Kaleidoscope

||Chapter 13: Glamping and Ninja ||

Authors Note: Since these are some 'rich kids' you know their camping is more like glamping, so this is what their tents look like at the retreat.

Florence 

My phone buzzed, I had just received a message from Marcus, "I'm outside."

I message back, "be there soon."

I grab my duffel bag and slide on my sneakers, here we go, I think. It's the weekend of the football retreat. This is where I either decide to continue things with Marcus or I end it for good. I take a deep breath, I can do this. 

I head down the stairs to the kitchen, I want to say bye to Alonso before I leave. However to my surprise, my dad is there.

"Dad?"

He turns around with a smile on his face, "hey honey!"

I love my dad, but he is barely home. Always working, and mom's condition hasn't really changed that. "I didn't know you were home."

"I got in late last night, I didn't want to disturb you."

He looks me up and down, "are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah," I hesitantly say, "camping, I've been planning on going for a while," I pause, "I did tell Alonso about it."

He nods his head, a little sadly, "okay that's fine."

"Are you going to visit mom?" I ask. 

"I'm planning on going to go see her now, I thought we could go together," he pauses, "But it's fine, you go have some fun, it is summer vacation after all."

I sigh, "you know what dad, just give me just a second."

He furrows his brows in confusion, "alright sweetie."

I drop my duffel bag on the ground and head outside. This is my dad's first time seeing my mom in the hospital since she started her chemotherapy. She's bald now, her hair is completely gone and if I'm being honest it terrifies me. Not the baldness itself, but what it represents. She doesn't look like herself anymore, and it really clicked for me how sick she really is. I know my dad, and I know he will need me to help him enter that room. There are some things that are more important. 

Marcus smiles at me, "hey babe," his brows furrow, "where's all your stuff?" 

I smile apologetically, "listen, my dad just got in and he wants to go to the hospital with me. Can I just meet you at the camping grounds a little later?"

His face falls, "yeah that's fine, I can call you a car for later I guess. But will you even come?"

"Marc I can call my own car, don't worry about that. And I will definitely come later, I just need to go to the hospital," I smile, "I hope you can understand."

"Yeah, whatever. I'll see you there." He shuts his window and zooms off. I take a step back, what just happened? I shake it off, I'll deal with whatever that was later. 

I head back to my kitchen, "Okay, ready to go to the hospital whenever you are!"

"What about your trip?"

"I'm just going to meet them later, after I visit mom with you. I will however need you to call me a car to get there though..."

Laughing my dad says, "of course," he kisses my forehead, "thanks sweetheart."

I smile, "no problem, now go get dressed!" I push him out of the kitchen, "you can't see mom in your pajamas."

I am finished with my bowl of Muesli, by the time my dad comes back downstairs. He looks pretty sharp in his Brooks Brothers quarter zip and slacks.