Slow fade

30

I had gotten dressed and ready. I knew the boys would love where we were going. I texted my grandmother telling her our plans. I hadn't seen her in a while but we talk whenever we get a chance.

" Presley are you ready?"

" yea." I looked at my door to see Tom standing there waiting for me. When I finished the last of the final touches I joined them in the living room.

" ok here's the address it's about and hour drive but I promise it will be so worth it!"

" I wish you would tell us."

" it's a secret."

After some thinking last night I decided to try and be happy. I truly believed my mother was there with me in spirit, she never truly left. I believe she led me to bill and Tom and knew they would help me.

If I have an issue when it comes to my mental help I knew they would be there for me. All three of us were similar in ways as well.

I sat in the back seat and listened to the music playing as Tom drove to the location. It really wasn't even a bad drive at all with how fast Tom drove.

We pulled into a gravel drive way and I knew where I was. I haven't been here since I was 12 because my father refused to bring me. I texted my grandmother I was here but she said they were out right now and would be home in an hour or two.

" why did you bring a camera?" Bill asked.

" that's a secret you'll find out soon."

I walked behind the house to see where I was. I pulled a blanket out where my grandfather kept them and placed it on the open piece of land.

" why are we at a strangers house? And why did you know where they kept blankets?"

" they aren't strangers you'll find out now sit."

The boys sat on the big blanket with me. I looked at bill knowing I'd have to tell him.

" bill I need to tell  you what happened."

He sat and looked at me with his undivided attention. I told him the story of Rachel and what her brother did to me. I explained how I had called my mom and that's the night she died. I could see tears forming in his eyes.

" I'm fine now bill I promise but there's one thing I need to tell you. Tom you don't know this either."

Tom looked nervous but gave me his attention.

" when y'all left for the tour a couple months ago I was so depressed. I went a visited my mom and felt guilty for how I was the reason she was dead because I felt like it was my fault. I know now it's not though. I tried to commit a couple days after y'all left. Your dad found me and I was sent to a suicide prevention center. The day y'all came home and I walked in I had just been released. I'm sorry I've put y'all through so much in the short time you've known me. I'm trying to get better."

I was taken into their arms and given a group hug by my favorite twins. " you come to either one of us when you feel depressed please. We want to help you." Bill said.

" I will I promise."

" so can you tell me where we are now?"

" Presley I'm so glad to see you! Where have you been?" I turned around the see my grandfather. I stood up and ran to him. He was so much like my mom. I gave him a hug and my grandmother joined in.

" I'm sorry I haven't been around. You know my dad he refused to bring me. He changed after her."

" we know he called us to cuss us out all the time. I'm glad you came though."

" I brought some people to meet you as well."

I motioned for bill and Tom to come meet them. " this is bill and Tom and they are my best friends."

My grandmother placed her hands on both of their faces and studied them. I then saw a tear roll down her cheek.

" your Simone's sons. You look so much like her." She pulled them into a hug and didn't let go of them.

" I heard what happened I'm so sorry."

" we're ok now."

" I know we've been through it." She said looking at me.

" we'll come in."my grandfather said. We walked into their house and it hadn't changed since I had last been here. We all sat down in the living room but my grandma had gone somewhere in the house.

" look through these." She placed photo books in our laps. We looked through them to see them full of pictures of our moms together.

" they were inseparable. If they weren't here then they were at Simone's."

The boys looked at the pictures as if they were studying them. " Ma'am is it ok if we keep a few of these we don't have many when she was younger."

" you take whichever ones you want I have copies." She said laughing.

We stayed in the room looking through pictures, laughing at stories of our moms, and crying at the thought of them not being here.

" you know before she passed she would send me pictures of you boys every year on your birthday and Christmas. It was if I had two more grandchildren."

" I didn't know she did that." I said.

" yea she was part of our family."

" can you do something for us please?" I asked my grandmother.

All of us walked outside and headed to the meadow which I was named after. I positioned me and the boys and we stood there waiting for my grandmother to take out picture.

After she room a couple I went and looked at them. I took out a picture from my pocket and placed it next to the one she took.

" now we have our own." Bill and Tom surrounded the camera and looked at it. We had almost exactly remade the picture of our moms I. This exact meadow when they were our ages.

" I'll make copies." My grandmother said. She wanted one as well. She came back a few moments later and handed us all our own copies.

" you come see us old people more often you hear me."

" yes ma'am."

" and you make sure to bring them too."

I hugged her and my grandfather. The boys hugged them as well and we headed towards toms car. We waved at them as we pulled out of the drive way.

" thank you for today Presley." Tom said turning to look at me.

" I figured they could tell us stories about our moms we had never heard. Sometimes things like that help. Thank you for listening to me today."

" we will always be with you." Bill said.