Hope On The Rocks/Issue 37

This is Issue 37 of Hope On The Rocks, entitled "More to Come".

This issue is Lia-centric.

317, More to Come
My father has been very protective since my mother died. He hasn’t been the same since then. I now it’s a lot to ask from your father when you’re only 17, but I want to move into my own house with Miles. I really like him, and I want to live with him. Right now I live with my father, and that’s fine. But I’d prefer living with my boyfriend. It’s almost time for dinner, and my father and I are preparing it today. Gullash soup, with meat that we got from the marketplace. “Dad?” I say, cutting the meat in small pieces. “Mhm?” He mutters, slowly preparing a salad. “You know we talked about me getting a room with Miles?” I say, nervously. I know he wont approve it right away, but I hope I can talk him into it. “Mhm.” “So... I was thinking. What if Miles and I got our own house?” I say, looking at him. As I see he stops making salad, I look down again. “Lia...” He says, calmly. I know he isn’t calm, he just don’t want to yell at me. “Just the house next to this. It wouldn’t be a problem. I already talked to William...” I say, but don’t get to finish, before my father walks out of the kitchen, headed to our room. “No.” He just says, walking away. I sigh, and continue cutting the meat in pieces. I don’t know what’s wrong with my dad. He has been acting like that everytime I’ve talked about moving. My theory is that he is afraid of losing me, like he lost mom. But I don’t know. We never talk about mom anymore. We used to. “I remember when I were your age.” A woman’s voice says from behind me. I turn around to see Esther walking towards me. “I asked my father if he could pay for a trip to LA with my boyfriend.” I stop cutting the meat, and look at Esther as she talks. She walks towards the salad that dad was making, and begins to take over. “He said my boyfriend could pay if we were going anywhere, because I shouldn’t use my money on that.” Esther continued. “So...” I say. “are you saying I should move in with Miles anyway?” Esther shakes her head with a friendly smile. “No, of course not. Your dad is going through a tough time. He needs you.” I nod. I do understand, but really, I’d rather live with Miles. “How are you?” I ask, changing subject. Esther is pregnant, and I am really excited for her. Though, this world isn’t perfect for a baby, it’d still be really nice to have a little baby to look after. That’d give me a feel of me helping out. “I’m okay. A bit morning sickness the other day.” Esther says. I think she is partially excited, partially scared. I understand. We don’t know what the virus does to babies. “I’m really excited for you.” I say, smiling, dropping the meat into a bowl. “Thank you.” Esther just says. She opens her mouth to speak, but is interrupted. “Hello?!” A voice calls from outside. I look at Esther, and then heads for the door to see who it is. Outside is Odin standing, oil on his hands and beard. He has a big smile on his face, as oil drips on his jumpsuit. “Lia. Could ya help me here?” Odin asks. He probably refers to the box of spare parts for the windmill. One of the workers is standing by a car, leaning against it, smoking a cigarette. “Sure.” I say, looking at the box. It’s pretty big. One person wouldn’t be able to take it alone, probably why he needs my help. The box had been outside our door for almost a week now. About time it got moved. Odin takes one end of the box, and I take the other. It’s very heavy. “Why can’t he help you?” I ask, nodding in direction of the smoking man. “That’s Gord. He’s not helping anyone. Just set it here.” Odin says, and we set down the box. Odin takes up a pair of keys and throws them to the smoking man, Gord. “Gord, open the back!” “Screw you, Oldham.” Gord says, but catches the keys anyway, opening the door. We put the box in the back, I give Odin a hug and he drives off with Gord. I wave until the car is all gone.