Prodigal

~7~

It was five days after my birthday and Dad told me that we were spending the weekend and Grandma and Grandpa’s house. The term “it takes a village” fit when I was little and I was always over at my grandparents’ house, so it was sort of like a second home to me.

At dinner, Grandma made a silly comment about how much I was eating. Being a fourteen-year-old boy, that was pretty standard. Dad joked back that he can’t keep groceries in the house and has to grocery shop every other day.

“That means he’s going to start growing like crazy.” Grandma said. “I’ve been through this three times, I know. You’ll have to go clothes shopping all the time, Luke.”

I smiled at that comment, because I loved clothes shopping. “We should do that tonight.” I suggested.

“I don’t think we’re going shopping tonight, Emmett.” Dad said.

“Oh, why not?” Grandma stated. “I have a few things to get at Kmart, let’s all go after dinner!”

All four of us went shopping there after dinner, and on the stands near the checkouts I saw that the Enquire Australia came out with a new issue. I wasn’t front cover worthy this time, but I did have a little side story on the side of the cover. “Doctors fear for Emmett Hemmings.”

I picked it up and brought it to the checkouts.

“Oh, don’t get that, Emmett!” Dad commanded.

“Why not?” I said.

“Don’t waste your money on lies people write about us.”

Disappointed, I had to put the magazine back. On our way back to my grandparents’ house, we stopped to get gas and I went into the gas station and bought the magazine. I had to hide it form dad, though.

I was on page 41. I flipped to it. “Emmett Hemmings, gaining weight like crazy!”

I almost gasped in tears after reading that. I hadn’t thought that I had gained weight until it showed a picture of me in September compared to January. I actually gasped. I ran to the mirror and looked at my double chin that was starting to form, my bingo arms that were developing, and the layers of fat forming on my stomach. I felt like I could be sick.

“Who wants ice cream?” I heard Grandma yell.

I didn’t say anything. I just stayed in the bedroom I stayed in at their house. I just kept staring ahead of me, trying to process what just came to my attention.

Dad walked into my room after a few minutes and I quickly stashed the magazine before he could see it.

“Don’t you want ice cream, buddy?” Dad asked.

I kept thinking of the words printed on the magazine. “No.” I said. “I’m good.”

“Okay.” Dad responded. “Do you want to come out and talk to us?”

I contemplated for a moment. “Yeah.” I responded.

Notes

Honestly this is how I imagine Liz being like as a grandma

OMG I relate to Emmett on a spiritual level in the upcoming chapters (lol wonder why maybe because I invented him :P)

Fun fact:

I actually work at Kmart and it sucks, for reasons, but the company as a whole is doing really shitty in the US (b/c it's a company that treats its customers and employees shitty tbh) but I found out Australia has Kmart and it does pretty well in Australia.

So yeah.