George Nicholson had, always, been a guy with a plan. Nothing was meant to happen on a whim in his life.
As his last year of university loomed in the distance, George put together a plan to spend summer at his home town of Lakebay with his two best...
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The night was heavy as the time passed slowly. Leah was spending the night at the station's jail. My mind was reeling with endless possibilities. I couldn't understand how a human heart feels this helpless, everything felt like I was losing myself again.
Farah and Cole were sleeping in the car, as I sat on the pavement under a tree. The moonlight seeped through the branches. My eyes were on the concert, counting the minutes to sunlight. My mind took me back to moments where darkness evaded all my senses. It all felt like I was trapped in the Oak tree again, my mother's grave underneath me as I called her name into the night, but silence was the answer to all my prayers.
I am afraid that Leah's crying eyes were the last memory I would have to carry with me after this unexpected summer.
A warm breeze moved the branches above me as some leaves fell to the ground. I watched the leaves touch the ground softly, the slow movement soothing my anxiety.
"Leah is a survivor." a familiar voice broke the silence around me.
I looked up, my eyes meeting the teary eyes of Leah's mother. She smiled at me, but when I didn't smile back, her smile faded away. She fidgeted for a few seconds, not knowing what to do as I kept looking at her.
"I don't know what Leah told you about what we have been through," her mother said with a nervous tone, "But, I want you to know that I love my daughter."
I breathed harder, inhaling sharply the warm breeze. I didn't know how to deal with such a statement. The sadness I saw in Leah's eyes rushed back to the forefront of my memories.
"I am in no position to judge you or judge your history with you daughter, ma'am," I said as I stood up, we were facing each other now, " However, there is one thing that I am sure of right now. Leah is spending the night at a jail cell because of you and that doesn't paint you in a good light."
Suzanne, Leah's mother, averted her teary eyes away as she stepped back. She looked everywhere but at me. Her fingers twitched as she moved them through her hair.
"I didn't mean to hurt her," she whispered at last, "I just wanted to be happy." She added as she finally looked at me. The sadness in her eyes was loud and I could see regret in them.
"Yet, again I tell you that I am in no position to judge your life or your choices. However, true happiness shouldn't be built on the misery of others, especially those we hold dear to our hearts. For what is happiness when the people closest to our heart are drowning in misery."
I looked at her for one last time before I started walking to the car. Cole and Farah are huddled in the backseat, still asleep. The early morning light was slowly lighting the sky. The coming hour was rushed in fragmented moments, as Farah and Cole woke up and the police station started to come to life.
I sat in the driving seat as Farah was in the passenger seat right beside and Cole was in the backseat. We remained in silence for a few minutes as I laid my head on the steering wheel before Farah spoke up.
