A Puck Between Us

Two Weeks Later

“Where are you going?” Jeff asked sidetracked, zipping up Emerson’s small, navy-blue bag.

“Across the street.” I mumbled, hoping he didn’t catch that, but I knew he had. Just as I reached the door, the zipping abruptly stopped.

“Next door?” He asked, trying to sound casual, but darkness was leaking through.

“I need to get my laptop.” I said, my voice sounding plain. I attempted, and failed, to sound casual.

“Forget it, we can get a new one.” He said, even though we both know we couldn’t. Babies cost too much money to just waste it on pleasures.

“It’ll just be a minute.” I continued, turning the brass handle, attempting my exit.

“You can’t honestly be doing this for a computer, can you?” He pushed again, as I turned around to face him.

“I need to say goodbye to her one last time, ya know? I can’t just leave her.” I said, staring at his dark eyes.

“If you’re not back in five minutes, I’m coming to get you.” He said, indifferently, leaving me to my escape.

I shot him a thankful look before strolling out of the house, letting the pavement hit me shoes.

You’ve got five minutes. It won’t take that much. It’ll be okay. It’s going to work out. I promise.

I paused at the big door, wrapping my fingers around the cold, silver doorknob. Something struck me.

I no longer felt welcome.

I raised my hand to knock softly on the door, almost hoping that she didn’t hear me. Instead, I heard her approach the door, peeking through the peephole, unlocking the door.

She opened it, and she looked…sober. She looked perfectly sober, and normal, and motherly.

“He asked you, didn’t he?” She asked, but it ended in more of a statement. Her eyes roamed me, before landing on my hand.

The stone shown proudly, glinting off the sun.

“Yes. Can I get the remaining of my stuff?” I asked, trying to sound formal and cold. She didn’t deserve me to stick around.

“You’re going with him.” She said again, not quite a question.

“Yes.” I said, moving past her as she made room. I walked down the familiar hallway, into my familiar room, but something was different.

It wasn’t so familiar anymore.

I yearned to be back in my new room, with my new fiancé, and my new son. I wanted new not old. I didn’t want these memories.

I picked my biggest suitcase, folding the most important clothes in as neatly as possible.

I grabbed my silver laptop and slid that in on top. Just as I was about to close the top, something caught me eye.

I hurried over to the corner of my room, and grabbed silver picture frame that held my parents wedding picture, that was long turned over.

My dad’s hand was laid lightly under my mom’s stomach, gripping her hips. She was tight against him and he looked unbelievably happy.

That was going to be me.

I laid that on top of my computer and zipped it shut and continued down the hall. My mother stood on the same spot, toying with her wedding ring. She never took it off.

Ever.

“I’ll be seeing you around…” I paused, not knowing if that was true.

“I love you, Addison. Remember that.” She reminded me, before quickly mumbling out a goodbye. She didn’t want me to say it back, or if she did, she didn’t give me the chance too.

“I love you too, mom.” I whispered after her, as she hurried down the hall. Rufus came padding down from the stairs before stopping at my knees.

He whined a pathetic sound, staring up at me. His eyes shown as his ear was flipped. I kneeled down next to the golden dog, running my fingers through his hair.

“I’ll see you around, buddy.” I whispered, kissing his head, before he whined once again. With that, I rolled my bag out of door and across the street, just making it onto his driveway when he opened the door.

“I.” He began as I strolled up to him. “I was just worried that-“ He began as I shushed him off.

“It was fine.” I said, kissing his cheek once, before going inside, and collecting my bag.

“Are you sure?” He said, trailing behind me. I could feel his eyes examining my every move, making sure nothing was off.

“It could have gone a lot worse.” I said, trailing him back outside, loading my bags into his truck.

“Was she drunk?” He asked, before adjusting his words to “Under the influence”

“No, I think she was fine.” I said, pushing the bags deeper into the trunk.

“Are you sure?” He asked again, not showing any sign of disinterest. Was he really this concerned with my mother’s being?

“Yes I’m sure. She was sober and she seemed almost melancholy. “ I said, shrugging as if it didn’t mean anything. I reached up, on my toes, and shut the trunk, hurrying back in.

I wanted so much to leave this all behind. I just wanted be with Jeff and Emerson. I just wanted the three of us, no conditions.

I went into the dark bedroom and picked up my sleeping son. His brown hair tossled, he laid his head lazily onto my shoulder.

His breathing hitched for a second, and I almost feared he woke up, but he soon admitted a soft snore from his pale lips.

I loaded him into the dark blue car seat, strapping him in, leaning his head on the side, and placing the small bear into his hands.

I slid into the passenger seat, as he began pulling out of the driveway. His hand held mine, intertwining out fingers. This was how it should have been.

America, here we come.