"What! Wait a sec, you're joking right?"
"Fiona, we're sorry but you've got to accept things the way they are, okay? We thought you might freak out if we had told you earlier", Susana tried coaxing her.
'Well, I'm freaking out just as you thought', Fiona wanted to scream but said instead, "okay, I'm calm now but why are we moving out in the first place? The weather's nice here and it's lively besides, I already have a bond with this neighbourhood and my friends too. There's got to be a reasonable explanation to why we're relocating".
Donald sat upright on the sofa in the living room to face Fiona, "I'd take it from here Suzie", he said as Susana nodded in affirmation. "The truth is, this site is going to be demolished then renovated. We can't risk our safety just because we love it here and even if we were to stay, others won't. Obviously we aren't the only one living here", he paused to take a breath, "so darling, please do understand".
"Now I know why. Though it still makes me sad to know we're moving", Fiona sighed deeply then continued. "How many months notice were we given?"
"Months?" her parents chorused and looked at each other confusedly.
"Sweetie, we actually don't have months", Susana was the first to speak, "we were given one more week to find ourselves a suitable place to live and we have no plans on coming back".
"A week?" 'Oh God how could this be'. "For how long have you known this?" Fiona asked unsure whether she really wanted to know. Whatever her mom was planning to say wasn't going to be pleasant.
"Two months", was the short reply.
"Sweet Jesus! And you're just telling me this now?" Fiona asked not believing her ears, "how do you expect me to bid my friends goodbye, spend my last with them or pack my stuff within a week?" she finally lost it.
"Shh", Susana cautioned placing her index finger on her pouted lips, "trust me, we won't want Ruby knowing anything about this for now. The last thing we need are her tantrums", then she softened her voice, "look hon, we're truly sorry for not thinking this through. We had no idea you might have plans before we move.
Suddenly, there was a loud clattering of glass wares followed by an ear piercing scream. The sound came from the kitchen which was just opposite the living room. They all rushed there, no doubt, knowing it couldn't be anyone else other than Ruby.
"Mummy why?" Ruby asked Susana immediately they got to the scene. She was sprawled on the like she'd slumped and her face was gradually turning red.
Without questions, Fiona already knew what happened. She knew her sister well enough to know that she must have been eavesdropping on their conversation. 'So much for keeping for keeping it a secret', she thought rolling her eyes inwardly. "Uhm, I'm going out for a while", she told them then excused herself from their midst. Her mum was right. Facing Ruby right now would only compound their problems and she definitely didn't have the patience for that.
"What is it, Ruby?" Susana asked confused crouching to embrace her.
"Why are we moving out Mummy, why?"
'Oh goodness, here we go again'
.
.
.
In the evening, Fiona lied down on her bed facing the ceiling with her arms beneath her head. 'Everything about today sucks, how.on earth am I going to cope in Kansas'.