Tonight, We Collide

“I think you should tell him,” Said Patrick. The two were back at Tara’s apartment, Pete was asleep in his bedroom and Tara busied herself around the kitchen.

“I don’t think I can do that Pat,” Tara said with a sigh as she continued to scrub her stove.

“Why not? Doesn’t Pete have the right to know that he has a son? Doesn’t Peter have the right to know he has a dad?”

Tara stopped scrubbing, looking at her reflection absently. “I know you have a point, but look at it from my point of view, the day after Pete and I finally got together he left, he used me and I’ve never felt so wrong in my life. All of you skipped town within the next few days, and I was left alone with my parents. Then I found out I was pregnant. I told my mother and father and they told me to get rid of it or get out, so I left. I packed everything I owned into my car, and I haven’t seen my parents since. My sister, Sam, she likes to make up lies about me, tells the neighbors and all of my old friends I’m a major whore who ended up pregnant for my sins. I don’t have a family anymore Pat, I only have Pete, and Peter has a wife, and a baby of his own coming. Why would I want to screw that up for him?”

Patrick looked down at his coffee, “I can see what your saying, but what about Joe? He’s your brother for god’s sake! After you left he looked scared shitless, you never even told him about little Pete!”

“You guys all left! Joe left me to rot with my mother, father, and sister, Joe and I had a pact, he promised to never leave me with them, and he did.” Tears streamed down Tara’s cheeks, she wiped them away frantically.

“He misses you, you know. For the first few weeks of tour he’d talk about turning around and getting you, Pete, he’d slap Joe beside the head and tell him to take a look around, tour was no place for a girl, and we didn’t have the room nor the money for anyone else. Joe got over it in time, but mainly because your sister would tell him you were off at college with a scholarship in music. He honestly thought you were okay, I’m sure if he knew-”

“I’m sure if Joe really knew our family, he would’ve seen threw Sam’s lies. But I don’t feel like discussing it anymore, I really don’t. I have to figure out my life right now.” Tara took out a stack of bills and started to sort them into two piles, paid, and unpaid. She then made a third pile, bills she could pay and bills she couldn’t. The tall stack of bill’s she couldn’t pay scared her.

“Tara, are you in trouble?” Patrick asked looking the bills.

“No, I’m fine, I just need to get another job that’s all.”

“Do you want me to lend you money? ‘Cause I will,”

“No, I am sorry Patrick but no, I’ve grown into a big girl now, I don’t need anyone to tie my shoe laces anymore. I can do things on my own.”

Patrick looked at her sympathetically, “I know you can Tara, but what I’m saying is it’s okay to need help sometimes, and if you need help I want to give it to you,” Patrick smiled at Tara, his eyes filled with hope.

“How about we talk about it tomorrow? I need to start making dinner for Pete and do mom stuff,” Tara said with a smile, Patrick felt hopeful, and felt the old butterflies return to his stomach.

“Sure, tomorrow, I’ll buy you two lunch....meet me at Corner Bistro?” Patrick asked smiling.

“We’ll be there, 1 o’clock okay?”

“Definitely,” Patrick said smiling.

“Alright I’ll see you tomorrow Pat,”

“Bye Tara,” Patrick said hugging Tara.

“Bye Pat”