Australia - 1

Instructions

-Lauren Milter- "You're going to Australia to live with your father." My mother told me. Australia? "What? Wait, what?" I asked. "You, Lauren Joyce Milter, are going to Australia to live with your father." She repeated. "With dad?" I can't quite wrap my head around this. I've met my dad three times in my life. Once when I was born, when I turned six, and the most recent one was when I turned fifteen two weeks ago. I barely know the guy, and now I'm going to live with him? "Yes Lauren, with your father. You leave tomorrow, please go pack." "Tomorrow?? Why am I learning this now! And why do I need to go at all?" I really did not want to go. "And for how long? Will I ever see you again?" questions raced through my head. What if I never move back to LA? "What about my friends?" My mother rubs her forehead. "Stop with the questions already. I dont have time for this. Go pack. I dont have time for you." My mom stands and walks into her bedroom. How could she walk away from this? What is going on! I run to my room and call my best friend, Sarah. "What's up, Lar?" Sarah asks as she picks up the phone. "I-I think I'm moving." I say. "MOVING? WHAT!" I pull the phone from my ear as she yells. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN MOVING? LIKE OUT OF LOS ANGELAS?" When she stops, I put the phone back at my ear. "Before you go all monster, let me explain the situation!" I breathed out. "Okay." "My mom said that I'm moving to Australia, to live with my dad. Tomorrow." "Wait, Australia, and your dad? Like Mr. Milter? And tomorrow?" I could almost hear Sarah scrunch her eyebrows. "I saw him the other week, but before that, years ago." "Why are you moving in with him all of a sudden? Wait, hold on I'm coming over to help you pack. Just wait like ten or maybe twenty minutes." Sarah hung up the phone. I'd normally tell my mom that Sarah was coming over, but tonight I dont have the energy. I dont understand what is wrong with her today, she seemed almost eager to get rid of me. I know she never truly loved me like a normal mother, but I would have thought she at least liked me. Now, I'm not so sure. -Ryder- I shoved my feet into my boots before walking out the door. I sniffed and smelled dried grass mixed with mildew and rain. Another day of hard work. I grab a rake and begin to rake at the ground. It might seem like a pointless job, I sure thought that, but Mitchel claims that it helps 'water' the plants. Like there are any plants to water in this wasteland. I continue my job, even as I hear Mitchel open the the door to come join me in this awful heat. "Ryder, I've got to head to town, need anything?" He asks. I look up. "You were in town yesterday. What're you doing?" I ask back. "Picking up my daughter. Remember what I said last week?" I rack my brain for any mention of Mitchel's daughter, but cant seem to find anything. "You sure you told me anything?" "I sure thought I did, remember when I asked you to clean out that room? Mitchel asks. This is how our conversations always seem to go, question upon question. "Yeah. Why's your daughter coming here? I thought..." I stop my sentence. Saying 'I thought she didnt like you' to a man who houses, pays, and feeds you isnt the best thing to say. "Precilla asked if she could stay for the summer. I obliged. She hasnt ever asked me to help with our daughter, no matter how much I wish to be there for her. You'll be nice to her." Mitchel leaves with a wave. He must be running late. -Lauren- As I waited for my dad to pick me up at the airport, I looked out the many windows. City, buildings, then desert. Not a lot of grass. This will certainly be an adventure. "Lauren?" I turn around and face my father. He had a beard, bigger than last I saw him, and wore a plaid tank top with jeans and a pair of boots. A cowboy hat sat on top his head. "Hi." I wave meekly at him. He smiles. "Come on. We've got a long ride." "Er, okay." I follow him out the airport and into an old pickup truck. We drive in silence most of the way but when we pass a sign saying "Milter's Cattle" he starts talking. "So, Lauren, at my house, or your house too, uh, It'll be me, you, and a farm hand, you'll meet him later. And uh, your room isnt the biggest, but I hope you like it. And you'll need to be on the lookout for critters, if you find any, whether in your boots or your bed, just yell for me or Ryder. He's the farm hand. We'll be there for ya." "Uh, okay." Farm hand? Critters? This is going to be something. "And I'll need your help with the cattle. We dont have a lot, but a third hand will surely be helpful." "Dad," He glances at me. "What's up?" "Do you know why I'm here?" I dont want to be mean, but I dont understand why after all these years, now is when he chooses to have me back in his life. Why now? Why not when I was six? "I would've thought you knew. I, uh, thought you wanted to be here." His voice wavered. "Your mom asked." I stare at him. "What?" My dad pulls up to an old house and parks.