tmosphere in the Vander

was in

me, not

rbilt patriarch, had apparently froze

les for some recent reckless spending s

somehow twisted

torming into the guesthouse where I was putting the last

eone, making me look bad. G

grandfather in years, Etha

gaging with h

ia

arm, his fin

eming, always tryi

my su

u think you're g

than. As per yo

ce dar

ay you leave. And n

this last opportun

ved me

back, hitti

just walk out of

ed my s

ents – a few clothes, some books, the

ar, a cruel smile p

till playing wi

ed its

sound e

t felt like another piec

om the nightstand – me and my par

n the floor, gl

al rubbish

d for a moment, I tho

es wer

his pho

anced

tta

tened, the rage mo

he said, his v

ink this

s of my suitcase one last con

unded by the wreckage of m

, but I blin

t

no time

es of the photo, my fingers tr

d the head

were broken,

anym

t I could into

share certificates and pre

d arranged picked me up from a side

away, I didn

building, surprisingly qu

r me on the steps, j

han I remembered, but his eyes,

redibl

ok my

u ready

remulous smile findi

mes. I'm

s a future Ethan Vanderb