Fire and Wisdom [Leo Valdez]

I - Caroline

Fourteen year old Caroline was heading home after a rough day at school. She hoped her father would be there already—and not working on is stupid novel. Walking into her apartment and closing the door, she saw no sign of her father. Great, Caroline thought. He's probably at that stupid printer place for more ink for that dumb book of his. Caroline walked into her bedroom and saw her white Molly fish in its fishbowl and she felt better. "Hello, Olaf," The fish just swum around, but Caroline knew he was saying hello to her. Caroline smiled and threw her messenger bag on her bed and sprinkled a little fish food into Olaf's bowl, and the fish began eating immediately. After putting the fish food back on her desk, Caroline changed into a blue tank top and denim shorts with her favorite converse. "Maybe I'll just see what's on TV. Dad may be out for a while," She told herself, and went into the kitchen and pulled out a Diet Coke and got herself a bowl of Lay's potato chips, taking them to her room and sitting on her bed. Eating her snack, she turned on her TV and found a random show and began watching. Caroline heard the door close and someone struggling, "Stupid printer guy. Not helping a customer," it was her father, Jack Thompson.

Caroline put her stuff on her desk and walked into the living room, where she saw her father struggling with a stack of books and his laptop case in hand "Dad?" She asked "Oh, Caroline! I didn't know you were home. C-could you help me with this?" Caroline grabbed a stack of books and helped her father take them into his bedroom and put them on his desk next to his typewriter. She loved her father, she really did. But sometimes, he was never there for her when she needed him. Caroline knew he loved her too, but she usually wondered if he meant it. Him being busy all the time. "Thank you, Carol. Would you like to help with some new chapter ideas?" Jack insisted, but Caroline frowned. "No, Dad. I was just hoping we could spend time together today," Jack put his stuff down and looked at his daughter, "I want that, too. But my publisher is always reminding me to keep writing." Just as he finished that sentience, his phone rang, and Caroline knew it was his publisher again. Jack sighed, and answered it, "Hello, Mindy. Yes, I'm starting right now..." Caroline sighed and went into her bedroom and flopped on the bed, crying into her pillow. "All I want is Dad to spend time with me!" She cried and her body shook as she sobbed, and she didn't realize that her dad was standing in her doorway, silently listening to his daughter. Jack sighed, and went back into his room without a word—-though on the inside he agreed with Caroline, as he wanted to be a regular father, too.