I arrived home, still preoccupied with what Jake had said. Was it like a date or something else? Why did he want to meet up with me tomorrow night? Lost in these thoughts, I turned the doorknob. My mom was already home, as usual, spending most of her time working at home and picking up Gavin from school.
"Hey, I'm home," I greeted her.
"Welcome, honey," she responded without looking up, her gaze fixed on her laptop screen while she chatted on her phone.
Deciding to head upstairs, I felt a hand wrap around my back. "Dad!" I exclaimed excitedly and turned to hug him properly. "You're home early," I said. It was a rare sight to see my dad coming home early; most of the time, he returned late at night, and I only caught glimpses of him in the morning. I understood he had to work hard to provide for us.
He gently patted my hair, brushing it to the side, and sighed, saying, "I finally got out of work early, and you'll be seeing more of me now." I didn't fully grasp what he meant, but I was just happy to spend time with him today.
"Why don't we go out as a family? It's been a while since we've done that," he suggested, glancing toward my mom, who was still on the phone in the living room. She signaled that she was busy, and he muttered, "Okay," turning back to me. "Go get dressed, and we'll eat out today."
Since it was Friday, the idea sounded even better. We could stay up late and not worry about getting up early for school. "Okay," I smiled, turning away and running up the stairs. "Gavin!" I yelled my younger brother's name, hoping he could hear me from wherever he was. "Go get dressed! Now!" The sound of my heavy footsteps echoed on the stairs as I slammed my bedroom door with a loud bang.
I tossed my school bag on the bed and checked my phone for any new messages, specifically from Matilda. Finding none, I gently placed my phone on the bedside table before entering the bathroom.
It was an hour's drive to the fair, the sun slowly setting. We decided to have some fun first before dinner and were in luck as there was a new fair opening close to the restaurant we planned to visit.
"Let's start with the ferris wheel," Gavin said in excitement, attempting to drag Dad towards the ride, but Dad stopped and held back.
"You're still too young for that ride," I said, intervening on Dad's behalf.
"But I'm taller now," Gavin complained, crossing his arms.
"Yes, but you're still too young. How about you play on that little merry-go-round over there?" I pointed to a toddler-friendly ride nearby.
Gavin turned to me, glaring. "I'm too old for that," he protested. Then, turning to Mom, he called, "Mom, tell Dad to let me ride the ferris wheel." He knew Mom would often give in to his demands, but this time he didn't have much luck.
"I'm sorry, sweetie, but I think your dad and sister are right on that one," Mom said, trying not to hurt his feelings. Gavin started to sniffle, like he was about to burst into tears. "But..." she continued, trying to find a solution. I knew she couldn't stand seeing Gavin cry, especially in public. "There are other rides that are just as fun," she said, hoping it would divert his attention. Thankfully, that was enough to calm him down. He smiled warmly at Mom and then shot me an intense glare.
I tried to hold back my laughter; he was trying to act tough, but he was just too cute. Besides, what kind of sibling would I be if I didn't tease him once in a while?
We eventually rode a couple of other rides that evening. This family outing was a rare experience for us, so I made sure to savor every moment. We played several games, and I won more stuffed prizes than I needed. I gave Gavin a Spider-Man stuffed toy, and the rest I decided to donate to kids in the orphanage. Inspired by my mom's acts of giving, even though we didn't have much, I had been contributing to charity whenever possible.
In the past, when Mom gave away my old toys and clothes, I used to see it as a punishment. However, as I grew older, I realized how fortunate I was to even have anything to give away.
We avoided indulging in any snacks or junk food at the fair. Mom insisted we make room for real food at dinner. Dad parked the car close to the restaurant, and we all walked in together.
The restaurant wasn't too fancy, yet not too humble either—it struck the perfect balance for our budget. The place was spacious, adorned with fancy decorations and elegant lights, and there were only a few people present, making it almost deserted. We took our seats at a table with four chairs, beautifully decorated with napkins, flowers, and flickering candles, creating a pleasant ambiance.
"This looks nice," I heard Mom murmur, while Dad waved at the waiter to come over. A friendly server, Kelvin, dressed in a simple but tidy uniform with his hair styled back, approached us with a warm smile. "Good evening! Welcome to La Petite Cuisine. My name is Kelvin, and I'll be taking care of you tonight. Can I start you off with some drinks?" he asked in a welcoming tone.
Dad nodded, "Water for all of us, please, and maybe a lemonade for the kids."
As Kelvin brought the drinks, Mom picked up the menu, her eyes gleaming with delight as she scanned the variety of options. "Are you sure we can afford this?" she asked. "These dishes seem quite expensive," she added, glancing at Dad. For some reason, Dad nervously cleared his throat and rubbed his palm against his thigh, an oddly strange gesture. I could tell that Mom also noticed it from the way she averted her gaze back to the menu without waiting for a response.
Gavin, holding his menu curiously, searched the list of appetizers and pointed to the Ahi Tuna Tartare. "Can we try this, Mom? It sounds interesting!"
Mom smiled, "Sure, honey. We'll give it a try." Turning to the rest of us, she asked, "What about the rest of you?"
Dad chuckled, "I think I'll go for the Lobster Bisque."
"I'll have that too," I responded quickly.
With the appetizer orders placed, Kelvin returned to jot down our choices for the main course. Mom settled on the Wild Mushroom Risotto, while Dad chose the Pan-Seared Sea Bass. My eyes sparkled as I confidently ordered the Filet Mignon, feeling quite grown-up, and also because it was less expensive. Gavin, with a beaming smile, opted for Chicken Tenders, his all-time favorite.
As we eagerly waited for our food, Dad asked, "So, how was your day?" The question was directed at me.
"School was okay, nothing exciting, just the usual," I replied, hoping that would be the
end of the conversation. My hands tapped on the table, breaking the awkward silence.
"That's great, I guess," Dad responded. Then he turned to Gavin, asking, "What about you, champ? Anything fun?"
Gavin shook his head, indicating there was nothing special to share.
The atmosphere became tense and awkward due to Dad spending more time traveling for long business trips, coming home late, and us rarely getting a chance to see him, especially for Gavin.
A few minutes later, Kelvin, the waiter, together with two others, returned holding plates of our food, gently placing them on the table. Laughter filled the air, and the tense ambiance transformed into a livelier one.
For dessert, I chose the Tiramisu, something I had been wanting to try for a long time. At first, I hesitated due to the price, but I reminded myself that this was a once-in-a-long-time experience. Gavin went for the molten chocolate lava cake.
With dessert plates cleared, it was time to head back home. Dad waved at Kelvin, who was busy with other guests, and we waited for our waiter to bring the bill.
"I have to use the restroom," Gavin declared, his fist clenched on the table.
"Could you please take him?" Mom asked, her voice pleading.
"Sure," I replied with a shrug, grabbing my purse and placing my phone inside it. "Let's go," I gestured at Gavin, and he hurriedly walked beside me. Holding his hand, my left hand clutched my purse, and we made our way to the hallway, stopping at the entrance to the two restroom doors—the one on the right for males and the other for females.
"Go on in," I encouraged him. Hesitant, he stopped and turned to me. "I'll be right here, okay?" I reassured him. He then went into the restroom while I stood outside, waiting patiently.
My feet tapped on the tiled floor, and I gazed up at the ceiling when my phone buzzed. Shifting my attention to my purse, I unzipped it and took out my phone, unlocking the screen. It was a message from Jake.
"Tomorrow, 7 pm," his message read. I had completely forgotten about the plans he had made for tomorrow. Now, the thought of it was stuck in my head.
I sighed in frustration. Just then, the door to the male restroom opened, and Gavin walked out, his zipper undone.
A smile appeared on my lips as I helped him fix his zipper. Holding his hand, we walked back to meet our parents. However, as I approached them, I noticed Mom and Dad were engaged in a hushed conversation. They were too far, and I couldn't understand what they were saying, but it seemed like they were having an argument. When Mom saw me, she quickly signaled Dad to keep quiet.
I found this a bit strange, but I decided to brush it aside for now.