Secrets

*CHRIS*

The next day, I went into work with dinner still on my mind. I never knew my mom was in such a state. She seemed perfectly fine when she came to visit me at the hospital. She even helped me around the room during my recovery.

I hadn’t known she’d been lying. Neither did I know that she lied to my dad too. I wondered what else they weren’t telling me since I left last night.

That unsettling flutter in my stomach hadn’t left either. It’s safe to say I didn’t sleep. Between me trying to find Mira and worrying about my mom, I might be on the verge of losing my mind myself.

I didn’t talk to my dad about it because it was already late, so I ended up leaving, but I intended to talk to him about it today.

The morning rush came early, and we were all busy trying to get everyone in and out. It wasn’t until around one o’clock that I was able to get enough breathing room to go address things.

I went down the hall and knocked on his door.

“Come in.”

I walked in and sat down as I tried to control my breathing.

“So… last night.”

“Son, I really don’t want to talk about that.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s nothing to talk about.”

“How long, Dad?”

He looked down at the invoices on his desk.

“I didn’t intend for you to see her like that.”

“So you planned to hide it forever?!”

“Chris—“

“We work together, it would’ve been nothing to tell me my mom was wasting away.”

“She’s not wasting…she’s just having a hard time letting Dante go.”

“We all are. So… when did this happen?”

“A few months after he died.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“What was I going to say, Chris? Huh? That your mom is grieving and now she’s batshit crazy? I did what I could.”

“I could’ve helped.”

He tapped on his desk.

“I tried to get her the help she needs, but you know your mom, she thinks she’s fine, and most days she is. It’s just… she refuses to process the fact that he’s no longer with us.”

Silence stretched between us before he continued.

“At first, she was handling things fine and staying busy. Then she started forgetting things. Then it got to a point she began talking to herself as if he was talking back. I tried to tell her she was sick.”

“She’s grieving, Dad…,” I whispered.

“It all became too much. I couldn’t sit and watch her continue to function like that.”

“How long have you been gone?”

His eyes shot up at me. They were glassy.

He was quiet for a moment as if he was trying to figure out if he wanted to tell me.

“Only a month. She’s been calling me about fake repairs ever since.”

“When were you going to tell me?”

“I wasn’t.”

That cut deep. I wasn’t sure if it was because it was the fact that he didn’t say anything or the fact that my dad left her in such a terrible state.

The image of her reaching out to him was etched into my mind. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t see the same woman who raised me.

“Why?”

“Do you talk to me about your relationships?”

“No, but this is my mom.”

“Then don’t expect me to talk to you. You act like that wasn’t my wife!”

That threw me off guard.

“Was?”

“The divorce was finalized around the time I moved out.”

I sat there, stunned, as I tried to process what I’d just heard.

“What the fuck!”

I balled my fist in my lap. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do but my mind was racing, my heart pounding against my chest, and my anger growing by the second.

“This is not your battle.”

“Then whose the hell is it? Can’t be yours either if you left.”

“That’s none of your business. Get out!”

I stared at him for a moment before I turned and left. I slammed the door so hard behind me that by the time I got back to the garage my workers were all asking if everything was okay.

I couldn’t understand how he was okay with this. How could he leave someone he’d been with for decades? And when she needs him most?

….

*KACIE*

“Come on Kace, you ready?”

“Yeah just two more boxes and we’ll be ready.”

Today is the day I finally move out. Things were so suffocating at Eric’s house that it became a hostile environment.

Not that anyone intended for that to happen, but here we were.

Walt came to help me out. I’m glad he was able to do so because it would’ve taken longer with Eric having to go back and forth between me and Jamira.

I hate we weren’t as close as I imagined us to be. I just knew we’d get to go out for brunch, get our nails done, or just walk around the park sometimes.

“Alright Kacie you’re all loaded up. Let’s go,” Walt said closing the gate of his flatbed.”

I said my final goodbyes and got in. The ride to Walt’s was mostly quiet except for the radio.

Suddenly he broke the silence.

“So when are you gonna tell him?”

I turned my head sharply and looked at him.

“What is it to say?”

Yeah that’s right. The night of the dinner I told Eric I found my own place. So I lied, but I knew if he knew I’d be moving in with Walt he’d lose his shit.

We’ve gotten pretty close ever since the sleepover at Kayla’s school.

“What if he wants to visit?”

“Does he do that now?”

“Not really.”

“So what’s the problem?”

Walt stayed silent the rest of the ride. When it was time to move the boxes inside, we had the truck unloaded in an hour and a half.

His guest room was empty except for a queen sized bed, a dresser, a tv, and simple black curtains. It wasn’t as nice as Eric’s, but it’ll have to do.