Tears Behind Our Eyes: A Prequel

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Jumping off a bridge in the rain with just boxer-briefs and a T-shirt is not smart. Trust me, I did it. Not smart. Why would I jump off a bridge if I was happy and no longer suicidal (thanks, Mia Kaye)? Well, let's go back to earlier in the day.

The one class I didn't have with Mia Kaye was science. We had science the same period but with different teachers. The classrooms were right next to each other so after class, we'd just meet up. Our system was a good one. It worked flawlessly most of the time. Most of the time. This day, Mia Kaye's birthday, unfortunately, was one when it didn't work.

We watched movies in class. First Bill Nye: The Science Guy, then Finding Nemo. But I mostly just texted Mia Kaye. The conversation may have consisted of Disney quotes back and forth.

Mia Kaye: Just keep moving forward

Me: Meet the Robinsons. Just keep swimming

Mia Kaye: Finding Nemo. It's gonna be a good day today, Mikey!

Me: Monsters Inc. No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true.

Mia Kaye: Cinderella. Damn. From memory?

Mia Kaye: I was hiding under your porch because I love you.

Me: Up. Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.

She replied when some random number called me. I ignored it, then it rang again immediately. I excused myself after the third time the same number called me. In the hall, I answered, sort of irritated. "Is this Mr. Jackson Bayley?"

"Uh, that depends, who are you?"

"I have a Sally Bayley here and I--"

"That's my mom. Where is she?"

"Excuse me?" She sounded insane, pun intended. (You'll understand in a second.)

"You said you have my mom with you so where are you and I can get her?"

"Oh right, sorry," the lady mumbled. I didn't mean to sound rude but normally, people introduce their name and what company or business they're from, if that's part of why they're calling, like this instance. "My name is Brooke, I'm from St. Waters Mental Institution. We have your mother here with your father and I'm legally required to let you know... I have to call the police so you can get an attorney." She whispered after the pause, sounding frightened.

"Police? Why?"

"Well, your father," she didn't need to say anything after that. I just knew. "Um, threatened your mother in front of many eyewitnesses, including security for the downtown area. Your mom then started slitting her wrists in front of him."

I had to correct her, I couldn't stand the judgement people gave when they thought I was related to the monster in my life. "My dad died saving my life. That guy's my step dad. And it's not new for him to threaten things. I'm surprised he didn't do more than that. My mom has been trying to leave for years. The suicide attempts stopped after my dad died and [he] picked her up off the street as a prostitute."

Silence until, "Your mom was going on about someone dead in a Dumpster and becoming a zombie, too-- while we were admitting her. Do you know anything about this?"

"Um, yeah. No zombie. Nobody's dead. He does that when he thinks he got rid of me. It was me in the trash. She called me later that night. I hadn't been home since. I've been living with a friend. This all happened months ago, maybe a year."