One By One (editing)

Chapter Nineteen

take a second and vote!! it means a lot! thanks for reading!!

************************************************************

Mom refused to tell me any more until we were seated in the plastic covered booths of the 24/7 Diner. She chose the booth in the corner, closest towards the back mirror wall and around the corner from the bar.

Ok we're 10,000 miles away from everybody. Tell me!! Her silence was eating me alive and all she did was tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, sitting down in the booth acting like everything was normal.

A waitress with a blonde low ponytail looking in her early thirties came up to us with a pad and paper. She snapped her gum. "What would you ladies like?"

"Coffee and water for me please," Mom smiled. "Oh, and can we share some cheesy fries?"

"Of course, honey." the waitress, Lucy, scribbled on her pad before turning to me. "And for you, darlin'?"

"Just a water thanks."

"Be back soon, ladies." She walked away to make our order.

"Mom, you got to tell me. I can't wait any longer," I blurted.

"Just wait until she leaves again. It's not an easy story to tell. I need to figure out how to tell you," Mom offered a grim smile and leaned back as Lucy placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of her.

"You just wave me over if you need anything else, alright ladies?" Lucy finished placing our waters and fries on the table, waiting until we nodded before going off to serve another table.

"She's gone," I prodded, plucking a greasy fry from under the cheesy blanket.

"I know." Mom sighed, "I don't even know where to start." She looked up at the ceiling, taking a deep breath. Tears gathered up in her eyes, shining in the lights from the diner.

"Can I ask one question before you do start?" I asked, now scared of what the answer would be. It wasn't even that she was hesitating to explain to me everything, it was that it was so difficult that she didn't know how. That fact alone made my palms sweat in a panicky anxiousness.

"Sure." She poured some cream and sugar into her coffee, waiting for me as she stirred.

"Do you know who the kidnapper is?"

"Yes." Her voice was clear and she looked straight at me, burning holes into my head. I felt my breath catch and my heart pick up the pace.

"Who?" This felt like a dream. How did my mom know? How could she know? Why did she know? All the questions piled up like bees buzzing around in my head, causing me to miss Mom's answer. "What did you say?"

"Me," She breathed and blinked back the threatening tears. "The kidnapper is me."

"What?!" I shrieked, standing up so suddenly that the whole table shook. My water jumped out of the glass and spilled onto my pants, giving me a harsh wake-up call to snap out of my blind outburst.

"Carter, sit down."

"But, you-" I stuttered. The words couldn't form. Moms couldn't kidnap their own kids, right? That was dumb, Mom wouldn't do that. They already had the kids living under a roof, with food on the table, a husband who supports.

"You wanted to know," Mom started. "Now let me explain my motive."

"But-"

"Carter, sit down and please let me explain. This is going to be extremely hard and I need your full attention. I try to believe that I made the right decision, and you're either going to completely understand or completely hate me by the time I'm finished."