Breathe

Before

Mel rolled the tacky orange duffle into the back area of the RV and parked it to the side, away from the equally tacky pull out couch that was shoved haphazardly into the opposite corner. She sighed, turning around to get the other bags that were waiting in front of her childhood home. Her mother stood near the luggage checking her clipboard, her face scrunched up to read her husband's unintelligible scrawl that listed the clothing and such that he suggested they pack. Mel leaned down and grabbed two suitcases, one in each hand and and repeated the previous process over and over again till the suitcases and duffel bags were stacked neatly before returning outside.

Her mother still stood by the entrance, now glancing at the dainty silver watch on her thin wrist and tapping her foot impatiently. Mel turned her gaze from her mother back to the house, seeing the silhouette of her bulky father rushing around.

"I'm sure he's just double checking mom," Mel muttered, stepping next to her mother. Her mother jumped at the sudden noise, placing a delicate hand over her chest, grasping slightly at the string of pearls that accommodated her throat.

"Of course he is darling. It's just," She paused, constructing what she was going to say carefully, "It's just, when you set a schedule and hound people into abiding it, than its best to follow it as well." Mel nodded halfheartedly and gazed up at the sky, exhaustion setting in from the toxicity in the atmosphere that settled over the three of them. Mel saw her mother still watching her, a thoughtful look on her aging face. "You do know that we're proud of you, don't you Melita? Even your father," Her mother muttered, still looking at her child. Mel snorted in response, not removing her gaze from the sky. "I know we've been hard on you these last few years with college, but you must understand-,"

Mel snapped her gaze to her mother, eyes ablaze, "Understand what? That you basically told me not to come back because I didn't go to the same established snooty university that you and dad met at? Not contacting me, or even wondering how I was until after I graduated? Yeah, I understand perfectly," Mel hissed, basking from the venom in her voice and the visible reaction it had on her mother. "I only agreed to this stupid trip because I hoped that we could rekindle our relationship from before I left, but that obviously isn't going to happen with you not facing up to the fact that you and dad are hiding behind this fake caring persona."

"Melita, darling, we did care. And we still do, you're our child. We wanted our daughter back, that's why we contacted you. Do you really think either your father or I the adventurous type?," Her mother said, tilting her head slightly. Mel opened her mouth to retort, the sound of the door closing drawing the two's attention back towards the house, her father finally stepping out and locking the door.

He turned and smiled brightly, approaching the two. It wasn't hard to tell who Mel looked more alike. Her looks matched her fathers dark hair, olive toned skin, and unusual bright green eyes, while she carried her mothers feminine figure instead of the bulkier shoulders that came from her fathers side.

"So, who's ready to see what this great country has to offer, eh?," He boomed, clapping his hands together. Mel rolled her eyes and turned abruptly, stomping back into the RV. Her parents looked at each other, the same worried look on their faces, "Was it something I said?," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. Her mother shook her head slowly, entering and sitting in the passenger seat. Mel's father sighed silently, before following and closing the RV door behind him and plopping down in the drivers seat. He pushed the keys into the ignition and the sound of the engine rolling over shook the seats within the vehicle. Mel sighed, leaning against the stiff bench, watching out the side window as her childhood home grow smaller and, smaller as the RV sped off.

Word count: 702