You Can't Fly

Chapter 4

 "Amolas, are you listening?" I shook myself and looked up at Kristen. "I just asked you a question."

"Oh." Over the last few days, I found it difficult to focus on anything for too long. My mind was filled with what ifs. What if I had been there when my parents were taken? What if I could have stopped it? What if I had been taken too?

"I get it." Kristen took a sip of the coffee Gwen had made for her. We had been sitting across from each other at the worn wooden table in the kitchen. This was Kristen's second visit since my parents disappeared and I said even less.

"I'm sorry." I wanted to talk about it, but my mouth felt sealed shut. What could I say to her? My parents were most likely kidnapped because of me? I had no way of knowing at the time what had happened to my parents, but I had so convinced myself that this was the case, that I was unable to think of it any other way.

"We get it. This isn't exactly something that you get over overnight. It's a lot to process. We can talk of something else if you want." Kristen shrugged her shoulders and leaned back in her chair sipping at her coffee.

"It's ok."

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Kristen frowned.

"You two look hungry. How about I make you some lunch?" Gwen appeared from the living room.

I was thankful for the interruption. I needed a second to collect my thoughts. I watched as Kristen popped up to help Gwen almost as if they were mother and daughter. Sadly, Kristen's mom had been out of the picture for a while now. Abandoned her family for the allure of California beaches and buff men.

"Here you are." Gwen grinned as she placed a turkey sandwich in front of me. Needless to say, but I wasn't all that hungry.

"Eat up."

"Maybe later, I said.

Gwen shook her head. "You are going to waste away to nothing."

"I'll be fine."

"I don't know what your parents have been feeding, but it certainly isn't enough." Gwen sighed and picked up the plate. "It will be in the fridge."

"Thank you." I managed. I hated myself in these moments. Here Gwen and Kristen were attempting to be kind and all I did was push them away. Did Gwen regret taking me in?

"Amolas?" Kristen said.

"Yes?"

"Please talk about it. You can't hold this in forever." Kristen took a bite of her own sandwich and studied me.

"You had another argument with your mother didn't you?"

My teeth clenched at her words. Kristen knew me all too well. It was no secret that I didn't get along with my mother. I hated to bring her into this, but it helped me to keep my sanity. She didn't exactly have a close relationship with her mother either.

"That's a start. What was it about this time?"

I swallowed the lump throat; Telling Kristen about our fights had its pitfalls. "I don't remember what started it, but it ended when she told me that I was the reason they didn't have anymore children." To be honest, that was what bothered me the most. That and the odd mixture of fright and anger that had played across her face. What wasn't she telling me?

Kristen winced. "Ouch.

"So..."

"You went to the park."

"Yep."

"Your dad picked you up." Kristen knew me all too well. "You hoped that maybe this would be the time that she picked you up?"