Meeting You..

Chapter Seven: A Long Weekend

I woke up at nine. I had to be at work at noon. I sat up in my bed and wiped my eyes. They were still tender from crying. I walked to the bathroom and there was my mom just staring at herself in the mirror.

            “Mom?” I asked. She looked at me and her eyes were full of tears. My mind suddenly jumped to conclusions; the dog died, grandma got into a fight with mom, we’re having money problems. No.

            “You father is gone.” She said it with a shaky voice then crumpled to the floor. I wrapped a hand around my mouth. She handed me the note.

            ‘I can’t hide it any longer. I have been unfaithful to you Rebecca, I’m sorry. Tell Melody I love her.’

            I stared at it for, a long time thinking, But this kind of stuff doesn’t happen to our family. I’m obviously wrong. I looked at my mother, the woman that is supposed to be so strong when I am weak. I dropped the paper and went to my room. I put my hair in a ponytail, pulled on some sweats and a t-shirt and grabbed my car keys.

            I headed to Katie’s house but then I remembered she was on her way to a family reunion in freaking Georgia, so I decided to go to the river.

            I sat on the shore and closed my eyes, a cool breeze wrapped around me and I wished I had brought a jacket. There was no feeling exactly; it was just a numbness, like everything really wasn’t happening. I felt the sand in between my fingers. It felt safe there. The calm river was the only thing non hectic in my life.

            I stood up and walked toward the river, I stepped into the water, shoes and all. I looked up at the sky. A cool breeze swept across the shore and I shivered.

            “Melody? Is that you?” I frowned and turned around. Jonah.

            “Go away.” I said. I avoided looking at him because I had been crying and I could hear it in my voice and he probably could too.

            “What are you doing?” He asked, sort of laughing.

            “I’m standing in the river, what does it look like dumbass?” He smiled then.

            “Why weren’t you at work?” He asked. I looked at him then.

            “How do you know I wasn’t at work today?”

            “Your Aunt told me you were supposed to be working today but she didn’t know where you were, so I was on my way home then I saw some retard standing in the river in fifty degree weather.” He blushed. I felt my heart throb.

            Things got quiet. I stared down the river thinking about my dad. How could he do this to me?

            “Are you okay?” He asked. A tear fell from my eye. I looked down and wiped my nose on my arm. I nodded. I looked at my shoes in the water, smothered by sand.

            “My dad left us.” My voice shook as I said it. I heard him sigh but I couldn’t look at him.

            “You want to talk about it?” He asked. Suddenly, I felt stupid for being there. Crying, in front of Jonah. I didn’t even know him. Who did he think he was creeping on me anyways?

            I began to walk away fast. Water was dripping from my feet but I didn’t care.

            “Whoa, Melody! Wait! What did I say?!” He followed me to my car.