“Nichole. The bus is here.”

“Cool.”

“Are you going to come?”

“No. I’m waiting for Dad.”

“Nichole…don’t do this.”

“Dad always drives us to school. He’s going to come. You just have to be patient.”

“Nichole…Dad’s not coming.”

“He takes us to school and sometimes picks up Krispy Kremes on the way there, so we can have them at school. Mom hates Krispy Kremes. She says they’re fattening and greasy, but Dad says they’re good in moderation.”

“Nichole, come on, we’re going on the bus.”

“Sammie, let go of me...Dad’s coming. I know he is. Ow!Sam, let go! Sam…don’t worry, Dad’s gonna be here.”

“Nichole, if you don’t come on the bus, I’m going to just leave you here. Mom left for work already so you won’t be able to get to school.”

“You can take the bus if you want. I’m going to wait for Dad.”

“Nichole! Stop it! Dad’s not coming! You got it? He’s not coming! He’s gone! He left!”

“I’m going to get a chocolate doughnut. I usually get vanilla, but I’m starting to like chocolate again.”

“Nichole, the bus is leaving…Jessica can’t hold the door forever. We have to get on.”

“Do you remember why I don’t like chocolate?”

“Nichole! Why are you ignoring me?”

“Because when Dad took us to get one, I ordered chocolate and I got sick later. It was gross. I threw up in gym and everyone laughed at me. I didn’t eat doughnuts for a week. But then I just ordered vanilla.”

“Nichole, the bus is pulling away! Come. On. Now.”

“Oh! There he is! There’s Dad!”

“Nichole that’s not Dad! That’s just his car! See? It’s gone! Now let’s go-Oh my god! Are you serious?!? It’s gone! THANKS A LOT NICHOLE!! It’s gone! Now how are we going to get to school?!?”

“Don’t yell at me. Yell at Dad. He’s the one that’s late.”

“Well, I’m yellin’ at you because it’s YOUR fault! You’re the one that decided to be a spoiled brat and wait for someone that’s not coming! School is a half hour drive from here and I don’t even want to have to do the math on how long it will take us to walk! Oh, great! It’s snowing! Snow! Nichole! Look! This is your entire fault! What’s your problem?! Why can’t you just be like everyone else and do what your sister tells you?!?!?”

“Dad’s coming. I know he is.”

“Nichole. Please stop saying that! Dad won’t come! Are you stupid!? Do you have short term memory loss because I’ll say it again! DAD’S NOT COMING! DAD LEFT! HE LEFT YESTERDAY! HE ISN’T COMING BACK! HE LEFT BECAUSE HE HATES US! GOT IT? HE HATES US! HE HATES YOU AND ME AND MOM AND NEVER WANTS TO TALK TO US AGAIN!”

“Dad loves us. Dad wo…Dad nev…”

“Don’t! Nichole, don’t start crying. Come on. Stop it. Nichole please stop crying.”

“I…th-thought he was coming. I thought Dad loved us.”

“Nichole I’m sorry. I am. Dad loves us. He’s just…Dad’s not…Dad and Mom are mad at each other. Not at us.”

“But why? Why don’t they love each other? Other people’s parents love each other…why can’t ours?”

“Because…some families are different.”

“But I liked the way our family was. I don’t want our family to be different. I want us to be normal.”

“I don’t think any family is normal.”

“Well…I want ours to be as close as possible to normal.”

“I don’t think it will be.”

“I know…”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to call Jessica’s mom. She can take us to school. We won’t be that late if we leave now.”

“Oh.”

“Aren’t you coming Sammie?”

“Um…”

“Sammie?”

“I think I want to wait. For Dad.”

“But I thought you said Dad wasn’t coming.”

“I feel like waiting. And I want some doughnuts.”

“o.k.”

“Nichole?”

“Yeah?”

“Will you wait with me?”

“Yeah.”