The Rising (final book of The Call series) ~ TMNT Fanfiction

Chapter 18: Pieces

"Do you have everything?" I ask, as I glance behind me to see if my sister is still there, to make sure she hasn't changed her mind. But I'm comforted and feel a little more secure when I see that she's right behind me. She has a gentle, almost half-hearted smile resting on her face. She looks a little tired, but still manages to maintain her stunning beauty. Her hair is perfect as always, and her makeup is perfect. 

"What time is he released?" Before I'm given the chance to answer my sister's question, an uninvited visitor pops up.

"Who?"

Rose and I both freeze. From my peripheral vision, I see Rose turn towards my mother. I don't though. Whether it's out of fear or shame, or maybe a childish sense of shunning, I just stand there, facing the door. I don't want to look over.

Rose tenses up. "No one."

I almost laugh in spite of the situation. Rosalie carries on the 'Awful Liar' legacy in the King family children. We're all awful liars, no matter how hard we try to perfect ourselves in the skill. Not that it's a very good skill to have in the first place.

"Just...uh..." Rose tries to find another thing to say. I would help her if it weren't for the fact that I'd probably make the situation even worse and then we'd have two really awful liars, stuttering and making lame excuses. I don't really want to double the awkwardness of this situation.

"Where are you going, Rosalie?" Mom always targets Rose in situations like this because she knows that my sister is not only an awful liar, but she panics when she's put on the spot. She doesn't want to be in trouble. I don't blame her though.

Rose stares at Mom, with wide eyes and a slightly frightened look on her face. But she's trying to be brave: she's tensing up a little bit and her face twitches every few moments, as she struggles to keep a brave face on.

I can't take it.

"We're going to meet Dad," I say. "He's released today."

Mom's stare doesn't linger on Rose for another moment. It's now fixed on me. I'm shaken up a bit by it, but I try to hold my ground.

Mom looks a mix of exasperated and upset. "Alexandra, I told you how I feel about you going to meet up with him! I don't know what you girls don't understand."

"You don't understand, Mom," I say, almost pleadingly. "Please, just give him a chance. You won't even hear him out. You won't even listen. You won't even try to understand!"

Her beady eyes bore into mine for what feels like eternity. 

"Go."

Silence.

I stare back at her.  "What?"

"Go. Before I change my mind." The tone she says it in clearly states that she doesn't want us to go, at all. But something inside me says she doesn't want us to stay either.

I look at her for a brief moment, and then it hurts to do so. I open the door and hurry out, hoping my sister can catch up with me.

My feet take me down the flights of stairs quickly, and I can barely hear Rosalie's little feet following. A gust of wind welcomes me at the bottom.

I can't anymore. I hate fighting with her, more than almost anything. I love my mom. I hate how things have been the past few months. I hate it so much. My mind can't understand what happened. A beautiful, healthy relationship between mother and daughter transformed to a monstrous association. And it wasn't one big thing that made that transformation...I think it was a collection of little things that added up to big things.

I suppose we all deal with grief differently. She is grieving both the death of her only son, and the return of a husband who abandoned her. 

When I climb inside the car, I'm given the time to look at my surroundings.