All I Ever Wanted

Mike's POV

It's been two days since the dinner with Mom. Emma and Phoebe visited their grandmother yesterday and today I'm meeting with Mom for the second time. Emma and Phoebe wanted to attend. Except they don't really have a choice after what happened last time so Emma's staying at home and Phoebe is going to school.

I look down at my messages. None. I frown. Usually Layla and I text non-stop but for the last two days I haven’t received a single one. I hope she’s okay. I've called her a few times but always get the answering machine, I left messages.

I tuck my phone into my pocket and stare at the clock. Only a minute more. Work is boring and it comes with late hours, and my boss makes me stay until the last second. On the bright side I get paid for doing practically nothing and lots of holidays.

I work at a high school. It’s the only high school in miles so it’s over crowded and full of reckless teenagers. It’s my job to stand around and report anyone breaking the rules. My job is so unimportant it doesn't even come with a title. Most people would put my job under 'Dinner Staff' yet I rarely work at dinner.

Thirty seconds left. According to my phone work was finished five minutes ago but the clocks in the school are all five minutes slow. I see a student with purple hair walk past. That’s against the rules and I debate whether to report him. If I didn't the boss would never know and if I did the student would hate me. I decide to let it slide, because it was cool hair. The second hand crawls to the twelve and I run out of there like the buildings on fire.

I dressed up a little for dinner with my mother because it was probably somewhere posh or expensive. I also feel the need to make up for last time.

I wait outside like instructed and she picks me up in her silver car. She speaks to me but this time she seems more like her timid self. Apparently before she met dad she was strong and outgoing. In my experience she had always been shy, but perhaps because she was always around dad. I remember that when he wasn't around she was more like her normal self. Now that dad isn't around I suppose she’s returning to the way she used to be, and I'm not sure I like it.

 "Hi! We’re going to my place today." She announces. I smile; she doesn't seem bossy or rude today. Then she adds distastefully "There aren’t many nice restaurants around here."

I protest "Yes there is!" because of course there are lots of nice places to eat. Mom probably meant posh restaurants and she's right, there aren't any of those. However it does not mean we can't go to any of the places this town offered. Mom either didn't hear or is ignoring me because she doesn't answer.  

The rest of dinner is fairly boring but on the upside my mom warmed to me a little. Her shy self is nowhere to be seen and her other self is softening a little. I think before she was afraid of opening up. We haven't seen each other in a long time due to our difference in opinion. While she lost the mean trait she’s keeps the snobby outlook on my town. 

When I return home I find Lauren and John waiting for me. "Hey guys! What are you doing here?" I ask curiously.

"Did you speak to your mother? Go to dinner, have fun?" Lauren asks in a harsh tone.

I frown at her and wonder why this is any of her business. "Yeah, why?" I ask puzzled. Lauren stares at me for a moment. Then she storms off leaving John and I standing awkwardly on my drive. "I don't understand." I admit hoping he'll explain.

 He sighs. "Your mother helped a murderer. It's common knowledge she’s he's partner in crime and she got away without so much as a fine..." He would have finished but I cut him off.

"The reason she got away is because she didn't do anything! I was there, REMEMBER? Because I sure as hell do, it’s kind of hard to forget watching your father kill your brother!" I hiss only raising my voice once. I glare disgustedly at my so called friend. There are plenty of rumours about how my mother was my father’s partner in crime. He believed mindless rumours over me. Me who helplessly watched as my brother died, when the bullet should never have hit him. I saw what happened and I was powerless to stop it or fix the damage. The worst part was; I should have been the one to die that night. 

John looks at me sadly "Her parents were murdered, soon after your brother was. You have to see her point of view.”

But sadly I don’t. All I see is my best friend walking away because of a rumour his wife believes.  

“You only remember what you want to believe Mike." John adds harshly.

I stare at him like he's lost his mind. If that’s what he thought was he ever really my friend? I thought he was; I thought he understood. Perhaps he just felt sorry for me, the guy who’s a little crazy. But I'm not crazy; I didn't make it up or imagine it.

I turn and walk away. Stopping for a moment I call softly "Goodbye." But I don't look back.

I sit in the living room and turn on the T.V. I don't hear a single word coming from it because I'm so deep in thought. A voice interrupts after only a minute or two. "What happened?"

I look up to see Emma’s worried face. I smile at her. I decided I wouldn't tell her but I find the words leaking out of my lips anyway. Once I tell her the highlights I study her expression. It is not what I expected. Her eyebrows are raised, her eyes are wide and her mouth is hanging open a little. A perfect expression of shock. "He doesn't believe you?" She asks incredulously. I frown. I'd expected her to be indifferent since it doesn't really affect her but to my surprise she seems to care. That's more than I can say for anyone else. She continues "I think it would be hard to forget something like that! I believe you."

I smile slightly "Thanks."

Emma looks confused "Thanks for what?"

I stare at her curiously. Emma usually knew these kinds of things. I don't think I've ever explained to her anything, she always seemed to understand. I wonder why she didn't guess especially because it is so obvious. "Thanks for believing me."

She says "No one should doubt what you saw so you don't need to thank me."