c h a p t e r 7

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It's been 3 days since I got through to the finals. My brothers hoping to turn the attic into his games room. I'm helping him clear out some old boxes. My dads currently in work, so we're hoping to get this done before he comes back.

"Thanks for helping me" Austin says as he carries out old suitcases from the attic.

"Yeah, no problem. I haven't been up here in years" I made my way to a group of boxes in the corner

"I don't think any one has" he blows away a cobweb with his hands

"Hey looks at this" I open up and see old pictures of my family from when my mom was around.

"Wow" Austin says while also picking up some photos from the box "Dad looks so happy here"

"Oh my god, these ones are from when dad and mom were in college" I say while opening another box

"Oh yeah, you look like her in that photo" he smiles, and I return it

"Isn't that the dean that talked to you at the competition?" Austin asks

"Oh yeah, it's Rebecca Pritchard with mom. They seemed really close. I wonder what happened?"

"There's tapes here too, labelled 'Heather's skate tapes' " Austin says taking out a pile of 5 tapes.

I gasped "moms skating tapes?" My brother shrugs "Can we watch them?"

*

Me and Austin have been watching my moms skating tapes for the last 20 minutes. We smiled and mostly sat watching our mom in awe.

Then we heard the keys in the door. We both turn around and see our dad standing there staring at the TV.

"What are you doing!?" He says angrily

"We found some of moms old tapes in the attic, so we thought we'd watch them" Austin says

"Well get it off the screen now" he says

"Dad I -" before Austin could finish my dad interrupted "NOW!"

"Okay jeez" Austin goes to the tv and takes out the tapes

I stand up and grab the five tapes, and started walking towards my bedroom.

"Give them to me" my dad says while holding his hand out

"What? No" I reply

"Willow, give them to me right now!" He snaps

"NO! Why are you being like this. I understand that your still upset over mom dying but so are we. You could at least let me keep this one thing that I have left of her" I spit out

"YOUR MOM IS DEAD WILLOW. There's nothing any of us have left of her. She's gone, and these shitty tapes won't bring her back" he says

"Dad stop it" Austin shouts "Willow take the tapes into your room, dad can we talk, in private"

I don't hesitate to do exactly what he said. I go back into my room and shut the door, I put the tapes on my desk and lay on my bed. I stare at the ceiling listening to mumbling coming from the kitchen.

I know my dad still hasn't gotten over moms death. None of us have. Although, my dad deals with the grief in a different way. He chooses not to talk about it, he chooses to keep his emotions inside.

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