It had been a week since my parents told me they were separating. My dad was living in a hotel while he found a new place and I had barely talked to my mom all week.

I didn't know what to say, I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact things were never going to go back to the way they were.

I had already decided how I was going to spend my Saturday. I had just opened my laptop ready to start the next season of CSI when there was a knock at my door. I figured it was probably Jackson. He had been keeping a very close eye on me and constantly checking in on how I was doing. I knew he worried about how I was taking this whole thing.

"Come in!" I called out and closed my laptop.

My mother popped her head into my room and smiled.

"You have a phone call." She extended the home phone towards me.

I gave the phone a curious look. Who would be calling me on the land line? I stood up and took the phone from her.

"Thanks." I told her and brought the phone up to my ear.

She nodded and waved before slipping out of my room.

"Hello?" I said into the phone.

"Ella!" My dads voice rang loudly in my ear.

I put some distance between the phone and my ear to make sure I didn't loose any hearing from him shouting into my ear.

"Hey dad." I answered.

I didn't know why he would call on the home phone and go through my mom but I wasn't going to ask.

"What are you doing this evening? I was thinking about going to that new burger place downtown and was wondering if you wanted to join me."

"Ok how about I meet you there at like 6:30?" I offered.

It would be nice to be able to spend time with my dad. I hadn't really had much of a relationship with him since I was a kid. Once my parents started fighting he just kind of backed away from the family and threw himself into his work. I hoped that this was going to be a sign of change.

"I can't wait." He replied.

We said our goodbyes and then I hung up the phone.

"What did he want?" My mom asked.

She had her face buried in a magazine and didn't even bother looking up when she talked.

"I'm going to get dinner with him." I told her.

She just nodded and flipped through her reading.

I knew this was probably hard for her, it was hard for all of us. I was still figuring out how to deal with it but with everyday it got easier. I knew deep down this was the right thing and that my parents were absolutely miserable together.

I still had some time and I decided to spend my Saturday right and watch some tv.

—

I paused my show when the screaming started. I wasn't used to it, my house had been very quiet this past week. The sound of my mother yelling angrily got me out of my bed.

I rushed down the stairs to see her on the phone.

"I will fight you on this with everything I have!" She yelled.

I couldn't hear the person on the other end but whatever they were saying was making her beyond angry.

"I don't care!" She screamed into the phone.

I stayed out of her way and just waited for her conversation to end.

"You have no right to do this." She shook her head.

"Well I'm her mother." She argued.

I tried my hardest to figure out what was going on. It was obviously about me but what was happening that was making her so mad.

"I really don't want to hear what you have to say." She snapped and slammed the phone down.

I was nervous to see what was going on. She seemed beyond angry so I backed away and crept back up the stairs into my room. I'd let her calm down, I didn't need to set off a ticking time bomb.

—

I pulled up to the burger place right at 6:30. I saw my dads car so I knew he was already here. That honestly didn't surprise me. My dad was a stickler for being on time. He arrived everywhere at least five minutes early. He hated to make people wait.

I walked inside and noticed him already seated at a table browsing through the menu.

"Hey dad." I greeted and sat across from him.

"Hello Ella," He grinned.

Silence settled on our table and I didn't know what to say. It had been so long and I didn't think I even knew how to talk to my dad anymore.

I just turned my attention to the menu and thought about what I was going to get.

I made my decision fairly quickly, it didn't take long since it was a burger place.

"Hi! My name is Wanda and I'm going to be your server tonight. Can I start you guys off with some drinks?" A middle aged women greeted us with a big smile.

"Ella do you know what you want? I'm good to order if you are." My dad looked at me.

"Yeah I'm good."

"What can I get you then?" Wanda turned to me.

I ordered a cheese burger with Swiss and my dad got a plain burger. He was super picky when it came to burgers, he always had just a plain burger with ketchup.

"So I actually wanted to talk to you about something." My dad said once Wanda left.

"What?" I felt uneasy.

I had no clue what this could even be.

"I got a promotion at work."

I felt relief flood my body. This was good news.

"That's great dad." I smiled.

"That's not all, the promotion would mean I would have to relocate to the office in New York."

My heart dropped. My dad was moving to New York.

"So you are leaving?" I didn't believe it.

"Yes and I want you to come with me."

I had no words. I couldn't leave, could I? I couldn't just move to New York.

"I can't, I have school." I shook my head.

"I know I was thinking after school ends, spend the summer and there are some really nice universities in the city. I ran it by your mom, naturally she is angry but you are eighteen and it's your decision to make."

I realized this was probably what my mom was yelling about earlier today.

"I did apply to some colleges in the city." I said.

My father beamed at my words.

"I'm leaving in a week, come up for a long weekend and see the city. I want you to be able to really get a feel for what it would be like before you make a decision."

I nodded. I'd think about it and give this a chance. Who knows, maybe I'd really like New York.