Gone (Ianthony)

Two Weeks and Fourteen Hours Before

Anthony:    

"Does she even know we're coming?"

I glanced over at my dad briefly, my attention half focused on the road and half focused on what the hell I was about to do.

"Well... she knows I'm coming," I replied, turning onto her street and shrugging slightly.

"Are you sure about this? I mean, what if she pulls a knife out or something..."

I laughed a little. "I think you're forgetting whose house we're going to."

He shrugged, and I felt kinda bad for putting him in this position. But I could tell, deep down, he did want to talk to her. And I knew I could get my mom to at least try to work things out, too. Even with him.

When I pulled into her driveway, her car sat alone. I turned the car off and took a deep breath, glancing at my dad, who only unbuckled his seatbelt and drummed his fingers nervously against his thigh.

I knocked on the door softly, somewhat hoping she would never answer. But, I kept telling myself that the sooner I mended all the bridges I had burned over the past few months, the sooner I would be on my way to Michigan. On my way to Ian.

Then she opened it. And she smiled at me softly. 

And then, her eyes slided over to my dad. And the smile fell instantly.

For a moment, no one said anything. My parents just stared at each other, face-to-face for the first time in so many years.

"Hi Mom," I finally said, quitely.

"I..." She shook her head at my dad, who only tried to smile slightly at her.

"Can we come in?" I asked, biting my lip.

"I-I guess."

I couldn't help but notice her glare at my dad as he stepped through the doorway.

|||

I couldn't even get them to talk to each other until twenty minutes later.

And, just as I expected, it was extremely awkward at first. My mom kept giving me dirty glances, my dad sitting uncomfortably next to me. But, after a while, I finally got them to speak. And there was some yelling, and some swearing, and quite a lot of anger in the air. But I finally resorted to the guilt card when I couldn't get them to shut up, and, surprisingly, it worked.

"I can't believe I am twenty seven years old and my parents still act more immature than I do."

Their eyes both fell on me, but I refused to look at either of them.

"You both have no idea what I've gone through these past few months. And I'm not even gonna try to explain it, because I'm sure you both can imagine how I'm feeling right now. I think I know where Ian is, and I really, really wanna go get him home, but I told myself I was gonna fix everything I've ruined lately before I leave. I don't know why; maybe I just have a gut feeling that he won't be there or he'll be dead and I'll need something to hold on to. I'm not asking you to get married again, or even talk ever again after today. I just want you to get along." I paused to shake my head. "And I want answers. Mom, why did you not want me to see Dad, and Dad, why didn't you try harder if you really cared so much?"

They both fell silent, and by the look on their faces, I could tell it had worked.

My mom was the first to speak. She sighed, then a look of concern washed over her face, and she glanced at my dad.

"I did overreact, I know. Not letting your dad see you and all. But he did cheat on me and leave us with nothing at our worst point. I just didn't want you getting raised by someone who would teach you cheating is okay as long as you get a lot of money out of it. But it was wrong of me. I should have let him see you. I shouldn't have lied. I'm sorry." She looked at both of us, and I could tell she meant it. "Both of you."

I glanced over at my dad, who had his head down, and for a moment, I prepared for the worst, because honestly, it's what I was expecting, but then he looked up, and I felt happiness flow through me before he even opened his mouth.

"You had every right to keep me out of his life. Cheating on you was the biggest mistake of my life, and I truly mean that. It's just... we were struggling financially, and I was sick of having to work so hard and still have trouble putting food on the table, and I guess I just thought having money was more important than having a loving family."

He looked back down, shaking his head at the table. "But I was wrong. I was so wrong. I regretted it every single day. I missed both of you so much, and knowing I left my son to be raised by a single parent who would now have so much of a harder time providing... I never forgave myself. And I did try. But I was scared, and I knew only negative consequences would occur."

He looked at my mom. "I'm so sorry." And then at me. "I really am."

And right there, in my mom's kitchen, for the first time in twenty years, I felt like I had a complete, whole family again. It was the best feeling I'd experienced in months.

But I had a feeling mending things with Ian's family wouldn't be so simple.