No Regrets

Chapter Fifty-Six - Not Everyone Knows

KATIE'S POV

  Dominick has fallen into a routine that I have observed for the past week. He wakes up, gets dressed, goes to school, comes home, and stays in his room. Everyday when i've come home from school, I find his car in the driveway and his bedroom door shut. He hasn't talked much to the parents and he hasn't spoken a word to me.

 The video project was turned in this week, and they'll be an evening showcase next week on Friday, family is invited to attend. All the videos will be showcased during the school day, and students will vote on the one they like. The three videos with the most votes will be the ones shown during the evening showcase. Sawyer and I haven't spoken much, last real conversation we had was when I picked up the video camera and SD cards from him. He'd been given them a while back to begin to final editing. The conversation was brief, he asked how my family was. I gave him an answer. I asked him about his family and he gave me an answer. We discussed a few more topics before I left.

   Linkon called me to ask how Dominick was doing, apparently I'm not the only one who Dominick hasn't spoken to. Linkon was worried and wanted to come over, but in the end he decided it was best to give Dominick some space. Dad has held off on going out of town for work, he wants to be sure everything at home is alright. Mom still cries at times.

   We all have holes in our hearts. Right now, Mom is catching up from the days she took off from work. Dad is resting in the bedroom, Dominick is locked away in his room, and I am sitting at the kitchen table. The presents from family for my birthday are still unopened and cards from relatives are piling up on my desk upstairs. I let out a sigh and reach for a present. Just before I tear into the wrapping paper the doorbell rings. I jump up and hurry up to answer the door. I keep the chain on the door and crack the door open. I'm a bit surprised when I see Tyde. She meets my eyes for a moment and I see something in her expression soften. "Hello." She says.

"Hi." I say. We stand in silence for a moment before I think to unlock the chain and invite her in. "One moment." I say as I shut the door and remove the chain. I open the door back up, "Please come in." I say as I take a step back.

"Thank you." Tyde says as she steps inside. "Is Dominick upstairs?" She asks.

"He is." I answer as I lock the front door. "But he's not really in the mood for company." I add.

   Tyde nods her head, "Good thing I'm not here to keep him company." She says before walking upstairs. I follow a few feet behind. She knocks on his door, I hear his muffled voice say something, "I hope you're dressed because I'm opening the door." Tyde says in response. She twists the knob to find it's locked, she knocks on the door again. "Unlock the door yourself or I will." A minute passes without anything happening, Tyde rolls her eyes, "I guess I have to unlock the door." She mumbles. She opens her purse and pulls out a small screwdriver. She catches me watching and just smiles, "Trick I learned by having brothers who lock their doors when they get mad or steal my stuff." She says.

   I hear the lock click and Tyde turns the knob. "Okay, it's time to get up." She says as she enters the room. She peeks her head out for a moment and gives me a smile, "Give us a minute." She says before pulling her head back in and shutting the door.

"Get out." I hear Dominick says firmly.

"Not until you do the same. You have basically spent an entire week in here, the room stinks and so do you." Tyde replies.

   Dominick uses very strong language in his response which is meet by equally strong language from Tyde. I listen to them go back and forth for a couple of minutes.

"I'm asking you to take a shower and perhaps spray some air freshener in here." Tyde says. "Not like I'm asking you to end world hunger or cure stupidity."