Accepting Change

one

Keegan Barnnet's POV
12-25-11
Middleton, CO (Two hours from Denver)

Another Christmas without Mom. It's been three years and I still haven't gotten my wish. Every day I hoped she would walk back through that front door. But she won't. Sometimes if I try really hard, I can still smell her scent, Marlboro cigarettes and Vanilla. But I should just get on with my life. It's not worth ruining Christmas morning.

As far as presents go, Grandma got me three pairs of socks, a pack of cards, some new underwear, and some jolly ranchers. But I was very surprised when my Grandfather walked in with a box and handed it to me. "Sorry, I didn't wrap it. I hope you will be able to use it for this upcoming squirrel season." I opened it and it was a small but sleek, buckmaster pocket-knife. " Wow!!! Thank you so much pops!!! " " Of course son. "

I told them both thank you and we started to eat our runt turkey, the only thing that we could afford. We actually had a turkey this year which is a step up than usual which was a bowl of mashed potatoes, pot greens, yeast rolls, and occasionally stewed carrots.

I know what your thinking, this doesn't sound much like a celebration or a feast, but it was enough to satisfy us. Ever since the incident, money has been pretty tight. I was still grateful for everything I had and I thanked the Lord everyday for the small blessings I received.

After dinner I volunteered to go into town and grab the mail when my Pops reminded me the outpost is closed for Christmas. I was grateful of that, because I didn't particularly like trudging through -2° weather for twenty minutes through the snow. We live in the Rocky Mountains in a little town called Middleton. There weren't many people around but everybody relied and worked together to strive in this little town. We had to.

I was out of school for two weeks. Which I was grateful for. I hated my school, and all the people in it. Seventh grade kids were mean, and I was often bullied for being to short or my scrawny body. I had one friend, William, but his dad was in the military and five months after he got settled in, his father was stationed in Sacramento, CA. Since then everyday I wake up every morning, get dressed, go to school, learn what little I can understand, get bullied, eat my "lunch" (an apple), go home, do homestead chores, shower, go to sleep, and then get up and do it all over again the next d-... "KEEGAN!!!,"

Oh no. What happened this time.

I walked passed my Grandpa who was mouthing something to my grandma that I didn't quite comprehend. They were fighting.

"Nevermind honey go back to your room, we'll discuss this later."

I waited till they slammed their door and I started to eavesdrop.

M: " But Danny, it's Christmas "

D: "Every kid deserves to know their father"

M: " He's not ready for that. "

D: "How do you know? "

M: "You know how Kim felt about him meeting his father. "

D:" Well, Kim's not here is she? "

Silence

D: " I'm not going to discuss this with you right now Maggie"

M: "Fine, but there's just so much he doesn't know "

D: " Yet.... "

M: " No. He'll be so angry with us. He won't understand. "

D: " The longer we wait Maggie, the more angry he'll be, just remember that..... "

M: " Ok, but we're finishing this later.... "

I got up from sitting by their door, and bolted to my room. My heart was racing. They mentioned my father.

It was a subject nobody ever mentioned and when I brought it up, everyone changed the subject. I knew his name was Nathan and he was from somewhere around Louisiana, but I had never met him. Nor did I ever imagine meeting him. I don't understand what he did to not be in my life, but I like to think my family is pretty understanding, therefore whatever he did, he must of really screwed up.

Foot steps down the hall interrupted my thoughts.**knock-knock** "Hey I'm going to town to run a couple of errands, you'll probably be asleep by the time I'm back." " Ok, be safe the roads are slick. ". "Ok I will." I hugged my Grandma , and she drove out of the driveway.

If I had known that would be the last time I spoke to my grandma, I would have said something more meaningful.

Cast:
Asher Angel as Keegan
Dennis Quaid as Danny
Renne Dwyer as Maggie

Hey guys so first chapter, I didn't really want to get you to far into it but I knew I wanted the first chapter to go out with a bang. Anyhow, so let me know what you think and I'll update soon. Thx!!!

- GracieG04