That School Day

• Rahni Somers, Grade 5T
• Short Story
• 2017

I woke up fresh ready for school. I got dressed then went to the kitchen to have breakfast.”Hey kids! I am going to the gym and will come to pick you up at about 8:45,” explained my dad. Great! Extra time to go on my ipad. At 8:40 I got off the couch to wait outside. Twenty minutes later, my dad still hadn’t come. I waited a bit longer but at 9:25 my sisters and I had no choice but to walk to school. I was already 25 minutes late! My stomach felt like it was full of butterflies. Where was he?
My day at school was pretty normal but, I was so anxious to know whether or not he came home. He most probably did I thought undoubtedly.
I expected to see my dad’s car in front of the school. Instead, my grandma picked us up that day. Maybe my dad was busy, I thought. I jumped out of the car and sprinted to the front door. When my mum opened the door I asked, “Has dad come home?”
”no.” she replied in a fainted voice. I felt like throwing up. Did he decide to ditch us? He wouldn’t have, would he?
At dinner, my mum tried to reassure us with a weak smile, “everything would be fine, he probably had an urgent meeting.” A meeting that long? Yeah, right. I didn’t argue. I thought my dad being missing was already enough trouble itself. This was too hard for a kid my age. I was just 9 years old! My grandma hastened to comfort us saying that she would sleep over at our house until my dad comes home. That sounded like a great idea.
The next day my mum let us skip school, she said that it would be better to sleep in and relax. But, in bed I kept tossing and turning. My mind wouldn’t go to rest. Has dad had another accident? My heart was pounding with fear.
Confused and worried, “Why?” I wondered, it’s evening and still my dad hasn’t come back yet. Impatiently I decided to check outside again. I saw someone, my father? I skidded out of the house to the driveway and ran up to him,”Where were you dad?” I yelled. To my disappointment, it was a police officer.
”Sorry mate,” he murmured,” can I speak to your mother?” he added. My heart skipped a beat. The last thing I saw was the lonely cherry tree across the road of my house.
The sun rays shining through the window woke me up in the morning to find my little sister sitting on the edge of my bed staring at me.”Good morning sweetheart,” my mother greeted me with a smile, “you will keep me company today and tomorrow, it will be better”.
I was playing on my Ipad waiting to be taken to school, when I thought I heard my dad’s voice interrupt me, “I told you to be ready guys, hurry up!” oh…It was my mum.