Tradition Comes Third

Back To Traditions

Author's Note: I have had a lot of complaints that this sounds like a mushy romantic fanfic so far. Just wait and see where it goes

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 Wednesday night, Mom was out of the house before I left for school. She was giddy and excited the night before. She seemed almost like a kid on Christmas eve.

I couldn't concentrate all day. My mind kept wandering to Dad and having him home. I almost asked Adrian if I could go to his house after school, but I knew Mom would be angry at me.

My phone in my pocket was buzzing all day. It was either Adrian or Ava. They both knew about Dad, and were trying to console me all day. I barely answered any of their messages. For once, I did not want calculus to end. I had packed my backpack before coming to class, so when the bell rang, I was one of the first people out of school. I knew Adrian or Ava, or both of them, would be waiting at my locker for me.

I walked as slow as I could home. My heart was beating faster with every step I took. I fished for my key out of my pocket when I stepped up onto the porch.

The smell of dinner filled my nose when I walked in. I closed the door and I heard Mom call out my name and run to the front door. She wrapped her arms around my neck. Her grip was strong and it shocked me.

"I'm so glad you're home," she squealed.

"Um...thanks," I said. "Did Dad get out?"

"Yes, he's in the kitchen." Mom grabbed my arm and dragged me into the kitchen.

Dad was sitting at the island in the middle of the kitchen. His dark hair was cut short. His jagged scar ran across his cheek and over to his nose. He had on a pair of jeans and a white shirt. He had a glass of water sitting in front of him.

"Look how big he's gotten!" Mom said pulling me in front of her.

"I barely recognized you, Hunter," he said.

"Yeah, it's been awhile," I said. "I have some homework I really have to get to."

I turned around to walk toward my room. Mom placed her hand on my shoulder to stop me. I heard Dad push out the stool beside him.

"Have a seat," he said. "I haven't seen you in a few years. Your work can wait."

"Please, Hunter," Mom pleaded.

I looked at the stool and over at Mom. I let out a deep breath as I slipped my backpack off of my shoulders and set it on the ground. I sat down beside Dad. Mom was pulling food out of the fridge, and started cooking with her back to us.

"How have you been?" he asked.

"Good," I said. "You?"

"I'm better now," he said. "I've missed you and your mother so much. It was hard being separated from you two."

Dad looked over at Mom. She was chopping vegetables, and humming a tune to herself. Dad leaned in closer to me.

"How has your mother been?" he whispered to me.

"She's be alright." I shrugged my shoulders. "She seems to be a lot happier now."

"I'm proud of you for taking care of her."

"Thanks." I leaned down and picked my bag up off of the floor. "I should really be starting my homework."

Dad put his hand on my shoulder to keep me in my seat.

"You're staying here," he told me.

"I really should -."

"Hunter." Dad's voice was loud, and it caused my heart to pound. He curled his fingers into my shoulder and Mom looked over her shoulder at us. "Listen to me. You're staying here and talking to us for as long as I like."

"Your work can wait a night," Mom told me.

"Mom, these grades are important if I want to get into university," I told her.

"University?" Dad raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"School after high school. I'm hoping to get into California State."

"California State?" Dad's eyes grew big. "You're planning on leaving your family?"

"Most people move away for university."

Dad shook his head. Mom opened her mouth to say something, but he lifted up his finger to silence her.

"Hunter, your family comes first," he told me.

"This is my dream," I said. "You haven't been let out for more than twelve hours, and you're already trying to ruin what I want."

"You don't want your family to be protected?" Dad asked.

"Jimmy -" Mom started to say.

"Julie," he snapped. "Stop cooking right now."

Mom put down the knife and wiped her hands on the dish towel.

"Go up to our room," he said. "I'll be there in a bit."

Mom nodded her head and walked out of the room. I listened to her footsteps as she walked up the stairs.

"Hunter, in an ideal world we would have never left that farm," he told me. "But unfortunately, things happened and our family got split apart. We lost some of our family's traditions, but trust me they're coming back."

"Dad, I read Mom's book," I told him. "I know what the traditions are. I don't want to keep them."

Dad shook his head.

"Your mother wrote about what your Uncle Tommy did. He twisted our family traditions. Trust me, everything I do is to protect you and your mother."

My phone started to vibrate and I pulled it out of my pocket. Ava's name flashed across the screen.

"What is that?" Dad asked me.

"My friend is calling me," I said. This was the perfect opportunity to leave this awkward conversation. I answered the call and put it up to my ear.

"Hey, how's it going?" Ava asked.

"Um, it's alright," I said.

"If you need an excuse to leave, meet me at the cafe tonight," she said.

"Hunter, hang up the phone," Dad told me.

"Yeah, I'll see you there," I told her.

"Hang up that phone now," Dad said.

"I have to go," I told her. "I'll talk to you later."

I hung up the phone and shoved it back in my pocket.

"Who was that?" Dad asked.

"It was a friend."

"Adrian? Your mother was telling me a bit about your life."

"No." I shook my head. "This is my other friend Ava. She wants to spend time together tonight."

Dad's lips lifted into a smile.

"Bring her here after," he told me.

"What? No," I said. "I just met her. Mom doesn't even know about her yet."

"Hunter, don't keep secrets from your family," he told me.

"I don't -."

"I want you to bring this girl here so that we can meet her. Okay?"

I nodded my head. Dad drank the last bit of water in his glass and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"You can go," he said. "Have her here by six. She's having dinner with us."