Fly Away Girl

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Tyler

***

Mom announced her move today. She's decided to relocate to Australia with that pansy Spencer. She says she needs to broaden her horizons.

How cliché.

Harper has shown little interest in the subject. Dad, on the other hand, is extremely excited. He had no problem sharing the fact that he has a new girlfriend and that things with her are going very smoothly. They've been together for four months now, apparently, and this is the first that we've heard of this Alexandra.

For the next few days, Harper and I come home to boxes upon boxes. Every once in a while, Spencer offers up a, "How're you holding up, kiddo?"

More than once, I wonder if the consequences for murder are really that bad.

On Saturday we drive Mom to the airport. I can't help thinking that this is unusually rushed.

What kind of mother leaves her family, only giving them a few days' notice?

I have to say, I won't miss her much. She's always thought a lot of herself. She was born into money; her ideal life was that of a housewife, and she even hired someone to do that for her. Heidi has been more of a mother to me than she's ever been.

Dad seems rather happy that she's leaving; his smile doesn't falter for the entire trip to the airport. I don't think Harper will miss her much either. The two of us have always been treated more as superficial items used for boasting and flaunting than as actual children.

The woman at the airline desk gives us tickets to see Mom to her gate. After a trip through airport security, in which Harper was frisked for having a bottle of perfume in her handbag, we head to Gate 12, where Spencer is waiting for us. Unfortunately.

"Hey, bud!" Spencer says to me, lightly punching my arm. "How're you holding up?"

I don't reply, deciding that I'm finished with pretending to like him.

"Well, this is goodbye, I suppose," Mom says, tears brimming in her eyes.

Oh, please.

"I'll miss you both so much. I'll call you as often as possible," she promises as she engulfs Harper and me in a long hug.

"I'll miss you, too," Harper says, surprising me. She lets a few tears drip down her cheeks before hastily swiping them away. "I hope you have a good time in Australia."

Mom and Dad give each other a formal goodbye and that's it. We leave the airport.

I press my forehead against the cold window of the car for the entire trip home, hoping that it will do something to dull my persistent headache.

"Let's get some lunch," Dad suggests. "I need to talk to you two."

I glance at Harper in the backseat, and she shrugs.

Dad parks the car in the lot of Chili!s and the three of us go inside. Once we'e ordered, Dad takes a deep breath.

"I told you earlier that I have a new girlfriend, Alexandra," he begins.

"Yeah? What about her?" Harper snaps.

"We've been together for four months, as you know. A pretty long time. I know everything about her by now. So I have two very big announcements."

Harper and I lean forward in anticipation.

"Would you like a refill?" asks our waitress as she stops at our table.