Cerulean

When Edith dropped me off in front of my house that afternoon, I wasn't expecting Aunt Laura to be at home. She had mentioned something about going to lunch with some hot, young man of hers that I hadn't met yet.

"I had a great time, Edith," I said. "Thanks."

Edith smiled, that same smile that couldn't quite measure up to the real one I'd witnessed only hours earlier. "It was my pleasure. Everyone should go swimming sometime in their lives."

I opened the car door and jumped out, taking the picnic basket with me. "I'll see you around?" I asked.

Edith nodded. "You bet your ass you will. You can't get rid of me that easily."

I laughed, and closed the door before walking up the driveway. Before opening the front door, I turned around and watched Edith's truck disappear around the corner. The thing was, I didn't want to get rid of her. At the time, I couldn't imagine going back to living the way I was. Just the little bit of time I had with her had somehow changed me.

Walking into the house, I could feel something wasn't right. I passed by the kitchen catching a glimpse of Aunt Laura sitting at the counter. I stopped and turned around. "Is everything okay?" I asked.

Aunt Laura didn't say anything for a few moments before looking over at me. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, her voice breaking once she saw me.

I stepped forward. "Tell you what?"

"What do you think, Evan?" She asked. "Why you're really here... why your mom sent you to live with me... you left me in the dark. You all did. I'd expect this from your father... but not you. I thought you know you could come to me."

I sighed heavily, and took a seat next to my aunt at the counter. "Listen, Aunt Laura. I really appreciate you letting me stay here, okay? I do. But there are some things I'm not comfortable with just yet. My father is way up there on the list."

Aunt Laura nodded. "I understand that, Evan, but you're here now. With me. It's my job to keep you safe. Don't give me that 'but I'm an adult' crap, Evan. You are here with me because home wasn't safe anymore. What if he decided to come over here? I would have let him see you."

I didn't say anything. I was completely in the wrong in this situation. Aunt Laura leaned forward, meeting my gaze. "It's okay, Evan, to be afraid," she said. "But you can't keep things like this bottled up. You have to talk about it sometime."

I nodded. "Yeah, okay."

I stood up, and started walking towards the stairs. I stopped when I reached the bottom and turned around to face Aunt Laura. "Who told you?" I asked.

Aunt Laura looked towards the phone. "Your mother."

It was kind of annoying that she was the one to let all of this stuff out because she was the one who had all of the power to stop it from happening. When I needed her the most she just stood to the side and watched as I died a little more inside. Each time I called out her name, even as a little boy, she acted as if nothing was happening. She kept on with the dishes because Dad loved a clean kitchen, continued on with the vacuuming, because Dad hated a dirty house.

She didn't care then, so why now?