Mending Ryan Falls ✓

32 | in which he witnesses reunions

Meet me where the end begins,
In echoes of the past,
Where your world is me,
And my world is you.

.\.|./.

Ryan Falls

| in which he witnesses reunions |

Sometimes you think you have life right on track, and suddenly comes a storm and whips you in the opposite direction.

This girl, with her blonde hair and wide, blue eyes, with the fashion sense of a stay-at-home mom and the attitude that can go from zero to ten million in a microsecond, and with the smile that can melt my greatest resolve ... she's my storm.

LA was supposed to be my home. It was supposed to be where I would love to go, back to my family and friends, back to relive all the pleasant memories. That's just it: LA is none of that for me. Instead of being my childhood haven, it's my worst nightmare. It's the place that showed me the worst horrors imaginable. It's the place that took my sanity and nearly took my life.

I can't count all the times I thought about dying. I can't count all the times I thought death would be my only rescue. I had no one to help me get out of all the pain. I had no one who would look me in the eyes and tell me it will be okay.

I was living a nightmare, and there was no waking up from it.

Crystal wants to see her family before we go, and I drive into the narrow Alaskan streets to reach the disorganized street. The house is old but well-maintained, and getting out of the car, Crystal stands in front of the door for an uncannily long time.

I would tell her to go in, but I don't. I don't want to push her. This is her decision to make, her battle to fight. If she wants to go in, she will. If she wants to turn around and walk away, she will. As for me? I'll stand by her whether in fight or in flight.

Raising a hesitant hand, she finally rings the bell.

The scene unfolds too fast.

All I know is that the door swings open, revealing a plump woman with a headscarf and a beaded necklace around her neck. She has thick spectacles perched on her nose, through which she peeks closely at Crystal before her mouth drops open.

Next thing I know, I'm standing witness to a waterfall.

The women -- one young, one old -- have their arms wrapped around each other and the older one is sobbing hysterically, mumbling words in between that my mind can hardly make out.

"Jerry! Jerry, come see, your daughter's come back home!"

No Jerry comes to see his daughter, but the woman is too busy sobbing to care. She pulls back to take Crystal's face in her hands, kissing her on every bit of her exposed skin. It would be quite a strange sight if not for the joy on Crystal's face. She looks like she's glad she came, and that makes me happier than I have been in a while.

"How have you been, darling?" Crystal's mother asks her through the tears, shushing us inside before closing the door behind us. "Are you okay? Are you happy?"

The last question catches my attention, and apparently Crystal's too. She glances my way and our meet before she smiles slightly.

"I haven't been," she says, looking back at her mother. "But I am now."

The woman understands -- at least I think she does -- glancing my way and nodding.

"Is this a friend?" she asks Crystal.

Crystal nods.

I nod too, and smile, bowing my head slightly. "Ryan, ma'am."

"You seem like such a sweet guy," the woman says, sniffling and wiping her tears as she turns back to Crystal. "I'm so happy you're back, honey. I was worried he'd do something bad to you. That boy was always --"