Our Separate Worlds

Never Forget.

    I'm packing my most cherished items into my travel pack that my mother kindly made me. I reach for my red dress, and remember my first borrowing. That night I went with my father to the upper world in which beings lived. I am brought to remember the sound of overwhelming silence as we entered their kitchen, and the smell of the sugar cube, before I dropped it. Looking back on all of this now, I don't regret anything. Being seen, meeting Sean, any of it.

    "Arrietty! Could you lend me a hand with making dinner?" My mother calls from the kitchen of my second home.

    It isn't as nice as our first home, but it is still comfortable.

    I stand up, brush off my clothes, and start my way to the kitchen. As I'm walking in the hallway, I bring myself to a stop, to gaze at a painting my father skillfully created. It is of my mother and I. He painted it as he was injured from a borrowing accident, where he couldn't walk. I took his place for borrowing instead, for that period of time.

    I get to the kitchen, and stop in the doorway, pleased by what I see. I see my mother humming a sweet tune, while she is hovering above the counter, slicing up a fresh mint leaf, for our tea.

    "Good evening, mother," I say as I approach the stove. I take a quick whiff, and my senses are sent into a heavenly state. My mouth begins to water.

    "My mother, this smells absolutely delicious. Is this a new recipe?" I ask, opening the pot revealing some potato, carrot, cabbage, and a small portion of corn beef, as we couldn't get a lot.

    It's a rare treat to have something as luxurious as corn beef. It is difficult to keep it edible for more than a day or so, let alone getting it. It was left on the counter as the beings were having a big dinner, and my father just managed to get it without being seen.

    As if on cue, my father enters the room.

    "Papa! Welcome home. How was it?" I ask as he returns from tonight's borrowing.

    He smiles faintly, and nods his head.

    "Not as successful as I wanted, but good enough," he says with a slight tone of fatigue within his voice.

    He walks over to my mother, reaches his hand into his pack, and pulls out a cube of sugar, and a bay leaf; ingredients for my mothers favorite brew of tea.

    "Oh Pod, you shouldn't have! Thank you so much," she says, letting herself take in the heavenly smells of the two. She then stops, as if she realized something important.

    "The bay leaf tree is so far! You weren't seen, right? We're not going to have to move again? What if you had gotten eaten by that dog of theirs?! You could have been in some serious danger!" She panics.

    My father calmly places his hand upon her shoulder, easing her anxiety instantly. She lets out a relieved sigh, and continues her work that is waiting for completion. My father walks lazily toward the bench by the door, to take off his gear. As he does this, and my mother begins to brew her tea, I take this as an opportunity to serve up the delectable stew, placing it within our new bowls my father had made from the oak wood of the tree just outside. I carefully place the filled bowls upon the table, alongside our silverware and napkins.

    "Dinner is served," I say happily, eager to try this stew. I find my seat at the small, rectangular table.

    We join hands, and begin to share what we are thankful for.

    "I'm thankful for everything that has made me the father I am," my father says with his voice long and tired.

    Both my mother and I share out thanks, and we start our meal. I take my first bight of the stew, the intoxicating smell, overwhelming my senses, and I am blown away, it is so delicious.

    "Oh golly, Mama. This is beyond anything I have ever eaten!" I let out. Scarfing down more and more as she and Papa keep talking.

    Before long, the room falls silent, causing me to look up from my meal. I look up and see my parents avoiding eye contact with me.

    "Mama, Papa. I am eighteen now, I'll be okay," knowing what they are thinking about. Ever since I brought up wanting to move out, they have been distancing themselves. Especially since I've already been packing up things. Once I am done packing, I'm out of here.

    "We're just going to miss you, Arrietty. You've been by our side since the day you were born, and now you're all grown up and leaving. You must understand that it is going to take a lot of getting used to," My mom says, sadly bringing her eyes to my father.   
    I feel my Papa's hand grab mine, and squeeze it tightly. He looks me in the eye, and smiles.

    "But no matter what your mother says, we are both incredibly proud of you. You are going to live an extraordinary life. And you're going to visit us every once in a while, yes?" he says respectfully.

I beginning to feel tears well up in my eyes, pushing to get out.

"Thank you Papa, mother," I say quietly.

I contemplate telling them that I plan on leaving as soon as I can. The thought of leaving my parents hurts my heart, but I need to learn how to live on my own. I need to be able to depend on myself.

This is the conclusion to our meal, and I take my leave after placing my dishes in the sink.

"Thank you for the meal," I say, and I leave the room. I walk down the hall once more, before entering my room, which is much smaller than my last. It barely has room for my bed. I look around and see my mess in the middle of the room, waiting to be cleaned and packed up.

*Knock Knock*

I turn around and see my dad standing in the doorway.

"You're planning on leaving within a few days aren't you?" He says sadly. I nod, earning myself a sharp sigh from the man in front of my.

"We're going to miss your optimism around here. Please don't..." He sniffs, and I see a singular tear begin to fall from his eye. But just as if falls, it is wiped away. My father isn't one to show much emotion.

"Please don't forget about us, Arrietty. You're all we have," He weeps quietly.

This brings a whole new range of emotion to my senses, and I am overwhelmed with tears.

"Oh papa!" I cry. I run over to him and give him the tighter hug I have ever given.

"I could never forget about you and mama,"I cry into his shoulder.

I spend the rest of my night packing with my fathers help. Laughing over memories the items bring back to us.

1193 words.