Let's go.

Part 28 - Long Gone Days

Sunday, 20 November 1994

I open my eyes and groan when I see it is still dark out. The large red numbers on the alarm clock glow eerily in the dark room. It's six in the morning and it's raining again. It rained all day yesterday and the day before. I feel like I am beginning to mold. I pull the duvet higher and nestle down in the warm blankets. I'm not ready to heave my body from its warm comfort. I roll to my side and watch as the water droplets race each other to the window sill.

My mind wanders. Thoughts of Jen and how I can help her enroll in school. Thoughts of Paul and our tense phone conversation yesterday evening. He can tell that the distance between us is detrimental. He might be right. 

As my mind plays through the events from the past week, I hear my bedroom door slowly creak open and then the click of it closing shut again. I listen for the sound of little feet padding across the wood floor, then feel the duvet lift and a warm little body slides up against me. I carefully roll to my back and turn my head on the pillow. Bright blue eyes crinkle back at me under messy blonde hair. I push his bangs back and say, "Good morning, Kyle."

He grins at me and giggles as I rub his little forehead. "Morning Wrenny," he replies with a cheeky little grin. Only he and Layne have ever called me that. I smile back at him.

"Did you get cold again?" I ask. This has been his excuse for sneaking into bed with me in the mornings.

He smiles and snuggles into my side. I rub his little back over his tiny thermal pajamas and I hear his breath slow then feel his body relax against me. He has fallen asleep again. I close my eyes and feel myself drift off as well.

"Where is Kyle?" A booming voice carries down the hall.

"Probably with Wrenna," I hear Claire yell back in response.

Kyle giggles and snuggles deeper into the sheets.

"Hey, get back up here," I tease as he shimmies down to the foot of the bed. I throw the bedding back, exposing him and he erupts into giggles again.

The air in the large, old house is cold and damp. I feel it bite against my thin pajama top and pants. I reach for a thick robe Claire had left hanging on the closet door and shrug into it. I find my slippers under the bed and shove my feet in quickly to save them from the chill spreading up through the floorboards. 

"Let's go say good morning to your dad," I say to Kyle and tickle his sides. He stands at the edge of the bed and holds his arms out to me.

"Are you lookin' for this little gremlin?" I call out to Ron as we exit the bedroom.

Ron and Claire are standing in the kitchen and Joe is sitting at the corner table eating cereal. I set Kyle down on the floor and he runs to his father.

Ron's eyes are tired and he has dark circles under his eyes. I heard him open the front door this morning at 1 am then walk quietly up the stairs to their bedroom. Ron's a cardiac surgeon and Claire mentioned that he has been working longer shifts lately because the hospital is short-staffed.

Claire slides a cup of coffee across the kitchen counter to me.

"It's good to see you again Wrenna," Ron says as he carries Kyle over to his brother and sits him down at the round kitchen nook table.

"It's good to see you too, Ron," I reply. "You have a beautiful home," I add then take a sip of my coffee.

"If only he could enjoy it," Claire huffs from the kitchen but looks over at him with pride in her eyes.

He smiles at her when they make eye contact.

"How long are you going to be in town, Wrenna?" He asks as he pours cereal into a bowl for Kyle.