Until We Meet Again

Chapter Three: Family Trouble Brews

Allison continued to sit and wait for her mother to pick her up, but no one showed up. She glanced around, hoping to see the family driver pull up as he always did, but realized he wasn't coming either. That was odd. Usually, their driver would be on time to take her home. Allison thought back to the morning when her mother drove them to school herself, something she rarely did. It wasn't until then that Allison remembered hearing her mother telling their driver to dismiss himself for the week. At the time, she thought it strange, as her mother usually preferred being driven rather than taking the wheel herself.

It was around four-thirty, and the school had become eerily quiet. Even the staff had begun to leave, and still, no one had come for her. Growing impatient and with the clouds turning ominous, she finally decided to walk home. The route wasn't terribly far, but it was enough to be inconvenient—especially with the weather turning against her.

Allison started walking at a steady pace, her thoughts spinning as she reflected on the new school year. She felt happy to be a senior, but there was a nagging sadness she couldn't shake. As if sensing her mood, the sky above let out a soft rumble of thunder. A single drop of water hit her arm, and she groaned. "This can't be happening," she muttered under her breath. "Not only do I have to walk home, but now I'm going to get drenched too?"

With another rumble of thunder, the skies opened up, and rain started pouring down in sheets. Realizing it was pointless to try outrunning the storm, she trudged on, soaked and shivering as she made her way through the quiet neighborhood. Fifteen minutes later, she finally reached her front porch, drenched from head to toe. She climbed up the steps and swung the door open.

As soon as she stepped inside, the warm, familiar smell of spaghetti and meat sauce greeted her. Her mother, for all her flaws, was a fantastic cook. Allison dripped her way toward the stairs, intending to change out of her soaking wet clothes, but just as she was halfway up, her mother appeared in the foyer.

"Allison, where on earth have you been? Why are your clothes so wet? You're going to ruin the hardwood floors," her mother scolded, her focus entirely on the damp trail Allison left behind.

Allison, still shivering, was momentarily speechless. "I waited for you to pick me up, but no one came," she explained.

"Alright." That was all her mother said, before turning on her heel and walking away.

"Alright?" Allison echoed in disbelief. That was it? No concern, no apology—just a reminder about the floors? She stood there, soaking wet, still waiting for some kind of acknowledgment, but it never came. Instead, her mother called back over her shoulder. "And Allison, you'll be walking home from now on. It's about time you learned your way."

And just like that, the conversation was over.

Allison sighed, feeling defeated, and slowly climbed the remaining stairs to her room. She stripped off her wet clothes and climbed into bed, not caring that her comforter was getting damp. She lay there, staring up at the ceiling, wondering how her life had come to this.

Later that evening, Olivia came bounding up the stairs, calling Allison down for dinner. As Allison made her way down, she heard her mother talking in a muffled voice from her bedroom. Curious, Allison edged closer to the door, trying to make out the conversation.

"What is wrong with you? Are you serious? You know what, why don't you just live there?" Her mother's voice was cold and cutting.

Allison's heart sank. She couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, but the tone of her mother's voice told her everything. She was arguing with their father.

Startled by the sound of the door opening, Allison quickly backed away and scurried down the stairs. In her rush, she collided with Olivia, who immediately burst into a fit of giggles. Allison, surprised, couldn't help but join in. The two sisters were still laughing when their mother appeared at the top of the stairs.

Normally, a lecture about dirtying their clothes or the floor would follow, but this time, their mother said nothing. "It's time for dinner," she said simply, her voice lacking its usual sharpness. "Your father won't be home until late."

Allison noticed the sadness in her mother's eyes, but said nothing. Instead, she helped Olivia up, and they made their way to the dining room. Dinner was quiet. The absence of their father lingered over the table like a heavy cloud, but neither sister commented on it.

Afterward, Allison busied herself cleaning up the kitchen and getting Olivia ready for bed. The two of them snuggled up on the couch to watch The Lion King, a tradition they'd had for as long as Allison could remember. Olivia dozed off during one of Allison's favorite scenes, where Simba and Nala reunite, and as Allison watched her little sister sleep, she couldn't help but feel a wave of protectiveness wash over her.

When the movie ended, she carried Olivia to her room, tucking her into her fairy-tale themed bed, with its purple, white, and green comforter. The room was decorated with sparkling lights and hanging flower designs, just like the world Olivia always dreamed of. Allison stroked her sister's hair, lost in thought. They hadn't seen their mother since dinner, and now, with Olivia fast asleep, Allison's mind drifted back to the phone call she'd overheard.

It all made sense now. Her father's late nights, the tension at home—her mother had been arguing with him. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, and suddenly, everything seemed so much more complicated. She sighed, kissed Olivia's forehead, and retreated to her own room, where she, too, quickly fell into an uneasy sleep.

The two sisters had found peace, at least for the moment, in the quiet of their shared home.

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