long way home // luke hemmings

Chapter Three

I drag my feet across our hardwood floors as Lindsey and I enter the kitchen. We take our respective seats around our circular kitchen table. Lindsey sat to my right, with Caryl's seat separating us. Mum sat next to me and Dad sat next to Lindsey, completing the circle. We had always sat like this, and I assume they had kept their usual spots even after I had moved out. "Here you guys go," Mum sing-songs as she sets a hot stew on the hot plate on the table. Dad follows by serving what looks like five steaks in one plate – one for each of us I assume. "Smells good, Dad," I smile. "Tastes good, cupcake," he winks before heading to the living room to help Caryl wash up for dinner.

         My dad has always had cute nicknames for us growing up, and each nickname corresponded to a daughter. 'Sugar' was for Lindsey, 'cupcake' was for me, and 'gumdrop' was for Caryl. Dad told me and Caryl the story for her nickname. He says that he and Mum were trying for one last baby, but he hadn't been as attentive as he was during the first two pregnancies. So when Mum had told him about being pregnant with Caryl, he was sat on the couch while eating gumdrops and he had completely forgotten they were trying for a split second. So when mom told him the news, he dropped one of the gumdrops he was eating from his mouth onto the floor. After giving us a good laugh, he made me and Lindsey never to tell Mum what had actually happened.

         Once Caryl had finished washing her hands, she took her seat between me and Lindsey. I only moved away a couple months ago but she already seemed so much bigger than when I left. I moved so I could be closer to the city center and because Mr. Barker would sometimes ask me to come to exhibitions without prior notice, so I always needed to be ready.

         Mum and Dad joined us at the table. "Eat up!" Mom smiles, keeping her eyes focused on the food as she starts to pass dishes around. "So, Sydney," Dad trails off, "why did Mr. Barker need you to come in all of a sudden?" I was put-off by his question, luckily, quickly thinking of excuses has always been somewhat of a talent of mine. "It's my job, Dad, sometimes I have to come into work immediately," I exchange looks with Lindsey before putting some food onto my plate.

        "Ah," Dad scoffs. "I thought it was because of Mr. Barker's big move to the U.K.," he adds with a smirk on his face. I, however, almost choke on my food. "How did you know about that," I stutter, putting my fork down on my plate, making nervous fists with my hands. "What's this about?" Mum chimes in, switching glances from Dad to me. "It's um," I try to start but Dad cuts me off. "Sydney's boss is moving to London and he's taking his personal staff with him," he says, his voice a little muffled because of the bite of steak he just took. We exchange looks. "My friend told me," he finally admits.  "Isn't Sydney part of his personal staff?" Mum replies, her voice suddenly becoming less amused. "Yes, but-" I start but am interrupted by Mum slightly raising her voice. "And who allowed you to move to London?"

        "Mom, I haven't decided yet," I insist, a little offended that I couldn't tell them on my own terms. "We're deciding," she scoffs. "And you aren't moving." Even though I hadn't made a decision yet, I was quite offended that Mum already had an opinion and was talking to me like I was a child. "Hun, she's twenty-two," Dad says in a hushed tone, placing his hand on Mum's arms and rubbing his thumb on it. "Exactly, she's only twenty-two, moving out I understand but she's too young to be living that far away from us!" she exclaims, her expression now angry. "I trust her! I was on my own at twenty-two and I turned out fine, honey!" Dad comes to my defense. Mum stays silent for a few seconds with a perplexed look on her face before responding to Dad. "And what if something happens to her? We can't be there instantly?"

        "Yes but she'll have colleagues, her boss, and health care there!" Dad fires back, emphasizing that I'll have almost everything I have here, there. "Well, she doesn't have us!" Mum huffs. "I do not trust her alone." Lindsey and I stay quiet as Mum and Dad engage in a screaming match, but I was growing more angry by the second. I quickly noticed Caryl beside me who had stopped eating and looked scared more than anything. And that's where it drew the line for me. "Please stop, you're scaring Caryl!" I yell, rising from my seat. They do, Mum stares at me with an angry look while Dad looks at me sorrowfully. "You didn't even let me speak." I say in a calmer tone. "Please eat your meals. I will pass." I place my utensils on either side of my plate before walking off from the table. With my ruined apartment, how much I'm supposed to pay for the repairs, and the risk of losing my job, I just couldn't deal with a selfish family argument at the moment.

          As I enter my room, I shut the door behind me with an unintentional bang. I fall onto my bed with a sigh. I let my arms spread out and once my fingers hit my pillow, I instinctively grab it and cover my face as I let out a scream.

          Too much has happened in the span of two weeks. So many of the things I deemed 'constant' in my life had all shifted so suddenly. I couldn't understand why things had gone downhill so fast. Just as I pulled the pillow off my face and pinched the bridge of my nose with my eyes shut, I hear someone knock on my door, which causes me to sit up. I expected it to be Lindsey, but I was surprised to see that it was actually Dad.

         "Hey, cupcake," he whispers, bringing in light from the hallway into my dark room. He shuts the door behind him gently and takes a seat beside me. "I'm really sorry me and Mum didn't bother to ask you want you wanted," he sighs. "I'm also sorry for spilling the news like that. If anything I was only doing that because I was excited for you." "Excited for me?" I scoff, sounding a little more passive than I had meant to. "Well yes!" he exclaims. "I know how much you love your job and not many first-jobs pay this well, plus, if it's taking you on new adventures then of course I'd be excited for you, honey."

        It was really reassuring to hear my dad be so supportive, and he usually always was. But more times than not, only if there had been a misunderstanding beforehand, which ends up with me showing how I really felt about the situation. Which, in this case, was the fight. I was never rebellious against my parents growing up, but as I got older, I started being able to speak out more. This was one of those times.

        "Am I worried about you?" he continues. "Of course, but seeing as how far you've come and how you uphold yourself, honey I couldn't be more proud of you." Dad's words touched me and they were something I didn't know I needed until now. I let a tear roll down my cheek and dad lifts his hand up to my face to wipe it. "And of course, I trust your company," he chuckles, trying to lighten the mood.

         "Thanks, Dad," I sniffle. "But I haven't decided on anything yet, there's a lot to think about." "Of course, hun, by when do you have to tell Mr. Barker?" he asks, rubbing his hand on my back. "In two weeks," I groan. "Wow, that's really quick." "Yeah, I don't know if I can make a decision that big in two weeks. He didn't even tell me when he was moving. I'd have to find housing and submit papers and it's all just a little bit too much right now." "Don't stress yourself, get some rest," Dad assures. "One day at a time." I smile at him as he proceeds to stand up a plant a kiss on my forehead.  "I'll talk to mom. And I'll see you in the morning, okay?" he whispers, walking out of my room.