“Mum, Dad, can we have a chat?” I ask, my wavering voice betraying me already.
My dad puts down his newspaper and they both turn their eyes to me, giving me their complete focus. Mum looks tired, really tired. Chemo hasn’t been kind to her.
“Yes, dear?” my dad asks, waiting for me to speak.
I close my eyes and spit out the facts as quickly as I possibly can. “Kate is going to Los Angeles to go to university. I’ve looked into scholarships and it looks as if I’ll get enough money to go to the same school. I’d like to go, but I don’t want to leave you two if it means not having enough help round here to get Mum to her appointments and what not,” I blurt out without taking a single breath, only opening my eyes when I’m done.
My parents stare at me after my rambling outburst. They look as if I just told them I’m pregnant with an alien child and am moving to Mars. I specifically leave Adam out of the equation. I don’t want them to think I’m leaving to shack up with my boyfriend, even though that’s kind of what I’m doing.
“So…?” I ask as I fidget with a fraying edge on the cushion of my chair.
Dad snaps out of it first, regaining his composure and closing his gaping jaw. “So you want to go to university in the U.S.? That’s what you’re asking?” he asks in a tone that gives me no hint as to what he’s thinking about my outburst.
I flick my eyes from him to my mum, then back again. “Yes,” I say, nodding in agreement.
My parents turn to look at each other, communicating silently somehow, in that way that people who are each other’s halves can do. Then they focus back on me as I twitch nervously on the tiny chair.
Inexplicably, the unthinkable happens. They both smile. Real smiles. Probably the first ones that have occurred in this flat since Mum’s cancer diagnosis.
“We think that’s brilliant, Ellie. Just wonderful. Our daughter smart enough to go to school in the U.S.” My mum has tears of happiness filling up her eyes.
Dad gets up and pulls me into a hug, “We couldn’t be more proud of you, Ellie,” he says, choking back his emotions.
“Really?” I squeak out. “You don’t think I should stay here and help? Because I will, I don’t want to leave you without extra hands…”
My mum cuts me off before I can finish. “Ellie, we want you to make something of yourself. Get out of this place. Our only wish for you is to not end up here.” The tears are now coursing freely down her cheeks.
I step over to her and sit next to her on the sofa, carefully wrapping my mum in an embrace. Her body is so small and frail now. Gone is her long golden hair, replaced by a colorful scarf tied around her head. Gone is the healthy, strong woman that raised me, replaced by a pale shell. But today, for the first time in a while, I can see a hint of the mischievous twinkle in her eyes that has been missing since the diagnosis.
She pats my cheek lovingly. “Be happy, Ellie. That’s all we want.”
“Okay, Mum. Dad.” I manage to get to my room and close the door before I burst into silent tears. I have no idea if the tears are happy, sad, or both.
15
Adam
“Everything is working out brilliantly, Dax.” We head toward my flat, chatting excitedly about the future the entire way. I forgot my notebook there and we need it to go over a few lyrics at band practice.
Ellie had to go home and fill out more paperwork for admission into the University of California, so we walked her there before setting off for my place. It’s all working out perfect. We’ll all be in Los Angeles together, even Ellie’s best friend Kate who got a scholarship to play football there. Apparently, unlike the U.K., girl’s footy is a huge deal in the States.
“Gavin and Hawke are leaving on Saturday, and we can get our tickets and join them after the term is over,” Dax says. “It’s going to be so cool. Playing gigs in bars in L.A. All those famous places we’ve read about.”
“Exactly!” I’m unable to contain my enthusiasm. “If Hawke’s uncle is even half as good as the two of them say he is, we’ll be signed in no time.”
It takes me a minute to unlock the door to my flat, but I finally get it open. When I walk inside, I stop short before I can take more than a few steps into the room. Dax slams into the back of me, cursing at my sudden halt.
“What the hell? Why did you…?” He cuts his sentence short when he sees exactly why I stopped short.
“Ahhhh, my piece of shit son is finally home!” booms the tall, lean man who stands a few meters opposite us.
An icy fist clenches my stomach and twists at the sight, sending a jolt of fear down my spine. “What are you doing here?” I hope the panic that I feel isn’t too obvious in my voice.
An amused look crosses the unexpected visitor’s face, his familiar hazel eyes trapping me like a mouse being toyed with by a cat. “Is that any way to greet your dad?”
My fists clench in anger at my sides. “You aren’t my dad. Never have been, never will be.”
Dax’s large hand grips my shoulder, holding me in place. Though I doubt he knows I’d rather turn back than leap forward and fight, I let him think he’s keeping me from attacking my dad. “Don’t let him get to you. It’s not worth it,” he whispers in my ear.