THE MUSIC BOX (chapter 2.4)

I guess it has to be really important. Something we have to discuss straight away. Shrugging to myself I walk over and sit in my seat next to dad. He detaches his eyes from the TV screen to look at me and smiles. I smile back.

“Tough day huh?” he says.

“Yeah…I guess”

“Are you sure you’re ok?”

“Ye-es dad” I say, giving ‘yes’ multiple syllables to emphasize the word. Whoa I just sounded smart didn’t I? What a first. Despite myself I start grinning.  Dad sighs happily. I guess he thinks I’m back to normal. I just randomly start laughing for no reason a lot of the time. I’m not usually the crying type of girl.

“Dinner is served” says mum gladly as she places our plates on the table, each of us getting a healthy serve of chicken and a mountain of rice. Mum was beaming.

She was probably listening in on our conversation, and was just happy that I wasn’t crying. But it wasn’t that good a thing to make her as happy as she looked. And her dad did just di…pass away. There was a lot of things unusual about that day, and it was about to get even more so.

After we had all had our full of Tandoori chicken and yellow rice, mum and dad suddenly turned serious. Mum was holding the letter that was on the table before.

“Tess, we have something very important to tell you,” mum was looking down at the pieceof paper.

“It will be hard for you but you have to understand, it’s for you mums and our own good,” continued dad. I’ll admit I was beginning to get really freaked out. What was going on?

“You mother got a new job in Australia. We’re moving out next month.”

I just sat there and gaped at them, realizing that I probably looked like a fish. Holding back a giggle I asked them exactly where the job was.

“It’s in Canberra. I know there’s no beach, but the house we’re moving into has a pool,” mum pleaded, desperately hoping i would agree. I guess the pool bit was trying to make to happier about moving. Well it did… a little. I mean, I wasn’t that upset about moving. I wanted to get as far away from my cousins as possible. I still couldn’t believe that they thought I would purposely kill my own grandfather, especially because of some stupid box!

“You have to start putting your things in boxes straight away. By the time the house is all packed up, we’ll have to go. Remember to go say goodbye to everyone and pick up your music box from Edna and Ian’s. And sweetie,” said my mum, as I got up off the chair, pretty shocked, “I know this is really short notice but I’m sure you’ll have a great time in Canberra.”

“Yeah, I know mum. Don’t worry I’ll start packing and I’ll be ready in time.”

Exhausted I clambered upstairs to my room, collapsed on my bed and fell asleep instantly.