decoration that anything. Above the half-wall the table was set in front of, made of the same stone as outside, were the railings that eventually connected to the actual rounded staircase. I walked through the hallway next to the staircase and was immediately hit with the sunlight from the windows covering the entire wall across from me. I smiled. I felt so at home even thought it wasn't my actual home.

I completely forgot my mom and brother were behind me until my mom asked "Who are you?" There was a woman sitting on the couch, tapping away at her phone, who looked up and grinned at us. She got up and quickly shuffled over to me. Next thing I knew, I was wrapped up in a tight bear hug.