Colorblind

Past, Present & Future

Alma POV

I stand in the kitchen with the phone still in my hand, even though George has already hung up. As my heart thuds in my chest, I hear Georgre's words replay in my head.

"That's it, there is no point of lying or running from him. I am going to fess up to the truth. I am going to confront him. He already knows anyway."

He had hung up before I could respond; before I could talk him out of it. I wanted to tell him that there is no point in doing that and he should come up with a different plan. I want to call him back, tell him not to do it. His dad is going to kill him, if he just says it outright.

Panic washes over me like a tsunami as I am plagued with the realization that I don't have a way of calling him back. I can't call his house and he definitely didn't call me from home anyway. This could only end badly. What if his father kills him? I can't live without him. My empty hand touches my swollen belly. What about his child? What life could they have without their father; a complete family. I push the thought away and think. Who can I call? Subconsciously knowing the answer, my brain punches in a series of numbers. I place the phone to my ear and listen as it rings.

George's POV

"Are you sure you want to do this? I could drop you off at the bus station. You could be long gone by the time your dad figures out you went back?" James says as we sit in his car at the end of my block.

"No, no more running." I say.

"George- fine you don't need to run away but you need to come up with a different plan. You're going to get yourself killed." He says.

I look at him and in the dark idle car illuminated by the moon, I can see the look of fear in his eyes.

I look away and out of the windshield in front of us.

"I have to do this. No more beating around the bush. I am just going to confront him." I say already having my mind made up.

"George-" James starts.

"He already knows. Now there is no use in arguing with me. Drive me down to my house." I say.

There is a long silence and I can tell that James is trying to come up with something to say to talk me out of it. I look at him and he opens his mouth to say something but then thinks better of it. He puts the car in drive and rolls painfully slow down my block and towards my house as if he is hoping that I will change my mind. Finally arriving at my house, he put the car in park. I don't look at him, instead I reach for the door handle. He grabs my arm and I look at him.

"Please don't do this. Please." James begs.

I pull my arm away from his grip and say "Thank you for everything man. I need to do this ok. I am out of options and whatever luck I was having has run out. There is no other way out but the truth. I'll call you tomorrow, ok?" I say as I get out of the car.

"George," James says as leans over to roll down the passenger side window.

"I promise." I say back through the half cracked window.

Before the conversation can go on any longer I make my way towards the front door of my house, with my confidence shrinking with each step.

"George."

I whip around to see my dad leaning against his car in the dark at the top of the driveway.

"Let's go for a ride." He says.

My heart hitches in my throat. I don't say anything as I slide into the passenger seat. I turn my head to where James' car once sat idle but now he is gone. My dad gets in the car and cranks it up. Before I can say anything he turns the radio up louder than necessary and backs out of the driveway. We don't say anything as he drives out of town and into the night. After about 20 minutes, I no longer know where we are and for a second I think he is actually going to kill me. I watch with my heart beating so loudly in my ears that it drowns out the love ballard on the radio. He turns off the main road and into a wooded area. He puts the car in park and then turns it off.