A collection of very short

Fresh start

The car ride was coming to an end. Mike had been asleep for most of the trip, yet Richard felt exhausted. The four hour-long drive to the city had felt like a slow abandonment of his way of life. Several times, as an exit ramp approached, he hesitated on going back. But then he would look at the contract on the passenger seat, glance at Mike sleeping in the back and change his mind, keeping to the highway. Mike was the only thing that mattered from now on, his smile and happiness the only goals.

As the car reached the top of yet another hill, for the first time the city came into view, shining far in the distance. It was nestled in the bay with its iconic bridge spanning both sides of the bay halfway through. It almost looked beautiful. What was less beautiful was the traffic jam that was coming right ahead. Richard sighed and slowly braked, driving downhill, right into the jam. As he did, Mike woke up.

"Good morning baby bear," Richard said, his voice filled with enthusiasm he didn't have. "How was the nap?"

Mike growled, having difficulties opening his eyes. By now they were deep in traffic and the car was barely moving. Mike started to look around, left and right, twisting his body to look backwards and through the windshield past the back of the passenger seat. His facial emotions changed, his chubby cheeks parted, a wide sunny smile appeared and he began pointing in every directions. He noticed the houses were different in this part of the country. They were smaller and more packed together. The roads were larger. The cars seemed to be bigger and they were a lot more of them. He was fascinated by every thing he saw. He looked like he had just been brought to the world. Richard did his best to explain everything Mike pointed out, his fascination for this new city growing as Mike's did.

One thing Mike kept coming back to was the clump of skyscrapers far on the horizon. Every few minutes, as they got closer and the buildings appeared higher, Mike would bend his head beyond his car seat and point at them. Each time, Richard would try to explain what they were with thinly veiled criticism. Nothing did it, Mike kept asking. Richard smiled considering the irony of the situation. If there was anything he hated more in a city, it was skyscrapers. It soon became clear that they would have to visit at one time or another, Mike insisted on it

After two hours stuck in traffic, they eventually made it to a small office in the suburbs. Richard parked the car. He entered the office, Mike in tow, showed the contract, and was asked to sit in the waiting room. After a half hour of playing with Mike and reading random people magazines, he was called in a back office. He gave the contract, signed a few papers and was given a key along with instructions on where to head next.

They got back in the car and on the road. Their next destination was on the other side of town. As they made their way to the highway, they passed a kids' playground. Mike got very excited seeing all these children play, so much so that Richard decided to stop. He took Mike out of the car and escorted him to the playground. Sitting at a bench he observed Mike have fun for the better part of an hour while he contemplated his future. He felt terrible, filled with dread and apprehension. And yet, seeing Mike so happy, he couldn't help but feel the contagious happiness. For a while, he found himself imagining that this could work. He knew it wouldn't be easy. There would be plenty of days when he would struggle, but at the end of each day, Mike would be there with his big smile and his lightheartedness.

Once Mike was tired enough, they got back in the car. Richard decided to head straight to their new home as Mike dosed off in the back. The sun set and Richard navigated the last few streets. He parked the car in a suburban two storey housing complex. It looked a lot like a motel but he immediately pushed that comparison out of his head. The car stopped and Mike woke up. Free of his car seat and his feet on the ground of the parking lot, he ran in circles, excited, his energy fully replenished.

"Is this our new house?" he said pointing left and right at no door in particular, now jumping up and down.

"It is," Richard answered. Mike's excitement slowly transferred to Richard. He smiled as he took Mike's hand and they headed to number 33. Richard opened the door, and remained on the doorstep. Mike rushed inside, screaming for every room he entered. The strange home, their soon to be new home, was oozing of happiness with Mike as its source. Richard listened for a while as his son tired himself out yet again. Richard knew that the moment he crossed that threshold, their new life would start. He hesitated, looking back at their Jeep, a literal representation of their old life. He pictured their old ranch, devoured by flames in front of their eyes. There was nothing to return back to.

As Mike called him in, Richard took a step forward.