Forever and Always

Chapter 1- Home?

Chapter 1- Home?

I put my last box into the trunk of the car and shut the door. I sighed, pushing my medium length light brown hair off my shoulders. I watched as my dad locked the door and took two steps backwards to look at the house. He gazed there for a few seconds before turning around and smiling at me.

“Everything in?” He asked. I nodded and got into the passenger side.

He got into the driver’s seat and started up the car as I gazed at our house out of my window. It slowly got farther away as we started the journey to my new home. My dad turned the radio on and the song Keep Your Head Up by Andy Grammer started to play. I tuned out everything and just watched as the familiarity of my neighborhood passed before my eyes.

Home.

What is home?

This new place will not be home. It never will be. It can’t be. Home will always be at the house I just left. The 5 minute walk to the beach and the empty surfboard shack I took refuge in. That will always be home.

Not even 30 minutes later, we pulled into a parking lot in front of the Cancer Center. I gulped down sobs and slowly opened my door. My dad got his suitcase from the back and was waiting for me. He gave me a small smile as I looked up at the huge place.

I gazed around in the center as we walked in. It was hospital-like. I hated it. We went to the front desk and gave my father’s name. She told us to sit and wait for someone to call him. Before we knew it, he was being called and we both stood up. We were lead through several doors and long hallways with bald people in hospital gowns and sullen eyes, until we finally entered a room with the numbers 2115 on them.

“And here is where you will be staying Mr. Skip. Room 2115.” We entered and I had to turn away from the bed. It was surrounded by machines and cords, I just couldn’t look. I could not believe that this happened to my own father. My father gave me a weak smile before placing his suitcase next to the dresser and then following the doctor back into the hallway.

To be honest, I didn’t pay a word of attention as the doctor led us around. All I could think about was that my happy-go-lucky father was going to turn into one of these tired-looking, miserable people. He didn’t deserve this. Why out of all people did he have to suffer like this?

“Danielle. It’s time for me to take you to your new home.” My dad took me out of my thoughts as I realized we were back in the main lobby. I nodded and we walked to the car. We spent 5 minutes not talking before my dad started to inform me of their family.

“My friend’s name is Patrick Harley. His wife’s name is Diane. They have 4 sons.” He said. I turned towards him and groaned.

“I’m so used to being alone, how am I going to do this?” I complained.

“I grew up with 3 sisters, so I think you should be fine. The oldest, Darren, is already in college. Then its Cale, who is your age, then Bertie, who is a year younger than you, and then it’s Andrew, who is a freshman at the start of this school year.”

“They’re all so close in age!” I exclaimed. “So why are they taking me in then if they already have so many sons?” I asked.

“Because they understand what you are going through. They know how hard it is to know someone with cancer and they want to help support you. I agreed with everything they said. And we are here.” He stopped in front of a big house and I looked out my window to get a better look.

It was huge. Compared to our cozy house, this was monstrous. A man who looked to be in his early forties came outside as my father opened the trunk.