When We Were Young

Damage

I hurried toward the door but stopped before I left my father.

"Pop," I said. My father turned to face me. "All the football matches you missed, or the late nights at the office, or the missed holidays, today made up for it. All of it."

He nodded and I could see even in the darkness of the room with only the dim outside light shining into the room that my father's lower lip was quivering.

I hurried toward the back of the house and the patio doors. When I pulled open the doors, a bitter cold breeze nearly knocked me backwards. My mother was already rushing back to the house, presumably after seeing me coming. I grabbed her arm and caught her completely off- guard by my abruptness.

"What did you say to her?" My voice was low and demanding.

Her eyes widened. Then that smile crossed her lips. It was at that moment that I realized truly how fake my mother was. Everything was about appearances. I wonder how long into the marriage my father realized this, too.

"Nothing, nothing," she said. Mum patted my arm and tried to pull away from me but I wasn't having it.

"Mum, I am warning you. If you don't tell me what you said to Sky, I promise that you won't ever see me again."

She gasped. I couldn't tell if it was just her being dramatic. "Albert James, I would never..." Mum replied. "No, we were just chatting."

"I know you. I know you said something to upset Skylar and I know that you can't stop yourself from butting your nose in where it doesn't belong. What did you say?" My voice was louder than I had intended. "Tell me..."

"Albert."

We both looked up at my father looming in the doorway. He nodded and I let go my mother's arm. I hadn't realized how tightly I was holding onto her; my fingers ached. I turned away, ashamed at my outburst.

"Moira, come in the house and call it a night."

"But Harold, I'm..." she started as she walked toward him.

"Moira, to bed."

She said nothing else as she ducked into the house and my father shut the door behind them. I rushed to Skylar, who was still staring at the fire. She didn't wipe the tears away well enough because I could see that her cheeks were damp.

I put my arms around her and pulled her to my chest. I was thankful for the fire still burning since I wasn't wearing a coat and couldn't do much to keep her warm.

"What did she say? Sky."

She shook her head and I knew she wouldn't tell me but I pushed.

I pulled back and cradled her face. "Sky."

Skylar wouldn't look at me. She diverted her eyes down, to the fire, back down to her lap. Her jaw was clenched and she was doing her best not to cry.

"Sky? Tell me. Whatever she said...tell me," I hissed.

"Its fine." Her voice was steady but I could hear the tears creeping up her throat. She swallowed hard. "She's your mother and she cares about you. It doesn't matter what she said, right. That's what you and I talked about?" Skylar said. She took a deep breath and smiled. It was sincere. "I love you. That's all that matters."

I kissed her. I kissed her hard. I knew my words wouldn't mean much at that moment, but I could show her that she was everything. That she was all that mattered. Skylar fell into me and understood what I was trying to show her.

She tightened her arms around me, whispering against my mouth. "Let's go inside before you freeze to death."

"I couldn't possibly freeze to death right now."