Beneath the Surface

Chapter 6

"So when did it start?" I ask Liam the moment we got into his room and sat down on his bed.

"When he was in the fifth grade." Liam says looking down at his hands.

"What happened then?"

"Nothing to cause this much depression. I mean...sure my mom and dad separated around the same time, but I don't think that's enough to cause someone into depression. You know? Even for a fifth grader."

"What happened between your parents? Or is that too personal." I say realizing I might be prying a little too much into his family's business.

"Nah. It's fine. I don't really know exactly. I just remember that night."

"Which night?"

"The night I last saw my father."

"Wait. You haven't seen your father for that long?"

"Yeah." Liam says sadly.

"I thought your parents just separated and not that your father just left his sons too."

"Well, he did."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. It's fine. Really Hailey." He said in an unconvincing way.

"So what happened?"

He snapped out of his thoughts and said, "My parents got into this argument."

"Was it really serious? I'm guessing that it was. That was a stupid question. Forget I asked."

"No. No. Ask anything you like. I might have forgotten a key thought."

"You sure?"

"Totally." He smiled and continued on. "I don't really know what the argument was. By the time I got home from Carter's house...his parents dropped me off...and I heard yelling. I came through the door, but I guess they didn't hear me. So I creped around the kitchen and hid behind the wall to hear what was happening, but by the time I got there it was too late. The argument had ended and the next thing I knew my mother was crying in the kitchen and my father rushed out of the kitchen and caught me lurking around. He had asked me what I had heard. I told him I didn't hear anything and that I just got back from Carter's. He said 'good' and 'I'm sorry, but it looks like I won't be around much longer. Your mother and I are separating.' Then he padded me on the shoulder, gave me a regretful look, and left."

"Where was Adam?"

"In his room. He was playing video games. I went up to see him and he was laughing and having a great time. I don't think he knew what was going on downstairs. He had headphones on and the game was pretty loud. I could hear the game coming from the headphones."

"So what happened later that day?"

"Nothing really. Mom kept crying and Adam was Adam. Nothing else out of the ordinary happened."

"How did Adam react when he found out about your parents?"

"Like any other kid I assume. He was upset. Like how I was."

"So you don't think this separation has anything to do with his depression?"

"I don't know. He didn't start showing signs until later and before that he was fine. He was acting out for the first two weeks. You know, talking back at mother and refusing to do the chores. Normal kid behavior for going through a parent's divorce."

"So it's not the divorce is what we're saying?"

"I don't think it's the reason, but I'm not ruling it out just yet."