Two Steps Forward

The trees lining the sidewalk sway from the Saturday morning breeze, the sun gleams like a shiny coin in the sky. Today nature is a wicked accomplice to this beautiful day that I've been dreading. I have no idea what fantasy land I was living in last night, but today my heart is beating in the exact opposite direction from whatever I was feeling. Seeing Curry Meyers is literally the last of the last thing I want to do.

My dad, Milly, mom, and I are gathered on the sidewalk in front of the gated apartment complex. Milly's waiting for her dad or grandma to pick her up and my mom's dropping off Murphy for my dad to take care of and of course, picking me up.

"Your hair," mom repeats for the fifth time. Dad prepares to play defense on my behalf, and I prepare to call 911 for the heart attack she's about to have over my new hairstyle.

"It'll only last a few months," Milly is the first to bat.

My mom runs a slow hand through my hair and surprisingly smiles, "It'll take some getting used to but it's very cute. Milly, you did a great job."

"Thanks," Milly gives a satisfied smile while dad and I are stunned, wondering when hell must've frozen over.

"We have to go now, we're already running behind," mom cuts to the point. She quickly hands dad Murphy's leash and a care bag along with a plain white envelope.

Dad accepts it all but looks at the envelope as if there's a spider inside," What's this?"

"For Murphy. For the trouble."

"Trouble? What trouble? What are—Murphy's family, aren't you boy?" My dad stoops to scratch his ears. "And I missed him. Yes, I did. Missed you a whole lot, ya old fart."

Murphy licks my dad excitedly, as if his skin is a giant dog popsicle, reveling in ear scratches and butt pats.

"Jeff, please. I insist." Gross. I hate when mom gets all polite and proper like this. As if dad's just a stranger she's forced to make a transaction with like a bank teller.

"C'mon Haze, you know me better than that," he squints up at her, sun in his eyes.

Mom begins to protest but I snatch the envelope up, "Fine, I'll take it. Deal? Can we just go now?" Not that I want to go but seeing my parents interact like awkward strangers is one of the most infuriating things in the world.

A horn honks, stealing our attention and a black SUV with shiny rims pulls up—Milly's dad.

"Well, I gotta run. Thanks for having me Mr. S," she gives my dad a hug and then my mom, "And drive safe."

Finally she stops at me and squeezes me like a mama bear, "And I'll miss you most of all my little scarecrow," she quotes one of her favorite movies.

She steps back and rests her hand on my shoulder, "I hope you have an amazing time Carls, really. I promise everything is going to work out that way it's supposed to, okay? Keep me updated? Hopefully the resort has a computer or something you can use to keep in touch."

"Hopefully. If not I'll borrow my mom's cell or something."

"Alright, you got this. Gosh, I'm gonna miss you so much. Now I'll have to figure out how I'm gonna spend the break without you."

I clutch my heart and recite dramatically, "Oh! What ever will you do?" Milly has friends other than me. She's stayed in contact with them from her early days in middle school, although they go to a different high school now. Whenever we're not together she's usually with them, and when she's not with them she's always with me. Still, I'm gonna miss my bestie. I don't know how I'm going to survive the summer alone with Curry and his dad. Winter can't come soon enough.