"This is a new beginning, Jack." Mom told me with her hand on my shoulder.

Yeah, a new beginning. A new beginning with no friends, nobody I know, and no clue where I am. Suddenly moving out of nowhere just to end up in small town USA.

"This is just another step in our mighty adventure!" She cheered, hugging me from behind as she smiled at our new house.

I felt my cheeks pull into a smile. "You're a dork."

The grin on her face almost made me want her levels of excitement over every little thing. "You know it, kid! Now grab a box, we've gotta get them all inside."

"I'll race you."

Mom smirked my way, grabbing the nearest box and rushing inside with it.

---

"I hate you..." I mumbled, laying on top of the massive box I had just dragged in.

Mom was huffing and puffing harder than I was as she fell face first to the floor. "Why do we own so much stuff..?"

"Why didn't we hire someone to help carry in this stuff?!" I asked, lifting my head up. "It's not like we don't have the money."

"I didn't wanna..." My mom muttered, struggling to stand up after all the heavy lifting. "I'd rather not spend dad's money like that..."

"Isn't it family money?" I questioned, a brow raised. "Dad specifically said that it wasn't his cash."

"Shush you, it's about principle."

"It's about pride."

Mom shot me a playful glare. "Maybe just a little bit..."

Once we made sure that all the boxes were out of the way, mom and I took a moment to appreciate the house, the paint looking so fresh I was worried it was still wet.

"It's a little big, don't you think?" I pointed out.

Two floors and an attic. Four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Two office rooms and a furnished basement.

"Well, dad needed to come here for work, and the company helped us get this place." She told me. "Don't look a gift horse in the ass."

"That's not the saying."

"Because if you do." Mom continued. "You'll need a hot shower. And then another shower. And maybe some bleach."

Mom is a bit of a weirdo.

---

We loaded beds and tables and chairs into the house once the truck came by. We didn't bring enough to fill the house, just enough for living a few days.

"Are you excited for school?" Mom asked, working to lift the front of my bed.

"Oh, you know..." I grunted, carrying the other half of the bed. "Just thrilled. Moving three whole days before class starts, knowing about zero people here and hoping I'm not eaten alive."

"Jack, if anyone messing with you, just break their arm." She said as if it was the obvious solution.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Dad said that's for self defense only."

"Exactly. If they're trying to eat you alive, that is in fact assault." Mom stayed as we set down my bed. "So break their arm."

"Aren't you a pacifist?" I questioned.

She shrugged at me. "When it suits me."

The front door opened and closed downstairs, mom and I quickly looked to each other before rushing down like a pair of children.

"Dad!!" I shouted, tackling him in a tight hug, both of us losing balance for a moment or two.

Dad laughed, wrapping his arms around me and pushing his nose into my hair. "I've missed you too, buddy..."

He travels so much that sometimes I won't see him for weeks at a time. Last time I saw him was sixteen days ago.

"NICK!!!"

Both of us were blasted to the floor when mom literally jumped into the hug, kissing dad anywhere she could get her lips.

"I missed you so much!!" She whined, kissing him on the head.

He smiled at both of us, enjoying the moment and pulling us both to his chest.

"You're both dorks." He laughed. "But for whatever reason I love you."

---

"So..." Dad started as we sat around the dinner table. "What's the velocity of a barrett sniper rifle?"

"A M107 .50 caliber long range sniper rifle, known as the barrett, has a mussle velocity of 2,799 feet per second." I answered, taking a bite of mac and cheese.

My dad smiled over at me. "Good man."

"So what's happening at the bank, hunny?" Mom asked, not even questioning us at this point.

"Not much recently. Some kind of business deal, real hush hush right now though." He laughed.

"So I assume you'll be at home for a little while, right?" She asked, raising a brow.

Dad grinned, nothing but love in his eyes. "I'll be here for at least the rest of the month."

Mom smiled to herself, turning back to her food with a pleased expression. "Good."