Wanderer

When I come home every morning, Mum stays silent for a few moments, as if honoring Quain, before begging me not to run and starting the daily argument.
Mum, I would say. Don't argue.
You have to stop running, Ailie! It's going to kill you! She'd holler.
Daisy, Dad would say as he reached the bottom of the staircase. Don't try to stop her; running is good for her.
But- but- but Owen, it's killing her! Mum would insist. It's killing our family!
Dad would smile sadly and say, Just let it be.
Then Mum would let it go, but only for the day, and the next morning it would start all over again.
I don't always mind the arguments, really. It's mostly the repetition that bothers me. But still, the arguing probably isn't good for anyone. A lot of times we just take out our anger and pent-up frustration on each other. It's hard, especially when we hardly have the energy to argue.
Alai is only thirteen, but he's already out of school working three jobs to help support our family. And some of those jobs are dangerous. I don't like that he puts himself in those kinds of situations, I don't like it at all. However, he has to because Quain's gone and I'm in part-time school. I work two jobs and attend school, and I do this year round since I'm in school less than the other kids. Maeve is still in full-time, and she's nine now. In a year or two she's going to have to quit school completely to work, or do part-time like me, because our finances are slipping. Mum is working as a house keeper and she makes meals for the governor every evening. I work as a house keeper as well, but I used to work picking blueberries, and I'm also a waitress at the local diner. Dad works in a factory, but he also works odd jobs and picks cotton during harvest to make ends meet. Alai is the blacksmith's apprentice, and he works in the factory and fields part-time. Maeve, Mum, and I have a garden, and we sell our extra harvest, as well as flowers. We all work extra hard in an attempt to get tips or raises, but it still isn't quite enough. Uncle Adalric helps some, even though Dad doesn't like to accept the help. He pays half of the mortgage, and a birthday present for each of us. I don't like that he helps either, but that's life, and without Uncle Adalric pitching in we'd be evicted by now, so we really don't have any other choice than to be thankful if we want to continue living in our own house.
I've thought about becoming a wanderer, as they're called, but I know that at the moment I have about zero resources, no time to gather them, and no one to give me them. I also can't abandon Alai and Maeve, because without my income and potential career our family would be evicted. So if I do decide to be a wanderer, I have to wait until I either have nothing left to lose, an opportunity to gather resources, or Alai and Maeve become able to support themselves without my assistance.
I would like to be a wanderer, but I can't.
At least, I can't now.
But maybe one day, just maybe.
Maybe I'll wander.