[The Chronicles of Pet 01] • Island Homes

Island Home - Part 1 (The Chronicles of Pet)

Preface

Location: Dunedin New Zealand

Date: 26 August 2145

Today was going to be the most important one of Kath’s life as her university results were available at midday. She had dressed in her best clothes and walked the short distance from her student apartment to the main university reception hall. On entering, she was unable to get in due to the crowd, having forgotten that at least 5000 students had taken their finals that year. Whilst she struggled through, she thought how amazing that, in an era of fantastic technology, the university continued this old-fashioned practice of posting the results on the wall.

Eventually, after pushing her way through happy and dejected students, she found the board with her faculty results. She had taken an MA in Early Learning and looked over the boards eagerly for her name but in her anxiety could not see them and asked a girl beside her to help. Finally, she found it, and felt exhilarated that she had achieved a First Class pass.

Tears ran down Kath’s face with happiness, and she looked around for her friends to share her success. Disappointed she forced herself outside and hailed a taxi to her parent’s farm.

She found her mum standing at the kitchen sink preparing a meal and called out excitedly, ‘I passed and have First Class Honours Degree. Isn’t it wonderful?’

Her mother held out her arms and hugged her. ‘I knew you would pass my love, and am sure it has been worth all that work.’

‘I’m so pleased with myself, but I couldn’t find any of my friends, so I came home immediately to tell you and dad. Where is he?’

‘Outside in the cow shed as it’s near milking time.’

Kath found him guiding the cows into the shed. ‘Dad, I am so excited I have gained a first.’

He looked uninterested as he replied, ‘so you should have with all the money I gave you, and I expected nothing less!’

‘Dad, I thought you and mum would like to know first, so I came home by taxi.’

He responded grumpily, ‘it could have waited until the weekend as I was going to pick you up, rather than waste money.’

Kath felt her face flush and shouted, ‘you’re a miserable old man.’

With that, she turned and marched to the house.

‘Mum, I’m fed up with dad as he never gives me any encouragement and support. This is the most important day of my life, and he just says he expected nothing less. I don’t understand how you could have lived together for so long.’

‘That’s his way, and he means no harm and does love you,’ she replied unemotionally.

‘You are just as bad as him, why don’t you say what you feel rather than agree. As you have spoilt my day, I might as well go back and celebrate with my friends.’

She called a taxi, and sobbed as she walked out of the farm, to wait in the lane.

When she returned to her apartment, her friends were waiting. They were pleased to see her, and she had a wonderful night partying.

The following morning she felt worse from her excesses as she lay in bed and thought about what she was going to do with her life, and decided that it was not worth going home every weekend. The downside was that all her friends were leaving to go home or to work, but she still had her teachers training course to complete in December so would not be bored.

Kath called her mother and informed her of her decision.