Marked with Silence

That day Sapphira’s aunt and uncle came back came too soon. I didn’t want to pack up my things, but I did. I didn’t want to kiss her goodbye, but I did. And then I did it again. And again. I didn’t want to get in the car with my mom and leave her, but I did.

And for the next two days while we were apart I exceeded my allotted text messages two fold and spent countless hours with her on the phone. She had gotten a lot better at having conversations that way.

I continued exceeding my text message plan all the way to the airport to pick up my dad.

“Tell Sapphira that you’ll have to talk to her later. Your dad is going to be out here any minute. He’s going to think you didn’t miss him if you keep to your phone the entire dinner.”

Then he would think right. I didn’t miss him. At all, I thought. But I chose the smarter route and tucked my phone away in my pocket after I regretfully told Sapphira that I would have to text her later.

My mom actually got out of the car so that she could see him first thing when he exited through the airport’s glass doors. I decided to stay in the car and clean the dirt from underneath my fingernails instead. Then I heard my mom yell his name in happiness. A few moments later, after his luggage was put into the truck, both of my parents got into the car.

“Hi dad. Welcome back.”

He turned back to me with a content face, “How have you been, Jerome?”

“Great,” I automatically replied. “How was your trip?”

“Very good. I have some good news.”


My world was crashing. My dad hadn’t even been home for two hours, and yet he had managed a way to make our relationship worse. He had managed to make me hear those two words that have haunted me for most of my childhood and all of my teenage years. He said those two words: We’re relocating.

“I’m. Not. Going.”

“Jerome, now, please,” my mom tried to calm me down me.

“Be reasonable,” my father said sternly.

My hands went up to cover my face. I listened to the clatter of silverware and the murmurs of people which made up the IHOP, the same IHOP Sapphira and I were at less than a week ago. I took a few deep breaths—I was going to make my point clear, but not make a scene.

“We’ve only been here for a few months. Graduation is only five months away. I like it here.”

My dad was about to rebut but my mom put her hand on his wrist and answered instead. “Did you even listen to anything else your dad said? Your dad taking this position means that we get to stay in a place for at least three years, maybe even for good. And like you said, you’ll be graduating soon anyway. And then you’re off to college in whichever state you’d like.”

“But I want to graduate from Cadbury,” I pleaded.

“Think about Danny,” said my dad.

My eyes narrowed and I spat, “Of course you would say that. As if you ever thought about my well being when we jumped from house to house when I was younger.”

“Don’t speak to me that way,” my dad warned.

I huffed, crossed my arms, and sunk lower in my booth.

“I don’t understand why he is making such a big deal out of this. I thought we were past his temper tantrums,” my dad commented to my mom.

I looked up at my mom, whose eyes were already on me. I stared straight at her and said softly, “I can’t leave Sapphira.”

My mom sighed and tilted her head to the side. She truly looked sorry.

My father chuckled, “Just like you couldn’t leave…what was her name? That girl that he was seeing when I was stationed in England. Oh, yes. Melinda. If I recall you thought you couldn’t leave her either.”

I openly glared at him. “I’m glad I amuse you. But if you knew anything, you’d know that this is completely different.” I turned to my mom, “Let me stay here. I bet Sapphira’s aunt and uncle wouldn’t mind if I stayed with them until graduation. And then I’ll go and spend the entire summer with you guys in North Carolina.”

My mom processed my proposal, “Your dad and I can discuss that option later.”

My dad was shaking his head. He turned to my mom. “What is there to discuss, Lizzy? Jerome belongs where his family is. He isn’t going to stay here just so he can stay with his girlfriend.”

I rested my elbows on the table and leaned my forehead against my fists. I needed to try another tactic. But the one that I had in my mind didn’t look like it would have any chance at succeeding.

I tried to untwist the anger in my face and talk to my dad as if we were a father and son that actually knew how to talk to each other. I was going to give it a shot anyways.

“I love Sapphira. I am hopelessly in love with Sapphira. You know that she doesn’t have a family anymore. She’s already been through so much. Don’t put her through more by making me move. I’m all she has left besides her aunt and uncle. She needs me. And frankly, I think I need her a whole hell of a lot more. So please. Dad. Please let me stay until graduation.”

“I’m not going to allow you to make choices based on your love life. You’re coming to North Carolina. You can go wherever you want for college. You can even go where Sapphira goes, as long as it’s to a real university. But until then, you’re still going to live under my roof.”

My mouth was dry, but I gulped anyways. The only thing that I could picture in my mind was that day in Starbucks when Sapphira said goodbye to Max. More specifically, the only thing that I saw was her face; that face where her cheeks were with tears and she was biting her lip so hard that I was surprised she didn’t draw blood. I was going to cause her so much pain. I was going to make her have that face again.

“If you two were meant to be together,” my mom tried to console me, “you will be together.”

I grabbed my coat that was next to me and got out of the booth. I stormed off.

“Where do you think you’re going?” my dad called after me.

I sniffled. “I have to break a girl’s heart.”