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“Oookay…” Honey says as she rolls her eyes and turns to walk back toward the kitchen. I can hear our dad clanging dishes and glasses around. I hesitate before slowly turning and heading out of my bedroom and toward the kitchen.
I know I’ve got to tell them sometime. I try to prepare myself, taking a deep breath as I enter the kitchen. Dad has already begun serving up dinner while Honey searches the fridge, presumably for something to drink.
Just relax and act natural.
"Hi, Dad! What smells so good?" I practically shout. I immediately realize my mistake and silently scold myself. Dad looks up at me for just a moment, with slight confusion, then continues to fill our plates. Honey's tightened lips and furrowed brow are much less forgiving.
“What do you think it is?” she asks in that smart-ass tone of hers, “It’s Thursday. What do we eat every Thursday?”
Dammit!
“Kidding! Ha, ha! I was just kidding,” I say with a forced smile. How stupid of me. I know it’s Thursday. And I know that every Thursday night is sushi night.
“What’s with you? You’re acting like more of a spaz than usual,” Honey shuts the fridge and turns to face me with one hand still on the door handle and the other on her hip.
“Be nice,” Dad says without looking up, in his notoriously non-threateningDad Voice.I may as well get it over with, and now seems about as good a time as any. I gather up my courage.
"Actually, I have some pretty exciting news,” I say matter-of-factly. Maybe if I frame it just right, Dad won’t freak out, and everything will be ok. Maybe he’ll actually be happy for me.
“Oh yeah?” Dad perks up and seems more engaged as he gathers up the empty food cartons. “Alright, let’s hear it!”
“Well, I landed this really cool job. It pays really well, the office is amazing, and it will be a great opportunity for me to expand my social circles,” I say, doing my best to keep my voice from shaking.
They both look at me expectantly, not making this any easier, but I continue.
“And the experience I’ll gain is invaluable,” I finish. My dad’s face brightens, giving me the tiniest sliver of hope.
“Experience?” he asks.
“Yeah. You know. In the studio,” I say, my voice gradually getting quieter. The confusion is gone from Dad’s face. A stony, serious expression has taken its place. I can hear my heart pounding in my ears. Has it always been this loud? I know I need to say something before—
“What the hell are you talking about, Mari? What did you do?” he asks, unable to keep the fear from his voice.
Damn, too late.Honey is now standing straight up with her hands clasped together under her chin like she does when she’s worried. The sarcastic expression on her face just moments ago is now one of wide-eyed concern. Her eyes dart back and forth between our dad and me.
“Nothing. It’s just a job,” I say defensively. Enough is enough. Time to rip off the band-aid. “I signed a contract at Siren Sound Studios with Sonomi Sagawa.”
It feels like all the air has been sucked out of the room. Dead silence has never sounded so loud. Dad’s eyes widen, and his mouth falls open. I close my eyes and hold my breath, bracing myself for his reaction. Is he going to yell? Dad has never been a yeller, so on the rare occasion that he does yell, you know it’s bad. The silence is suddenly broken by a low but audible sigh. I open my eyes to see my dad holding his face in his hands.
“What the fuck, Mari!” Honey’s voice startles me so badly that I physically jump a little. For a moment, I had forgotten that she was even in the room.
“What?” I ask.
“Seriously? How can you even ask that?” she shouts at me.
“Why don’t you just stay out of it? It’s none of your business!” I shout back without thinking. My voice sounds strange, almost foreign, and I immediately regret yelling.
“How long?” Dad asks, his voice cracking ever so slightly. “How long is the contract for?”
“It’s only for three years. And it’s just to get my foot in the—”
BAM!
Dad pounds his fist against the counter, causing Honey and me to jump.
“Dammit, Marika! Sonomi Sagawa? How could you?” he shouts at me.
“Oh, Dad, come on. Don’t be so dramatic. I know you have your issues with Sonomi, but that has nothing to do with me. Why am I being punished for things that happened when I was just a kid? Why should I have to suffer because of decisions other people made?” I argue.
