Shadows

London

“You ok back there?” My father asked me, bringing me back to being in the car

“Yeah… just nervous”

“Why is that?”

“Well… there was a murder not far from where we are going dad” I replied to him, my heart thudding a little as I thought back to the pictures on this morning’s news

“You’ll be fine, I’m sure they have already caught the person and he or she is well on their way to prison” My mother remained silent, and I was getting a bit pissed at him for being so damn happy… it wasn’t right to act like that… no way.

“Ok” was all I replied to him, and so the silence commenced, it always felt awkward to be near them so I just let the silence take hold, like a veil between us… I gazed out the window a couple of times, taking in the swirling, drifting scenery… a mixture of green, grey and black.

  In a few hours we finally arrived in London and parked next to St James Park, as I slide out of the car I stretched and smiled as my stiff body loosened up, sure I was in pain… but it was nice to be out and not have to worry! My father opened the boot and surprised me by pulling out a carrier bag of food along with a cream coloured blanket…. A picnic? At this time of year? Strange man…

“Where too darling?” he asked my mother as we set foot along the large green plain

“I’m not too bothered, but hurry up… it’ll be dark soon” frowning at her words I grabbed my phone from my pocket, it read that it was only 1:15pm in the afternoon… we still had another five hours before that would happen. We ended up not far from the entrance, perched by a tree… we looked terribly English… it was so ordinary… so boring. My parents used to plan things like these all the time, but with age came laziness with these two I am unimpressed to say, father began to lay down the blanket… flicking it up in the air for a few moments, apparently trying to ‘get the creases out’ much to my mother’s annoyance.

  The food was spread across the vast blanket, a mixture of Walkers crisps, cheese and cucumber sandwiches, sausage rolls, a bowl of selected fruit, cakes, scones, flasks of tea… well you get the drift… and to anyone that had a stereotype of the British… just saw that being fulfilled. A multitude of dog walkers passed by, not shy to give us disapproving glances mixed with shaking their heads or putting on a damned charade of glee and friendliness when my parents caught their eyes.

“Why don’t you eat some more love, you’re getting terribly thin” my mother suggested, I think she always had it in her head that I would have some eating disorder or something from very young, I have always been thing… but she interpreted it as something else… as per usual.

“I’m fine” I smiled at her, wanting her to drop the subject… but her eyes locked with mine so I gave in with an over exaggerated sigh before biting into a plump and juicy apple “Happy?” I laughed, but all that was returned was an approving nod before she returned her attention to the surroundings around her

“Victoria, have you re-considered about going to university?” I sighed, was this really a necessary conversation to be having when we were supposed to be out enjoying ourselves?

“No I haven’t dad” I replied in monotone

“You do realise about all the job opportunities you are throwing away…. You cannot get a decent job without a degree” he bit into his sandwich

“Yes I can get a decent job, just it will take longer to find… and take longer to work my way up that ladder that’s all” why was this so important? It’s my life.

“Victoria, we have been through this before…I assure you that if you wanted to go we could easily pay your tuition fees? We aren’t short of cash at the moment” he made himself sound like such a snob, turning his nose up at the thought of actually working from the bottom up, which I know had to be more fulfilling than knowing that mommy or daddy gave you everything.