Section 6

“You’re father’s home,” Nate’s mother said as she looked over her shoulder, the loud sound of the garage door opening grabbing her attention.  “Dinner will be in 10 minutes guys, please set the table for me.”  Kathy turned the stove off and left the room.

            “Hello, hello, hello,” Nate’s father, Jacob, greeted as he entered the room. 

“How was your flight in kiddo?  Sorry I didn’t see you last night, your flight was just too late for me.”   “It’s cool, Dad.  The flight wasn’t too awful, just late,” Nate responded to his Dad.  “Adrie, I almost didn’t recognize you,” Jacob cooed.  Adrie rose from her seat and wrapped her arms around Jacob in a hug, “How have you been Mr. Matis? It’s been quite some time; six months, I believe?”  “Yes, it has been a while, how are your parents?”  “Oh they’re doing well,” Adrie replied as she sat down at the table where Nate and Carter were laying out plates and silverware.

            “Hi honey.  Dinner is ready everyone,” Kathy said, re-entering the room.  Everyone took a seat around the dinner table.  Jacob sat at one head of the table, and Kathy at the other; Nate and Carter each took their respective seats across from one another, and Adrie sat in the seat next to Nate, perpendicular to Kathy.  “I have an announcement to make everyone,” Kathy started.  Jacob flashed a glance at her as she continued, “I just got hired as an advisor at USC-Davis.”  Carter dropped his fork, holding a piece of broccoli, onto his plate; his jaw dropped open.  It was one thing to be half way across the country from his family, but for Carter, to be all the way on the other side of the U.S. would be difficult.  “So...we’re moving,” Nathanial asked.  “Well, we’re not moving, Honey, you and carter are in school,” Kathy stated, staring down at her plate of untouched food.  Jacob took a look at both of his sons and then Kathy, “Lets not discuss this now, Sweetheart.  The boys are only home for a short time, don’t bum them out.”  Sitting there, Adrie felt extremely uncomfortable, as if something else underlying the situation was causing all the discomfort.

            The dinner table stayed pretty quiet the rest of the night.  They finished their food, moved onto dessert, and cleared the table, with no more than a couple of words exchanged the whole time.  Kathy and Jacob went upstairs and Carter, Nathanial, and Adrie went into the basement.  “What was that about,” Carter asked, with a hint of annoyance in his voice.  “That was Mom and Dad covering up something bigger.  It’s like when we were little kids and they would give us an okay present that we would be playing with, then while we were occupied they’d be wrapping the big train set,” explained Nathanial.  Adrie let out a soft sigh, “I don’t really see what the big deal is, you guys are both in school anyways, are you really planning on moving back home after graduation?”  “No but we’ve been having thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter here every year for our whole lives, imagine giving that all up for some place you barely recognize.  It’s gonna suck,” Nate offered.  Adrie accepted his explanation, “I guess I see what you mean.”