It was the summer before my senior year of college and I was more than excited to get the year started. It's not that I was a nerd that loved school, I just loved being around all my friends. See, I never invited my friends over my house ever because I lived with my grandparents.

Don't worry, this isn't some sob 'I'm an orphan' story. No, I just lived with them while my dad was away on business. He's an executive materials manager; I have no idea what that is but he has to travel a lot because of it so when he goes away for a long time my little sister, Debbie, and I live with our grandparents.

Today though was different because our dad was coming home after being away in England for six months. I was more than thrilled to get out of that house. It's no fun being a twenty year old who had to go to bed at nine o'clock every night.

"Doug, you got everything packed up?" Debbie called from her bedroom across from mine.

I zipped up my duffle bag and lifted it off the bed, dropping it next to the rest of my things. "Just about." I said, rubbing some sweat from my forehead. The summer sun beat furiously into my window making the room twenty degrees hotter than it normally should be. "You all set?" I asked, shuffling across the hall into her room.

All I could see of my little sister was her butt sticking out from beneath her bed, the tips of her feet tapping against the dusty, wooden floor. "What are you doing?"

She slid back out and look up at me, dust bunnies were clinging to her shirt and the tips of her brown hair. She held up a single red pump. "I've been looking for this all day." She stood up and dusted herself off then threw her shoe into her open suitcase on the floor.

I leaned against the doorframe, shaking my head. She was four years younger than me but she acted and dressed like she was twice her age. I watched her as she collected her clothes out of her closet; It amazed me how much she looked like our mother. She had her long brown hair, green eyes, slender frame. She even had mom's smile. I, on the other hand, inherited all of our father's traits. Sandy blonde hair, blue eyes and though I was thin like her I wasn't as toned, probably because I never worked out a day in my life if you don't count gym classes.

I stood there and watched her while she packed up her stuff, my eyes scanning the room just in case she missed anything. It was a habit of mine I picked up ever since she was six. That was when our mum died.

Drunk driver hit her car while she was coming home from work. Dad assured us after he talked to the doctor that she didn't feel anything, I guess that's somewhat comforting but the memories were to much for dad to take, I think, so he moved us all here to America to be close to her parents, my grandparents. Imagine being only ten and having to take up the role of another parent to your baby sister.

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't even hear noise of the taxi that just pulled into the driveway until Debbie screamed and ran from the room. I looked around, startled for a moment, then followed my sister down the stairs and out the front door where our dad was stepping out of the taxi.

"Daddy!" Debbie squealed, running into his outstretched arms.

He laughed and lifted her off her feet in a giant bear hug. "My little monkey. Have you been behaving yourself?" He asked, smirking at her knowingly.

She giggled. "Of course I have."

I stepped out the front door and strolled over casually, putting my arm around Debbie's shoulder. "She's been surprisingly live-with-able."

"Live-with-able?" He asked. "Is that another one of your made up words."

"I'm sure you can Google it." I smiled and threw my arms around him. "I missed you, dad."

"I missed you too." He smiled warmly. "Let's go inside. I have some things we need to talk about."

We followed him inside into the living room and sat down on the sofa. Debbie pulled out her cell phone and started texting one of her friends while I watched dad whispering something to our grandmother before he entered the room. He sat down in the sofa across from us and smiled. "How has it been here? Did finals go okay?"

We just nodded. Something was definitely up; the last time dad attempted to make small talk with us was when he told us that mom had died; he thinks it lessens the blow if we're relaxed. He looked down at his hands and sighed. "Do you guys remember how much fun we had living in England?" He asked, looking back at us once more. Again, all we did was nod. "How would you guys like to go back?"

Debbie's eyes bugged out, her phone now laying forgotten on her lap. "Are you serious?" She gasped, jumping off the couch and running over to him, crushing him in a hug. "Oh my God. We so need to go. I need to get away before school starts. Jeannie is going to be so jealous. I have to text her." She rambled on but something still didn't feel right. Dad looked too nervous.

He gently pulled Debbie back and held her at arms length, his gaze changing between her and me. "How would you two like to go back…permanently." He finished, allowed the stunned silence set in.

Now it was my turn for my eyes to bug out. Was he serious? This had to be some joke. "What's wrong with staying here?" I asked.

"The site I was ordered to design was approved and they want me to head the project." He explained. "This is a big opportunity for me, for us. This job can open up a lot door for the company."

"Then go work on it." Debbie said. "We can stay with gran for a few more months."

He sighed and pulled Debbie onto his lap. "It's not that simple, sweetheart. This job could take years to complete. I'm tired of going away and missing out on your lives. I've already missed so much. I just want my kids with me."

"I'm in." Debbie said without hesitation. "I'm going to go call Jeannie and tell her. She'll be so jealous." she gushed, hopping off his lap, grabbing her cell phone and disappearing up the stairs in a flash.

I wish the same sentiment could be said for me but I was still irritated with the situation. I folded my arms over my chest and looked away from him.

"You know, you remind me of your mother when you pout like that." He said nonchalantly, breaking our uncomfortable silence. "She always used to give me the same cold shoulder whenever we-"

"Can we please not talk about mom." I snapped. "Do you know how hard it is to be my age and not get to do the things I want to do?" I said, turning my head towards him so he could see the glare on my face. "I get that your job makes you travel a lot but your number one job is to be our father and a phone call every now and then wouldn't hurt."

He held his hands up in defense of my verbal attack. "I get that your upset with me."

"I'm far beyond upset, dad." I spat. "You can't just come home after being gone for six months and tell us that we now have to uproot our lives for your stupid job. What about Debbie? She's only just finished her freshman year of high school. Do you really want her to have to start new with no friends?"

"Debbie's never had a problem with making friends."

"What about me then?" I asked. "I'm going into my last year of college. What about all my classes? my credits?"

"I'm sure we can get them transferred to a new school-"

"I don't want a new school. I don't want new friends. I don't want a new life. I'm quite happy with the one I have here."

"Well, to bad." He said, his eyes hardening. "You are going and you're going to be happy about it. End of discussion."