The Fringe

Chapter 13

I hadn't noticed that Ben was no longer waiting for me. I looked at Markus and he just nodded and led me back towards the dorm. The walk back was completely silent which made me wonder if something was going on, but I didn't want to bother asking Markus because chances were equally good as anything else, that Ben left because he was mad at me for going in and speaking with Ari.

                We reached the dorm and Markus walked in but Ben wasn't there. I looked at my dad who sat in a chair towards the back. "They went to the conference room. Your mother is with them." I nodded and we walked back towards the conference room.

                Markus turned to me and smiled before he opened the door and revealed Ben sitting with my mom and a couple other people as well as Alex. I furrowed my brows and the man and woman whom I didn't recognize stood up and looked at me, tears already starting to stream down the woman's face.

                "What's going on? Is everything okay?" I asked as I stepped in and Markus shut the door behind us.

                "Oh, Finley. You look just like her!" The woman cried and walked over to me with her arms reaching out for me. I stared at her confused as she grasped my hands in hers and she continued to cry. "When we heard you were on the base we just had to come in and see you."

                I drew my hands back and stared at her. "Can I help you?" I asked and looked at Ben.

                "My apologies. I'm Catherine. Ben's mother. I was your mom's best friend." The woman grasped my hands again.

                "That's why you left." I whispered to Ben. He just slowly nodded.

                I turned back to the woman who I could tell was aching to give me a hug but I just didn't want that sort of contact with her. I didn't even know this woman and already she was pushing my personal boundaries just being near me. After everything my alert was on high and would always remain that way. But I didn't want to be rude so I just stared between her and the man she was sitting next to.

                "Is she alive?" I asked finally.

                Catherine stared at me then hung her head. "I'm afraid neither your mom nor dad are alive today. Your father passed a couple months after you were taken to your new family, and your mother died shortly after. I'm so sorry, Finley. I wish I could say they are and were waiting for you."

                I shrugged. "It's fine. I mean I have parents. I was just curious." Catherine's face fell. Her eyes suddenly grew hard on me. "It's good that you made it though. Ben got to meet you."

                "Don't talk like that. They tried to survive. They tried to make it! They wanted to meet you again!" Catherine's voice grew louder and sharper with each word and her grip on my hands began to mash my knuckles together. I could have easily broken her arms since she was still weak, but I just jerked my hands away from her.

                "Catherine!" The man jumped up and rushed over before she could do anything else. "Go sit down. I'm sorry, Finley. She's been through a lot. Losing your parents and you kids was hard on us."

                "If it weren't for you! She would still be here!" Catherine cried. "If you never existed she would still be here! She wouldn't have risked her life for you!"

                I clenched my jaw and tried to stay still. Markus walked over, placing himself halfway in front of me like he knew if she said another word that I would charge. He knew me better than I thought he did. The man tried to calm Catherine down and she continued to fight against him, saying it was my fault my parents were dead. I had clenched my fists and before I could even make up my own mind to walk out, Markus had ahold of my arm and was dragging me out of the room with my mom right behind us.