2020 WATTYS WINNER in NEW ADULT!
Oliver Ausman has been given a second chance at life, but it's hard to feel grateful when he was the one trying to end it in the first place.
Returning to his normal life after being released from the hospital is har...
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The three of us go back to the hotel, where I head to mine and Charlie's room to make the phone call. After getting Mom's voicemail three times in a row, my phone rings. The word "Dad" stares back at me from the screen, mocking me silently.
It's easy to be mad at Mom since we already didn't get along before all this. With Peter, it's a little more complicated. We never really argue, but I wouldn't describe us as close, either. Things between us have always been sort of lukewarm.
When it comes to being upset with them for not telling me about Isaac, I'm not as angry with Peter since I have a hunch that keeping it a secret was Mom's idea. When it comes to their relationship, he pretty much goes along with whatever she wants, even if it's obvious he doesn't agree. Still, he's just as responsible, and I'm not over it by any means.
If I have any hope of getting permission to continue the trip with Charlie, I'm going to need to be mature and reasonable. Maybe it's for the best that Mom didn't answer-- getting in a shouting match with her wouldn't help my cause.
I take a deep breath. I have to handle this just right unless I want to start the drive home in a few minutes. I click the green phone icon, answering the call. "Hello?"
"Oliver-- is everything alright?" Peter asks, voice teetering on the edge of panic.
I should've known me calling would make them assume something was wrong. "Everything's fine, don't worry, it's nothing like that."
I can hear him sigh in relief.
"I called because... the trip is going to be a little longer. It turns out Isaac isn't in New York anymore. He's in Minnesota." I leave out the part where I'm not entirely sure he's in Minnesota anymore, either.
"Minnesota?"
"I know it's far," I say, trying to sound more rational than I feel, "and I know I did a stupid thing by leaving like that, and taking Charlie and the Firebird, but... I'm just asking you to put yourself in my position."
"Oliver... I think you should come home. Come home, we'll talk, and maybe we can set something up for you to meet Isaac."
It's a nicer response than I was expecting. He's not yelling, which is a good sign. I thought he and Mom would take turns shouting at me through the receiver, so his lack of anger makes it a little easier for me to breathe. Still, his offer isn't good enough.
"I can't accept a maybe. If I come home, it'll just be to drop off Charlie and return the car. I'll leave for Minnesota right after. I understand if you guys don't agree with it, but... I have to meet my father."
He doesn't reply, so I keep rambling, wondering if there's any chance I can convince him this isn't as crazy as it sounds. "I know you probably think I'm doing this as revenge, which I'll be honest, maybe part of it was at first. But I'm a lot less angry now than I was when I left, and it isn't about that anymore. I just want to meet him."
