Saving the Reject | Michael Clifford | Editing

t h i r t y t h r e e ;

Charli

I stood with my hand still on the doorknob of Michael's parents' house, watching, utterly shocked, as Michael drove away. He actually drove away.  Not only did he run away from his problems, but he left me stuck in the middle of them.  I couldn't help but be completely pissed off.

Attempting to not let my anger get the best of me, I closed the door behind me gently, boldly walking back into his childhood home, wiping the angry tears from my cheeks, and trying my best not to look at all the adorable pictures of Michael as a child. I'm mad at him - I'm mad at him - I'm mad at him.

"C-Charli?" Karen chocked out as she saw me.  I almost broke down into another episode of tears at the site of Michael's parents comforting each other, their eyes bloodshot, their faces red.  "Where's Michael?"

I bit the inside of my cheek.  How the hell am I supposed to tell his parents that he straight up left without even trying to forgive them, without making him sound like an asshole?  That's the problem, I can't.  But if his parents really want his forgiveness, they wouldn't give up so easily, would they?  "Michael - uh, well, h-he left."

The reaction I got was not what I was expecting.

"Oh, honey," Karen said, standing and rushing over to me, engulfing me in her motherly embrace.  This action only seemed to make me more frustrated with Michael.  Here, he had two parents who were willing to do whatever it takes to earn his forgiveness, and he doesn't even realize how wonderful that is.  He doesn't realized that I would kill to be in his position.  I would kill to have parents like his.  To have parents at all.  "I'm so sorry he left you here because of us."

I pulled away from her, my mouth falling open a little.  "Oh, no, no it's not your fault, Mrs. Clifford! I'm sorry that he's been so insensitive.  It isn't like him."

"I can't say I didn't expect something like this," Daryl said sadly, standing up as well.  "We haven't been good parents to him.  I wouldn't expect him to forgive us so easily."

"Please don't think so lowly of yourselves," I whispered into the silent dinning room, looking worriedly from Daryl to Karen.  "You're good people.  Good people make mistakes, and that doesn't make them any less than they were before.  And the fact that the two of you are owning up to the mistake you made makes you even better people.  Michael will realize that soon enough, and he will forgive you.  You deserve to be a family."

The room returned to silence, but as I looked to Michael's parents, they both were looking at me with smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes.  "I'm so glad our boy found someone like you."

*        *        *        *        *        *

Midnight.

And I'm all alone in my apartment, wide awake, tears streaming down my face.

Dawson and Emmy had gone for drinks with some friends, and though I told them I was completely fine with being on my own tonight, I'm regretting the decision to let them go.  If they were here, the both of them would be out here with me, keeping me company, comforting me.

I'd already taken my antidepressant, but after sitting here for three hours in complete darkness with the same thoughts running through my head, I wanted to take another one.  Or two.  Or twenty.

Would you forgive your parents?

I guess that's the question, isn't it?  Am I being completely insensitive and hypocritical towards Michael?  Because I don't think I could ever forgive my parents; they had ruined my life.  But - had they?