The lights in the kitchen were dimmed, there was no light from outside, the sun had set. Silence filled the room making it unbearable to stay in. Adelaide's dad pulled out a chair and sat down at the other end of the table. He stalled by picking up the leaflets then throwing them back down again. He sighed, sitting back in his chair.
"Adelaide, I'm looking at apartments for myself, and for you, to stay in occasionally" he started, visibly uncomfortable with the conversation.
"Why" she demanded. She grew agitated. Now, she just wanted to know.
"Your mother and I are splitting up and I can't stay here."
Adelaide's whole world came crashing down in one single sentence.
Her mouth fell open.
"No"
She threw her head down into her hands, shaking it in disbelief. All the anxiety and stress had reached its boiling point and once a single tear broke free, the rest followed in an unbroken stream, they were uncontrollable. Her eyes stung as the salty tears poured out of her eyes. The pain hit her in waves. Often letting out angry sighs but then crying out. Her chest was heavy, her lungs strained to take in air.
Her father watched on, feeling completely helpless as his daughter sat there, head buried in her hands, letting out painful wails of sadness. He got up, walking over to her, wrapping his arms around her.
"Come on sweetheart, your making yourself sick" he gently whispered.
Adelaide threw herself onto him, gripping his arm for support. Her tears soaked into his shirt. She couldn't stop herself from crying.
"Sweetheart, please." He begged her to stop crying.
Adelaide pulled herself up running over to the kitchen sink, retching into it. She gasped for air, unable to steadily control her breathing. She felt dizzy. Eventually, she rested her elbows on the sideboard and placed her head on her palms. It took her a few minutes to stop herself, often crying out, but she eventually gained composure. Adelaide turned to face her dad, who was silently crying at the other end of the table.
"I'm sorry" he told her.
She shut her eyes, feeling the warm tears slip down her cheek again.
"I'm so upset" she cried out. It was all she could say.
"I know sweetheart I'm sorry, I tried" he said wrapping her tightly in his arms.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why" she paused, "are you splitting up."
"It isn't working anymore honey, we don't get along like we used to. We don't see eye to eye. But none of this is your fault ok" he replied, making sure she knew it wasn't her fault by asking again. Adelaide nodded her head. Still in her dads grip, she thought about how different it would be not all living together. Her heart felt heavy. She felt broken.
"Sweetheart, please don't tell your mother that you know, she wanted us to tell you together." Adelaide had run out of anger, she didn't have the energy to be angry at him for asking her to keep a secret.
"Don't tell your mother what!?" Said a voice angrily from the hallway.
It was Adelaide's mother.