Redefining

Chapter 2: A (Not So) Perfect Life

  In a rather large house, a boy sat in his room, doing his homework (or so it appeared). Chocolate brown hair fell into ice-blue eyes that many a girl found herself lost in. Fingers drummed a steady beat on the desk where the math worksheet sat, untouched. Downstairs, he could hear his mom cooking dinner. By this, he meant she was overseeing their cook, who made almost all of their meals.

Jacob's POV (Third Person)

   I wonder when Dad's coming home, Jacob thought to himself. Because his dad was higher up in the system, he was often very busy, with little time for his family. Sometimes, it seems like he avoids me, almost like there's something about me that puts him off. 

"Jacob! Time for dinner!" Jacob's mom called up to him. "We're having steak tonight!" Steak? Again? was what he thought, but what he said was "Coming, Mom!"   

~~~time skip~~~

   After dinner, Jacob went back to his room to try again on his homework. But the disastrous conversation at dinner kept going through his head.

--flashback start---

"Hey, Mom, when's Dad going to be home?" Jacob asked. His mother replied, "I'm not sure, Jacob. He called me saying they needed him to work later because someone messed something up. Why did you want to know? Do you need some help with your homework?" 

"No," Jacob said, a bit overwhelmed by all of the sudden questions. "I just wanted to maybe spend some time with him, because I haven't seen him much lately."

"Now Jacob," his mom said, and Jacob knew what was coming. "Your father is very busy with his job, and we don't need to bother him with trivial things." Jacob sighed, "Yeah, Mom, I know how busy Dad is, I've heard this speech about a million times. But is it so bad that I want some time with my dad?" His mother sighed.

"No, it's not bad that you want to spend time with your father, but he can't play with you right now." his mother said, trying to placate him. "I didn't want to play! I wanted to ask him about himself, because, even though he's my father, I barely know anything about him!" Jacob yelled, standing up from his chair, dinner barely touched. 

   His mom stood up as well, lips drawn in a thin line. "Go to your room, young man," she said forcefully. "Once you've calmed down some and can think rationally, you can finish your dinner."

"Fine!" Jacob said, storming out of the room and up the stairs.

---flashback end---

  So, Jacob sat in his room, fuming. Why does he have to be so busy all the time? Doesn't he have time for me to get to know him better? he thought, incensed. He's my father, so why do I know barely anything about him? Surely other kids know stuff about their dads. Jacob got up from his desk and started pacing around his room. Maybe I should go to sleep, he thought to himself. I'll probably feel better in the morning anyway. 

   So Jacob went to bed and had a very strange dream. In the dream, he could see a man, carrying a toddler, probably around one or two years old. He didn't know why, but he felt sad to see them go. When he woke up that morning, he did not remember the dream. Little did he know, it would be a dream that he would have many more times, and it would still be just as strange.