Twist and Returns

Chapter 2

*At the Grayson's*

~Chandelier's POV

I sat at the doorstep, watching the loaders lift all our belongings into their truck. I still can't believe we're moving to Texas.

I wished to just wake up from this nightmare already? Washington has been the only home I knew for heaven's sake, only Washington. Now I'm about to have a nightmare as my new home.

You don't even know what Texas is like yet, stupid.

I don't care what it's like there, I just don't wanna go there!

"You're not invisible young lady, move outta the way!" My mother scowled at me when one of the loaders almost missed a step while trying to avoid me. LI quickly jumped up and mouthed an 'I'm sorry' to the loader. He glared at me for a second before resuming his business.

"You okay sunshine?" my father asked when he came out of the house.

"I guess so, I don't know. I hate what we're doing" I sputtered without taking my eyes off the loaders.

"No you don't hate it" he blurted, placing his hand on my shoulders. "You're gonna love it in Texas."

I hiccuped, still hating that we have to move from Washington. But the least I could do is understand the situation of my parents.

"You're gonna love our old house in Texas, and you're definitely gonna love our farmland and barnyard" he smiled at me.

I swallowed hard as my chest tightened at the thought of a barnyard.

"You know? My great grandfather gave the house, farmland and barnyard to my grandfather, my grandfather gave it to my father, and my father gave it to me. I'm sorry I never took you guys to visit our old house in Texas, but hey, we're going there now!" He tried to cheer me up.

I said nothing in reply. I sighed, as I watched the loaders lift our stuffs into the truck.

"Don't worry sunshine, just like my fathers did, I'll give the house, the farmland and the barnyard to you and your brother Alex"

"Ew" I mumbled, making sure that my father didn't hear me.

"Whoa?! Not interested" Alex ricocheted. I didn't realise he was behind us the whole time.

"What do you mean not interested?" Dad scowled at Alex.

"Uh, I mean I don't wanna be a farmer or live in an old small house" Alex snorted.

"Oh dear, this is all my fault" Dad sighed "I never showed you guys a photo of our old house. We call it old house because it was built by my great grandfather. But I assure you, it's no small house"

"Yeah right, but I still prefer when you had a good job here in DC, and we didn't have to move half way across the country" Alex grumbled and stomped inside.

I looked at my father, and I saw the sadness in his eye. I knew Alex had said something he shouldn't have. I mean, it wasn't our father's fault that the company where he worked was sold, and he lost his job. I knew I hated moving to Texas, but I'd never make our father feel responsible for any of what happened to us. He has been a good father and it's just sad that he lost his job. I held his hand and squeezed it gently.

"You're a good father, you know that right?" I said, trying to cheer him up.

"Thanks sunshine" he forced a smile to his face.

Soon the loaders lifted all of our stuffs into the truck.

It's time to go!

We entered our car, Dad got into the driver's seat, Mom sat at the passenger's seat leaving Alex and I at the back seat. The loaders drove their truck ahead of us and we followed behind.

**********

*On the road to Texas*

"Are we there yet?"

"No"

"Are we there yet?"

"No"

"ARE WE THERE YET?!" Alex yelled playfully.

"NOOO!" my Dad replied. They were imitating Shrek and Donkey from the movie 'Shrek'.

"Boys, keep it down" Mom said motioning Alex to stop distracting my dad who was driving.

"Uh, girls do your own thing and leave the boys alone" Alex said smirking.

Mom glared at Alex, and he quickly fixed his eyes to his phone pretending to be texting. We've been on this journey all day. I'm already exhausted. Texas should better be good.

********

We arrived at our house in Texas at about 5:25pm. The sun was setting but the air was still clear and windy. The loaders began offloading our stuffs and putting them inside the house. Dad decided to show us around the house.

Now I'm beginning to wonder why this big bricked house is called 'an old house,' it looked quite modern to me.

Just saying!

We got to the barnyard at back of the house. There was a big cattle range, a goat stable, a sheep pen, a poultry and a wooden house for other farm animals. My mouth dropped when I saw the horse stable. I love horses...

But hey, I'm still not happy about moving to Texas.

I can't believe we're gonna be farmers here. Ugh, I'm gonna be smelling animal droppings everywhere. I think I wanna puke!

"You know we could sell all these animals and maybe the farmland too and use the money to set up a family business in Washington, and move the hell outta here back to DC" Alex spoke suddenly, gaining everyone's attention.

My Mom stared at my Dad, who seemed petrified by what Alex said.

That's not a bad idea, you know? I thought, wondering why the thought never crossed my mind. I stared at my dad, waiting for his response.

Then he spoke, "Alex dear, this farmland and barnyard is our family legacy." he huffed. "My great grandfather gave it to my grandfather, my grandfather gave it to my fa..."

"Yeah, yeah, we gerrit." Alex interrupted my dad "but why can't we sell it?"

"Because it's not for sale!" Dad bellowed, quite pissed. Then he took a deep calming breath. "My father never sold it, neither will I. The property is transferred from one generation to another. Soon it'll belong to you and your sister"

Just then, the inn keeper came to tend to the goats and sheep in the stable. We went back to the house. The loaders had finished offloading all our stuffs. I must say they did quite a good job, everything was well arranged.

"I'll go and get dinner ready" Mom announced, and went to the kitchen.

"That'll be awesome, I'm starving" I murmured.

Dad sat at the big Italian couch in the sitting room, Alex went upstairs to check out his room or whatever it was he went to do. I sank into the couch beside my dad who was already dozing off.