Encouraging Art

Chapter 1

"Oh, oh, oh! You don't know, know, know what my God can do!" I was singing along to "What My God Can Do" while writing the lyrics down. I heard someone call my name. I pulled my headphones off of my ears and heard someone call my name again. It was dad. I ran downstairs to meet my dad. When I saw him, I walked up to him and hugged him, but not tight at all.
Dad and mom had a divorce, so I hardly ever saw dad. He was living in a whole different city that was hours away. However, when dad visited, he tried to spend time with his kids who didn't feel the same about him anymore. I was turning fourteen in three days, and dad said he would be home on my birthday or days before. Dad was three days before, and he probably came late because of the divorce.
"When you said you'd be home days before my birthday, I thought you meant at least a week." I said.
"I did mean two weeks, but I had to work. I asked for at least a week off but didn't get it. I'm sorry, Jennifer." dad replied.
"Would've been better if you didn't come at all." I mumbled. Right then the rest of the family came in the door. I had been home alone. Mom said I was getting old enough, plus Joe and his mom were right next door, and Mrs. Kendall's boyfriend was there too. Joshua ran into dad's arms when he saw him. Josh was close with dad until he moved away, so Joshua probably missed dad the most of all of us. Art saw dad but just stood in the doorway and looked at him.
"Art, how are you, son?" said dad.
"Why did you leave us? Why didn't you care about us?" was all Art said. Dad didn't reply.
"Every time you come you argue with mom, the parent who cared enough to stay with us. You broke this whole family apart." Art said, sounding upset.
"Art, you know I love you. I couldn't stay, and you know that too." replied dad.
"No, dad. I love you too, but you left mom, and your children. Why couldn't you stay? We needed a dad." said Art. Dad and Art stood there, speechless. They looked at each other for a minute, then Art finally broke the silence.
"Just forget it. Forget everything." Art went upstairs to his room, where he was probably listening to music and laying on his bed being all depressed.
Art was no longer a Christian, and I found that very sad. Art was the one who taught me about Jesus when I was small. Dad and mom did too, but Art taught me when everyone else was busy. Life had been hard lately, for all the Robbins'.