The beginning of the rest of my life.

It was sometime after Christmas, but it was after my birthday too. Not long, though. I was 12. I remember the weather... it was cool with a breeze. The skies were blue, but then sun looked like it would be getting ready to set pretty soon. I was riding my new razor scooter, that I had received for Christmas, around the street outside of my house. My dad came out and called me over to him.
"I'm going to Four Kegs to meet up with your mom," he said.
"I want to go!"
"Not this time. Your mom and I have some things to talk about."

And with that... he was off.

That may not have been the exact dialogue, but it is similar enough.

Looking back, it doesn't seem like he was gone for very long. All that sticks out in my mind is his return. I rode my scooter over to the curb and was standing in the gutter. He took a step down, his sunglasses still on, and hugged me. He held me for a while. I remember his scent like it was yesterday. I can still feel my face rubbing against the roughness of the polo t-shirt he was wearing. I remember hearing him sniffle, and pulling away only to see him wipe tears away.

"Why are you crying dad?" I asked with the innocence of a child.
"She's leaving.."

All I remember after that is being confused. I don't remember if I asked questions, or if I just shrugged it off with misunderstanding.

The only thing I do know is... this was the beginning of the rest of my life.