What Remains (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 40

1 year ago

Minneapolis, Minnesota

"I'm home!" Carter called out as he closed the door behind him. He dropped his school bag to the ground and stretched his arms a little. The final day of school had finally come to an end, and this marked the start of summer vacation once again. He was going to be a senior when summer would end, and he was both excited and a little scared.

"Mom? Dad?" Usually, his mother would've greeted him back but there was no word in response now.

They could have gone out, he wondered. He had gone to get some ice cream with his friends after school, so he was later than usual, but it hadn't been much longer than an hour or two. The sun was still high up in the air, with no sign of going under just yet.

Carter thought he heard something coming from the kitchen and walked down the hall.

Upon entering the kitchen, he saw his parents talking to each other at the table. Whatever they were discussing seemed rather serious.

When Carter walked in, his parents looked up and they both fell silent.

"Hey," he said, a little confused at their expressions. "I'm home. School's finally over." he leaned on the table a bit with his hands. "What's going on?"

"Welcome home, sweetheart," his mother said before she exchanged a quick glance with her husband. "There... is something we need to discuss with you."

Carter's eyebrows a bit and he looked at his father, hoping he'd provide with some sort of explanation. "Alright, what is it?" he asked. "This seems rather serious." He took a seat at the table, across his parents.

"Carter, you see, each year on the last day at the office, the company announces the changes made which will become official after summer. This often includes the switching of offices for a few of the employees," Mr. Raymore said. "Just like me, five years ago, which was the reason why we moved here."

Carter nodded his head slowly, still not understanding what his parents were on about.

"You see, I am one of those employees. Again," his father continued, making eye contact with his son. "In other words, I'll be transfered to another office again."

As his father finished talking, Carter began to realize what this meant.

They most likely had to move again.

A strange feeling started to bubble up in his stomach again, the exact same feeling he felt when his father told him they had to move for the first time.

"...Where will your new office be?" he asked slowly, carefully looking up at his father.

Mr. Raymore gave a brief glance at his wife before turning back to Carter again. His hands were folded as they laid on the wood of the table.

"Hayland," he said.

Carter's eyes grew a little wider as his father told him the location. "Hayland?" he repeated after him. "Does that mean we're moving back? To Port Hayland?"

"That's what your mother and I have been discussing just now, actually. We were looking for available houses and it turns out... our old house has been put up for sale again since May. We're still looking at other options as well, but there is a big chance that we'll be moving back into our old house in Port Hayland."

Carter was lost for words for a moment. His eyes lowered to his father's hands as he let what he had just heard sink in. This meant that he'd be with his friends there again. His old town, his old house, his old friends.