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"You are not a horrible person — you're the farthest thing from a horrible person, trust me."
- JJ Maybank
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[two weeks ago]
Abby sits alone on her bed, staring at the room around her. Her mother's childhood bedroom, and the bedroom she's spent the last four years living in.
Years ago, after her mother left, she begged her Gram to let her change the room. She didn't want Gram, or herself, to be reminded of her everyday. It took months of convincing, but MJ finally talked Gram into it. She painted the old blue walls a pale yellow, and Kiara took her to some antique, second hand stores to find stuff to fill the space. She hung posters and pictures, as well as some silly drawings and stickers, and before she knew it, her mother's old bedroom had become her own.
Now, as she stares around her room, it feels different. No amount of paint or stuff can hide the fact that this was her mom's room. The room she grew up in. Right now, it just feels like Abby is intruding on the space, which makes no sense to her.
The house is too quiet for her liking. The sounds of her grandparents laughing and bickering over what television show to watch usually travel down the hall to her room from where they spend their evenings together in the living room. But not tonight.
After Peterkin broke the news, Abigail called MJ to help her with her grandmother. When he arrived, he invited the sheriff back to their house, to discuss the details privately. Abigail stayed back at the store to close up, one less thing for her Gram and MJ to worry about.
When she finally entered her home, they were still discussing what they knew about the break in, but Abby didn't wanna hear it, at least not right now. So, she hid in her room, tidying up, even though there was no mess. She waited until the cops left to go out there and talk to them. She held her grandmother's hand while MJ tried to force her to eat something. She eventually agreed, but she didn't eat much.
She went to her room, wanting to be alone. Abby wanted to follow after her, but MJ told her he would handle it. So, she cleaned up dinner, not that any of them really ate, and then returned to her room.
A knock sounded on her door, and she sat up on the bed as MJ walked through the door. "How is she?" Abigail asked, even though she pretty much knew the answer.
He sighed, taking a seat on the bed beside her. "Exhausted, she's sleeping now, thankfully."
Abby sighed, nodding. "Good."
"How bout you, kid?" He turned to face her.
Abigail shrugged, biting her lips. "I don't really know how I feel right now. In my book, I lost my mom a long time ago."
YOU ARE READING
In the Dark ~ j.m¹
RomanceAfter being abandoned by his mother at a young age, left to deal with his abusive father, JJ Maybank feels like he was stranded out at sea during a terrible storm, fighting to make it through each day. Even though he meets the Pogues at a young age...
