A Chance to Heal

Revelation

It was unreal, seeing Quentin after all this time. How much he had grown from the tan healthy-looking five-year-old she remembered him as. Now he was lanky, scrawny, and pale. Dark hair mussed around his face. He was wearing dark baggy clothing that made him look thinner. As he stood in front of her, she noticed how he held himself. Arms crossed against his chest. Shifting his weight from one sneakered foot to the other. Looking down at her, his mouth twisted in a frown. For a moment, he said nothing. All he did was stare down at her in complete awkward silence. Like he was possibly picking what to say to her. Or even what he wanted to demand of her. A minute later, he said,"I almost didn't recognize you, you've changed so much."

"You seem to be doing well, Kathy.",he added. His words held a somewhat bitter weight to them. Like he was expecting her to be a wreck or something. Kathryn did her best to keep her face neutral. Which was all she could do to keep herself from freaking out. As she gripped her purse tighter, she stated,"I've been working with a therapist for a bit now. She's really been helping me out."

"That's good, that's really good.",Quentin told her. Though his tone didn't match his words in the slightest. It was slowly making her uncomfortable as they stared at each other. Why was he so angry with her? What had she done to make him so agitated? Before she could ask, he stated,"Things haven't been great for me or for Nan. We haven't been sleeping or anything for days."

"We've been having these horrible nightmares...really vivid, painful, nightmares about y-your Dad...",he trailed off. This is what her Mother told her that Nancy said. Kathryn glanced over at Loretta. Her Mother had a frozen look on her face. One that she really couldn't interpret well enough. Carefully, she reached over and gripped her Mother's hand. Trying to silently reassure her Mother. Of what she wasn't entirely sure of. Loretta gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Quentin continued,"You're perfectly fine but me and Nan have been in Hell for almost a week. How the are you fine and we're not?"

"What do you want me to tell you?",she snapped. Kathryn glared up at him, her mouth twisted in a sneer. Whatever was happening to him wasn't her fault. She didn't know what they were experiencing, but it wasn't her problem. In a low voice, she stated,"You two need help for whatever's wrong with you. There's no boogieman out to get you."

"You're just sleep deprived and hallucinating.",she told him. That probably wasn't the only thing wrong with him. But it definitely was a contributing factor. No ghost coming back to life. Just both of these guys doing, something, to keep themselves awake. Not...not...Kathryn let go of her Mother's hand. Pressed her palms over her eyes gently. Then she added,"Get some professional help, Quen. I can't do anything for you."

What he did next surprised her. As she turned from him, he shoved her very hard. Hard enough that she fell on her side and dropped the things in her hands. Her mouth open in a little 'o' of surprise. Looking up at him, she saw the barely controlled rage in his face. Then he said,"Fuck you, Kathy. Nan's house burned down cuz of your fucking Dad and that's all you got to say?! Get some help I can't do anything for you?!"

"THE FUCK ELSE DO YOU WANT HER TO DO?!",Loretta shouted at him. Surprising both of them as she pressed her fingertip into Quentin's chest. Quite hard from the look on his face. Glaring him in the face, she asked,"What exactly did you want out of this, Quen? We can't give you answers to something we don't know."

"We don't know how we can help you.",she stated. Poking his chest various times for emphasis. Teeth barred in a grimace as she stood in front of her child. Shielding Kathryn from her former friend. Kathryn didn't move from the spot on the floor. She was too surprised to really do anything as she stared at them. Glancing from Quentin's face and the back of her Mother's head. And for a moment, no one talked. No one moved. It was also then that she noticed there were several people watching. Some whispering among themselves. Clearly unsure of what to do. A few talking about getting a Wal-Mart employee.