The Move

Dear Diary,
Update on everything that's been going on since I last wrote in here.
Today was my mothers funeral. Halfway through Auntie Maya's speech, Dad cracked. Apparently he couldn't handle the antique memories Maya compelled him to remember. He shot out of the room sobbing (kind of embarrassing to be frank). I didn't permit myself to cry, I knew Mom wouldn’t have wanted me too, and plus, I think I had cried myself dry the night the accident happened. This is how it happened as far as I know:

Mom and my sister Emiko were going out of town for Emmi's  ballet recital, me and dad had to stay behind for reasons I don’t know. So anyways, Mom had called and said everything was fine. Great. The next day we got a call from the police saying they were hit by a semi, Mom was dead then and there, Emmi was in a coma. Luckily that coma was short lived, she woke up the day after thank God.

Well Dad needs me for something. XOXO
Akemi

         Akemi flew downstairs to see what her father would trouble her with this time.
         “Hun I need to talk to you.” His face blank of emotion, eyes weary under the burden of remorse. Akemi looked nervously around the room hoping to find a comforting explanation to her fathers tone; although she had an inkling of what was coming.
         “Um…can’t we talk later? I’m tired, I want to go to bed. Please dad?” She tried to emphasize the plea in her voice.
         “I’m sorry Kemi, it needs to be now, I don’t know if I can handle keeping it in ’til morning. We’re moving, and soon. I want all of your stuff packed by Wednesday and we’ll catch a plane Thursday” Chiyo spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully as he watched his daughters expression go from curiosity to shock and anger.
         “WHAT!? But…why? What about all my friends, all the memories we had here-”
         “That’s precisely why we’re moving: The memories. I can’t stand to live in this house, wander this neighborhood, or drive these streets knowing that Hanae once existed here.” Tears filled his dark eyes and he turned away.
         Kemi’s voice becoming softer as she asked “Well…where are we going?”
         Chiyo pointed to a mess of papers scattered on the dinner table with names of towns; clearly he had been planning this for ages doing research when Kemi wasn’t around. He finally gathered up the strength to inform her of his quick decision.
         Kemi found what she was looking for; a piece of paper in the middle of the mess with a big red circle around it. She picked it up and read out loud:
“Spokane Washington. Where there are endless opportunities of a lifetime.” Blinking, she chanced a glance at her father, whom had got a hold of himself and now was busy grabbing random objects from all around the room and propelled them into the mess of boxes next to the table. Her father looked up when she went silent and answered her unasked question.
         “It’s by Seattle, on the other side of the U.S. I know it’s far, but for me, the farther from this place we get, the better I’ll live.”
         “I don’t get it, you waited nearly two months to have Mother’s funeral, but now all of a sudden you want to move?” Akemi couldn’t help but be a bit skeptical at her father’s strange behavior.
         Chiyo just stood there, mouth slightly open, apparently thinking, but no thought seemed to reach his lips. Kemi stooped and picked up two of the smallest boxes, each of whom seemed to have the impression of having an abusive owner. Duct tape embraced the boxes where there were rips and tears.
         Kemi stole one last look at her father, felt pity at his pathetic state, turned toward the staircase, and climbed to her bedroom.
         END OF CHAPTER ONE