Claws in the Dark | ✔

VIII (Part III)

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"When am I going to start school? I want to make friends. It's lonely." George said to his mother. They sat under the shade of the patio, where they drank lemonade and ate freshly baked cookies. George was also playing a video game.

"Your father and I still have to sort that out, sweetie," Gina said, taking a sip of her lemonade from a tall glass with orange-flowered designs. "It won't be but a while before we enrol you and your sister somewhere."

"Why do we have to wait for Dad to give his input?" Rebecca scowled as she stepped out onto the patio and sat in one of the lounge chairs across from her mother. "All he does is ruin things."

"Rebecca, I won't have you talking that way about your father," Gina scolded her. "Why are you giving him such a hard time? You know he means well. It's not like he's doing all of this moving to spite you, or any of us. He has no reason to."

"Have you realized that Dad is never home? And when he is home, he's either all tied up in work or he's sleeping."

"Becky, I understand how you feel but that's no reason to act out. He's trying really hard."

Rebecca rolled her eyes and laid her head back on the chair, exhaling as she closed her eyes and drowned out her mother's remarks.

Gina sighed and got up. She went inside to refill the mug in which she chilled the lemonade with ice. She placed the mug on the kitchen counter and leaned forward, exhaling. Trying to defend Miles to Rebecca was tiring. Rebecca was trying her faith.

But what if the girl was right? Why should they wait for Miles just to enrol their children in schools? Yes, it was something parents should discuss together but with Miles always at work. The only other people Gina could possibly discuss this with is the children themselves.

She put the mug in the sink, not bothering to go for more lemonade, and went back outside. "Alright, let's go," she said.

George turned to her and said, "Where are we going?"

"You want to go to school? Let's go check some out."

"And what about Dad's input?" Rebecca sneered.

"At the end of the day, you're the ones attending the schools, not me and not your father," she chided.

"Whatever." Rebecca stood up and walked into the house.

"Come on, you," Gina said, tapping George's shoulder. "Let's go." He got up and followed her inside, with her closing the door behind them.

Gina called one of the car rentals of Grandville since she didn't have a vehicle. When the car was delivered, she, Rebecca and George admired the sapphire blue Toyota Camry before getting inside. The car was even more beautiful on the inside, with black leather seats, a steering wheel with blue and black synthetic leather, and small TV screens fixed in place on the back of the driver's and front passenger's seat.

Gina put on one of the TVs and switched the channels until she found a cartoon for George to watch. It was going to be a fun trip to all the different schools in Grandville, at least for him. Rebecca was going to remain The Incredible Sulk.

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◀ MARDAIS ▶