Chapter 2, Part 3
I tried working on my homework, but my head just wasn’t in it. I went over to my bedroom window, glancing out at the driveway and yard that stretched out in front of the house. I could see the barn far off to the left and wasn’t surprised to see that the light was still burning, despite the increasingly late hour. I pulled on my robe and slippers and headed out of the house, in the direction of the house.
As I eased the barn door open and poked my head inside, I saw my dad picking some tools off the cluttered table and he turned in my direction. “I had a feeling you’d be out here sooner or later, kiddo.”
“Anything to get out of trig homework.” I said truthfully, though the subject matter wasn’t the only thing keeping me awake. “Did you know she would be coming here?” I leaned against the door of the barn, giving my father a frank look.
“I had no idea.” Dad answered with absolute truth on his face. He still looked youthful, though he was approaching fifty, with his crooked smile, short and curly hair, still light and not graying quite yet and sparkling eyes. But months of stress, both financial and children induced, were starting to take a toll on his face, the wrinkles no longer caused only by laugh lines. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do Scout.”
Nodding, I assured him, “I know.” I’d always wondered why my hair was so dark when my father’s and brother’s was so light, but it seemed that Emilia and I had gotten it from Linda. “What do you think I should do?”
Putting down the tools he had been collecting, my father shook his head and I didn’t think I’d ever seen him so completely at a loss. He always seemed to have all the answers, but now he was just as confused as I was, because I was the only one who could make a decision this time. “This whole situation is just insane.” Dad admitted and I couldn’t agree more. “I can’t believe that your mother would even come up with this sort of half-brained, half-baked idea.”
“But at the same time…” I trailed off, wondering if my dad was on the same page as that little voice inside my head was.
“It could work.” Dad finished and I knew that, just like me, there had been a part of him that had been wondering what it would be like if I actually went out to Los Angeles and tried to impersonate my twin sister. I must have frowned, however slightly, because my father quickly added, “But only if you want to. Emilia and Linda got themselves into this mess, they can get themselves out, or not, without your help.”
I nodded, because I knew that he was right. If I decided to leave Emilia high and dry to ruin her career, she’d only have herself to blame. “What would you do?” I couldn’t help but ask.
Again, Dad didn’t seem to have a clear cut answer. “I don’t know kiddo. I guess I’d just have to decide what was best for me.” He replied. He took me into his arms and hugged me tightly, what was usually a comforting gesture but this time only soothed half my worry. “Whatever you decide to do, I’ll be behind you, kiddo.” Not that I ever doubted that for a second, but it was nice to hear.