“Hey kids,” Dad said, his voice unusually subdued. “We have some news.”
“Yeah?” I asked, already sensing something was amiss.
“Well, because of things… you know what? Zianna, we’ll save this for another time. You kiddos should head up to bed.” Dad’s tone was clipped, his gaze averted. He seemed determined to shut down further inquiry.
We all nodded, a strange unease settling over me as we ascended the stairs. I sat on my bed, still replaying the warmth of our family game night. Vylad entered his room, collapsing onto his bed with a frown. The smile I’d worn moments ago felt brittle now, replaced by a creeping anxiety. I was certain Vylad shared my concern.
I walked over and settled on the edge of his bed. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m just worried about what Dad had to tell us…” Vylad confessed, his voice laced with apprehension.
That made sense. “Oh, I’m sure it’s not that bad.” I offered, trying to sound reassuring.
“But how do you know?” He challenged, his eyes searching mine.
“I just do.” I shrugged, forcing a smile. “Besides, we’ll always have each other to get through it, right?”
“Right.” He echoed, a flicker of his usual optimism returning.
“Okay, I’m going back to my bed now.” I hugged him tightly, then quickly returned to my own. “Good night.”
“Good night!” he replied.
------
“Y/N! Get up!” Vylad shouted, shaking me awake for the fourth time.
“I’M GETTING UP!” I groaned, throwing off the covers.
Barely on my feet, he grabbed my wrist and dragged me downstairs. “Jeez, what’s going on?”
“DAD’S TELLING US THE NEWS!” Vylad screamed in my ear, his grip tight.
“OH!” I ran downstairs independently, Vylad trailing behind. My heart pounded in my chest. Would the news be good, or bad? Maybe it was something mundane, like a change in insurance. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. It would be okay. It had to be.
“Okay kids, now for the news.” Dad said, his expression unreadable. It wasn’t sadness, exactly. Just… different. A strange detachment hung in the air.
I glanced at Mom. Her face was etched with devastation. I’d never seen her like this. It wasn’t a quiet sorrow, but a raw, exposed grief. It was definitely not good news. I sighed, bracing myself. I remembered my promise to Vylad last night. It couldn’t be that bad. Even if it was, we’d lean on each other.
“You mother and I…”
“You…?” Garroth echoed, his voice barely a whisper.
“Are getting…” Dad continued, his voice cracking.
“PUPPY?!” Vylad blurted out, his eyes wide with childish excitement.
“Vylad!” I snapped, my voice sharp with stress. “Stop being ridiculous and listen to what Dad has to say. It’s obviously important.”
“Sorry, Y/N. I’m just trying to be optimistic. Lighten the mood, you know. Lighten the blow, loosen the reigns…” He rambled, his usual energy misdirected.
“Shush!” I groaned, rolling my eyes.
Dad shook his head, a flicker of pain crossing his face. “Your mother and I are getting a divorce.”
The words hung in the air, refusing to sink in. A divorce? No. It had to be a joke. My parents couldn’t be getting a divorce. They loved each other. Sure, our family was messy, but weren’t all families?
“We’re sorry we had to break this to you before school, but the divorce is final as of tomorrow.” Mom added, her voice hollow.
“Why didn’t you tell us before?” I asked, my voice trembling.
They sighed in unison. “We couldn’t bring ourselves to do it…” Dad said, his voice barely audible.
“But you can do it right before we have to go to school? Why can’t you guys just work it out?” I questioned, frustration bubbling up.
“It’s for the best. Our family will be happier if we’re not together.” Mom insisted, her eyes fixed on some distant point.
Vylad blurted out a question, shockingly insensitive. “Did you two even love each other in the first place?”
I gasped, along with our brothers. “Vylad!”
“Of course we did, Vylad. Sometimes two people love each other and things just don’t work out.” Mom answered, her voice calm despite the chaos. She always had a way of answering the questions no one else would.
Silence descended.
“I’ll take you guys to school today.” Dad said, handing us each a donut, his expression grim. The sweetness tasted like ash in my mouth.