Shattered

Fairy Lights And Stories

"I made some dinner." He says letting me into the dimly lit sunroom.

There little fairy lights hanging and two bowls of Spaghetti and meatballs.

"Why this dish?" I ask while stuffing my face, even though I've already had something to eat.

"Its the only thing I know how to make." He says smiling.

"I expected that." I laugh. The food tastes really good, better than mine.

"But it was also my mom's favorite.  I'd make it for her everytime she came back." He said.

"From work?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"Before my mom left permanently. Shed disappear for weeks. Then come back some random morning and make breakfast then I'd make her that." He says and I nod.

"You know everything was so good before. I remember two years before that, she introduced Richard to my dad.  They went to high school together.

Richard hit it off with my Dad and they just hung out alot.

Then she just started disappearing. She and my dad would argue alot. And then one day she left. We thought she'd  come back but she didnt." He says.

"Didnt you like, call the police when she disappeared?" I ask.

"My dad tried to the first time she disappeared but Mr Rickelle said that we should give her time as she left after a big arguement with my dad.

We didn't inform the cops and she came back. Then every other time she did the same thing. Then one day she just disappeared and never looked back.

The last thing we heard from her was from her lawyer at the divorce. Saying that she doesnt want anything from my dad.

Not even me." He says the last part and his voice breaks.

I stare at him. I cant imagine how hard that must've been for an eight year old.

"And here I was thinking I was the one whose fucked up." I say jokingly.

"We're all a little fucked up." He says smiling. We stare at the night sky and fall into silence.

"Mr Rickelle is a good man though." He says out of nowhere.

I choose to not say anything and just hear him out.

"Everytime my mom would disappear he'd be there for my father. He'd sometimes skip work just to be there for him.

And after my mom left. He gave my father money to help his farm and my dad started making alot of money.

Even after my father died, he was there for me. And he supports every decision that I make. And he helped me feel less lonely.

You know, cause I had no other family. And no sibling.

He encouraged my dad to find someone to date and when he didnt he asked me to. But dad wouldnt budge. That's why now he's happy that I'm at least keeping an option here." He says. My heart almost breaks at the part about loneliness.

"Oh but you'll never be lonely. You have people that love you." I tell him. This time it's me who kisses his forehead.

"We should head to bed." He says. And I nod.

We do just that. Although getting to bed. He continues with conversation.

"What were your dreams when you were in college? Tell me about those years for you." He says as he snuggles me closer.

It should feel wrong but it doesnt. It feels perfect. I dont want to ever be without this.

"Well, I wanted to go to London and join this design group,  but you know. I had Ethan and all that came to a stop for a few months.