Death Sticks

5. Miss you.

It took Beya a moment to interpret what Matthew had just said. Lino. Lino. Lino. she thought repeating over and over again in her head. Is it possible that he--, that I just met--, my father? she wondered, contemplating the situation. No, I mean it's not "impossible" but coincidences like that just don't happen, she told herself. Nope, not possible. There's almost three million people in Brooklyn. Eight and a half in all of the city. She shook her head, buying into what she told herself. "Just a stupid coincidence," she mumbled under her breath. "Don't think about it." But how could she not? If there was a chance that was my father. "Stop it!" she snapped aloud. Beya noticed a women across the parking garage glance at her suspiciously. Whatever.

The second she stopped thinking about Matthew, she started thinking about Ethan. They'd known each other since she was five, and him six. She'd never even considered him as anything more than her best friend. Maybe he doesn't like me, she told herself naively. He just came on a little strong, that's all. In a week we'll be back to normal. Beya groaned. She really didn't want to have to wait a whole week. As Beya dreaded an entire week without her best and only friend, her mind wandered to the very first time they'd met.

A boy who looked about her age approached her. He was taller than her and wore a worried expression. She wasn't intimidated though, Beya never was. He looked down at his worn shoes, it almost looked like they were the only pair he had, based on their state of reck. He raised his head up again, his shaggy hair covering his left eye. He smiled, a small, crooked smile, but Beya could tell it was sincere. Awkwardly, he fidgeted with his hands, not knowing what to say. "H-hi," he started quietly, you could barely hear him over the frog in his throat. Beya thought back on what all the girls in her class had always said "Don't talk to boys. They have cooties." She considered it, I could use at least one friend though.

She hesitated but then introduced herself, "Hi," she waved, "I'm Beya," she stammered shyly. The boy blushed so obviously his snow white skin on his face turned a rosy red.

"I'm Ethan. Do you uh-, know why we're here?"

"Yeah," Beya nodded, then her small smile faded, "Do you?" Ethan shook his head no. Beya felt sympathy toward this boy whom she'd just met. She may have only been five, and him six, but she wanted to break the news to him in a soft way. "Um...what's the last thing you remember of your family?"

The color drained out of Ethan's face as he reflected upon his last encounter with his parents. "My uh...dad, a year ago, he died," a tear slithered down Ethan's cheek.

"I'm, so sorry," Beya apologized.

"No, it's fine."

Beya shook her head, "You don't have to lie. In fact, you never have to lie to me."

Ethan looked up at her and smiled a little. It was a small, but not at all forced smile. Beya's kind words couldn't fix his life, but it was a start, like putting together a piece in from a broken bowl. Ethan wanted to move on, but Beya was a curious and naive little girl. "How'd he die?" she interrogated.

"He took a rope and uh..." he paused, "he hung himself," he whispered.

Beya felt bad but at the same time wanted to keep digging. "And your mom?"

Well, the last thing I remember, she was on the sofa. We were at home when she started screaming and crying, my baby sister was about to be born she had told me. Without anyone to drive her to the hospital, she called an ambulance. We were in the hospital for what felt like days. When the screaming that came from her room finally stopped, I figured the baby had been born. I ran up to the door, but was stopped by a nurse who was nearly crying. Her blue scrubs were soaked with sweat. She grabbed my hand and held it tight. She sat me down in a chair and what she told me next changed my life. My mom had died in labor and me and my baby sister would be put up for adoption. I never got to see my sister, and now I'm here." Both Ethan and Beya were now nearly crying. Beya opened her arms and hugged Ethan as tight as she could.