Breaking Pointe

Chapter Seven

“You’re home late” said my dad from the living room, startling me. 

“You’re home early” Arabella replied. “I was out with Maddock.” She felt bad for lying, but it was just easier than telling the truth. She just wasn’t in the mood to have an awkward boy talk with her dad. Not that she needed to, she wasn’t dating Tyler. She wasn’t really sure what they were...

“I haven’t seen Maddock in a while. How are you two?” 

“Still best friends, Dad.” she responded.

“He’s a nice boy. Are you sure you two aren’t dating?”

“Yes I’m sure.” His face fell a little. He didn’t really understand their relationship and wanted them to date. “Did you eat?”

“No, I was about to heat up something” he said, distracted. There was a big pile of papers on the center table and his hair was a mess. He had obviously been absorbed in his work.

“I’ll make you something” she said and he shot her a grateful look. She headed to the kitchen to make the only thing she knew how, Mac N’ Cheese. 

As she put on the water she thought about how her dad used to be.  Arabella put the noodles in the water before it was even boiling and set the timer for eight minutes. She headed straight out to the tree.

... he was whistling New York by Frank Sinatra and when he saw her mom he broke into a big grin. Neither of them saw ten year old Arabella watching from her room. 

“I got the job!” he exclaimed, sweeping her mom up into a big hug and spinning her around.

“I knew you could do it” she smiled and he kissed her sweetly.

“I couldn’t have without you. I love you.”

“I love you too.” and they stood there looking at each other with big grins on their faces. Arabella smiled, too. How cute.

“Arabella! Come here!” her dad called. She ran out and he scooped her up into his arms. “We’re going to get ice cream’ he announced, tickling her and throwing her over his shoulder. He didn’t put her down the entire block to the ice cream shop.

The timer hadn’t gone off, so Arabella sat and looked at the ice cream cone she had just carved for a while. It was hard to believe her dad was ever the carefree, happy man she remembered. She knew her mom had encouraged him to go for that job because he wanted it but didn’t think he had the chance. Now his job was his whole life.

The noodles were done so she headed back into the kitchen. She made them the way she always did, more butter than milk. She dumped it all onto a plate with some blueberries on the side and a glass of water, then took it to the dining table. 

Her dad sat down across from her where she had set his food and took a few bites. “This tastes good, thank you” he said with a small smile.

“That’s how mom always made it” she smiled back. his smile faded and he went back to checking his phone.

“I have meetings in California in two weeks that I can’t miss. I would bring you with me, but you have school and ballet. Will you be alright by yourself for a few days?” he asked, barely looking up.

“I’ll be fine” she said and excused herself to her room. It wasn’t like she saw him much anyways, sometimes it already felt like she lived by herself. She curled up on her bed and prepared herself for the tears that were going to fall anyways when her phone went off. It was a text from Maddock. You were so right. I called him and asked him out. We just went out to dinner and it was amazing. Hopefully you’ll get to meet him soon;)