Halo

Driving

I shove my hand outside the Toyota Blue Camry, a I drive down a winding hill on the West side of Washington State. Evergreen trees line the road and tower above me. My mom made me pack up my room for 1 year and sent me towards the direction of my father. The conversation I had with my mother about this, "special" occasion replays in my mind again and again. 

2 Days Earlier

"Come on, Diana... its been three years since he last saw you! Go see your father!" my mother argues.

"Mom! One year is a long time! Come on, he lives on the West Side." I whine.

"So?" she questioned. 

"It rains!" I complain. 

My mom throws her hands up in the air. "I've raised a diva!"  

I groan knowing that the next statement got me a one way ticket to Aberdeen.

"You're going! And that's final!" 

Present

My parents divorced when I was eight years old. So, that meant four weeks in the summer with my dad, plus every other Christmas and Easter with him. I was rotated in between two people that fell in "Love". 

But since, I was 18 now and ready to start my senior year in high school, my mother thought it was a good idea to have me spend three hundred and sixty five days with my father. Sighing, I turned on the stereo.

I pressed play on my phone and Haley Williams blasted my ears with Ain't it Fun. She put it best since I broke up with a douche bag of a boyfriend. Aaron. Cheater. I let my hand glide up and down along with the wind. Then turning my palm up, it flew backwards against the car. 

My dad remarried two years after he divorced my mother. I only met Gina a couple times before the wedding. I decided that she was nice enough for my dad. She was from Romania. How she ended up here? I had no idea. Every time I asked her about her home country, she would get this distant look in her eyes and then turn angry from something that happened. Then the subject changes.

I turn left, and pull up to the 15 acre land surrounding the four story mansion. Parking the car in the driveway, I peer at the house. Only small things have changed since I was last here. A new balcony attached to the third story bedroom, which was mine. 

"Diana!" someone calls out.

I open the car door , and see my father rushing towards me.

"Hey dad." I say shyly. 

He opens his arms for a hug . I hesitate for a moment before hugging him. 

"Hey kiddo." he holds me out at arms length and looks at me. 

My father has changed since I last saw him. Grayer hair and more wrinkles but still looks happy. We share the same bluish green eyes. Except I inherited the brownish red hair from my mother. 

"You've grown up. Since the last time I saw you." he says softly. 

I see tears in his eyes.

"Time changes people Dad." 

He winces a little at my statement.

"Let's get you inside." he says smiling.

He grabs two of my bags while I grab the other three. 

We cross into the main foyer from the front door. The ceilings soar with height, and a crystal chandelier dangles from the highest peak of the ceiling.