"Momma's Kitchen? Okay we'll meet you there but you're buying! Hahaha..". Sounds like dad is looking forward to starting over. Even though I am too, I just can't believe we had to move so far away.

"Hey, cheer up zoom-zoom! Uncle Jerry says this town's restaurant makes great toasted sandwiches", he said with that hope in his eyes, that hope that came with almost every statement he made since we left our old place. I know what he's hoping for but until I see this town for myself I'm not going to be expecting something great just yet.

Just then I realised what he actually said. 

"Wait, dad? Restaurant as in ... singular?", I asked. He probably got it wrong. 

"Yep! I told you, this town's pretty small, everybody knows everybody. I think it might be just what we need you know."

The way his voice sounded was so lighthearted, it's been a while since I heard him look forward to anything so I decided that I would give it a chance and give in. 

"Yeah dad, maybe Winseka is just the town we need."

I smiled at him and he immediately returned it with the one I remember seeing as a kid, it was enough payment for me. 

When mom left 6 months ago, he became the total opposite of the dad I knew. I couldn't understand how love could work that way, where one moment you're persevering through the tough times as family and the next you're 3 seperate bodies, broken down by the very bond that made you one. 

My dad wasn't drop dead gorgeous but he was a decent looking man, short black hair, a nice hazel eye colour and he was kinda tall and lanky, almost like he could play basketball if he trained hard enough. I got most of my physical attributes from him, especially the tall lanky part. My hair was black too but it was long and stopped at my lower back. My eyes were different though and people immediately noticed, I didn't like it. I had my mother's shape and colour, she was Japanese with chocolate coloured eyes. 

Those same eyes that looked at me and dad with love, turned cold and distant until they left along with her. We later found out she went back home to Japan and found someone new, while me and dad are still looking for our fresh start. 

"Welcome to the town of Winseka" 

I read the board on my side of the road, I guess that means we're here. I hope this will be that fresh start that me and dad needs. 

....

We pulled up to Momma's Kitchen and at the same time a motorcycle rushed into the parking space next to us. I could tell the owner was a guy from the way they were built. He seemed to be in a rush because he never even took his helmet off. He just ran to the side of the restaurant. I figured he was probably late for work.

"Zoom-zoom, you coming?", dad asked from outside the car. I must have zoned out while observing the motorcycle owner. I quickly got out as my dad continued walking toward the restaurant.

It was wide and its size was quite big since it was the only one in this town. It had big landscape windows all over and a door that had a small rectangular window, all surrounded by navy blue coloured wood. On the left side of the door, I saw a 

 long counter top at the windows with people of all ages and sizes using them for different purposes. On the right were booths with square tables for groups of families and friends.

I eventually made my way in and stood next to my dad. The atmosphere hit me like a speeding train, I immediately got the name of the place. It really felt like the atmosphere of a mom's kitchen. I heard Queen's "Crazy little thing called love" playing and noticed that behind the counter tops on the left were square tables. There were two rows of them running down the place. Not only was this place wide, it was long too. Opposite the booths was the kitchen and in front of us was the serving counter that ran down the same way as the square tables and had counter tops of its own running down the restaurant with bar stools to complete the look. It was a cozy place despite the fact that it was this huge but it also felt like home, little Izumi's home, not home of the past 6 months. Dad was looking for uncle Jerry, whom I haven't seen since I was twelve. I saw a man in a black shirt, with some type of badge attached to it, and black trousers sitting at one of the square tables and staring at us. He stood up and waved in our direction, I looked behind us but there was nobody. Dad figured out it was none other than uncle Jerry. I remember dad mentioning that he was some type of police authority figure, which I guess explains the uniform. We walked over and greeted.

"My my! Look at how big you are!", uncle Jerry sounded genuinely surprised. Like it was some type of miracle that I've grown up in 8 years. "Wow, if Sarah could see you now", uncle Jerry said. 

Uncle Jerry had dad's features, except he was a bit darker, almost caramel and dad was more light. He also had a dark brown hair colour instead of dad's black. His wife, Sarah, passed away from Cancer, nine years ago and I'm guessing that's why he moved out here. After we sat down and exchanged greetings and small talk about the drive up here, we ordered some food. I was really looking forward to tasting that toasted sandwiches, so I picked chicken. 

I was sitting facing the front of the restaurant with uncle Jerry opposite me and dad, when I heard the little bell from the door ring. In walked the most ideal main character douche I've ever seen. He had blonde hair that was long and he kept gliding his hands through them. He had a white t-shirt with some naked girl on, his jeans were ripped and he had a neck tattoo the size of my hand. His Vans were clean, surprisingly and the watch he wore seemed pretty expensive. So not only main character douche but also rich main character douche, great. His eyes met mine and must've seen me staring because he gave me a smug look with the most disgusting wink I've ever received. Now I know these are usually the characters the book makes us believe we shouldn't judge but that wink and smug look, agh! So I gave a disgusted look back and I have no regrets.

Uncle Jerrry quickly brought me back to our table and we started speaking about the years he missed out on while we waited for our food.

....