We Got Older But We're Still Young

I could tell Jaime was worried, especially with the side glances I was getting every few minutes. No one had said much the majority of the drive. It was pretty much silent besides Jaime quietly singing along to the music every now and again.

“I need the bathroom!” Delilah exclaimed suddenly causing both Jaime and I to jump.

“Lucky for you Ly-Ly, we’re less than a minute from a diner.’ Jaime said giving her a sweet smile.

---

“Do you want me to go in with you?” I asked Delilah as we walked into the diner. She shook her head giving me a smile before skipping off in the direction of the toilets. I could tell that even she was slightly worried about me.

“Go find a booth, I’ll get us some food okay?” Jaime said as his hand placed on my lower back. I nodded making my way over the booth in the corner. The pictures on the walls were all of greened forests, they hovered over the booth giving it a warm feeling.

I tapped my fingers on the wood of the table. I knew that sound was enough to send someone off the edge but to me it was comforting and soothing. I turned my head to face Jaime as he sat down beside me. His expression indicated to me that he needed answers.

I sighed as ran my pale fingers through my ginger hair.
“I don’t know where to start Jaime.” I mumbled.

“You could start by telling me who that was back there.” I looked into his eyes as they portrayed the worry he had. It gave me a sense of comforted knowing that he cared.

“His name is Phil..." I started moving my glance away from Jaime. I didnt want to see his expression change from care to disgust.

"He used to be my neighbour. He was an associate of my Dad and after he died he came over quite a bit. No one really thought much of it, you know… just a nice man helping out two young girls who had lost their parents. It got to the point where he was at our house almost every day… and night. His possessions even started to pile up in our home. At first he was nice, making us food, cleaning up and buying us things… but then he gradually started to get angrier at us and become less and less kind.”

Jaime watched my face transfixed. I took in a deep breath… he knew where this was going, but he just needed me to say it to confirm his suspicions.

“Leda started becoming quieter than usual and she would always be crying, 18 year olds are not meant to cry right? Normally, if I cried she would get mad and tell me only babies cry… but it was different this time. Her crying was the quiet kind. One night I saw why she was crying, what he did to her… and then he thought he would do it to me too. He threatened us not to tell anyone, he knew it hurt though. After a about a year he still hung around, It didn’t happen to me as often unless I did something bad. But Leda, she was targeted more than ever. He said she needed to be punished more, but Leda ensured me that It was because he liked me better… I didn’t realise it then but she was trying to protect me. She was fully grown and he probably desired that more. But she started drinking and taking drugs all the time. I guess that’s why she cant stop now, she got so addicted. When she started bringing boy after boy over every night he left. He didn’t want anyone else to uncover his sick little secret. She told him if he didn’t leave she would tell everybody. Something changed in her, she was not some submissive little girl, she was stronger… he left though and we never spoke about it ever again. We thought if we pretended it didn’t happen then maybe it wouldn’t have happened in our minds.”

Jaime moved his hand under the table to mind, squeezing my hand supportively.

“Until the moment I saw his face today, I really believed that her drug problem was from the grief from our parents and I really believed that the jobs I had were distraction from my parents rather than to keep me away from being with him and having him do that me. Not only did he ruin our lives and the ability to have an intimate relationship without emotional baggage, he ruined our relationship with each other. I took over the older sister role as she spent her time partying and getting high. We hardly spoke and when we did it was arguing… and its all his fault.” I said and my last few words came out shaky. I wasn’t going to cry though… not anymore.

Jaime sat silently. It was apparent he didn’t know what to say but there was something in his eyes, something I couldn’t quite describe. I really hope it wasnt the disgust I was fearing.

“God… you poor things. What a total ass hole! I wish I couldn’t known that before this morning so I could have beaten the shit out of him, I swear to god if I ever see that sick fuck again I will kill him.” Jaime said with complete hatred.

I smiled at the gesture, relieved at his reaction, but shook my head. “He’ll get his. I don’t know when, but he will. I’m just really worried about Leda right now. I mean he said he was going to go back there…” I murmured as Delilah skipped back up to the table. I know nothing had changed but I couldn’t describe how much better it felt to tell him that.

“Are we getting food?!” Delilah asked excitedly while Jaime nodded his head in response. He turned to me and mouthed a ‘call her’ to me.

I knew I had to. Just in case he got there before I did.

---

“Come on, pick up.” I whispered and the phone rang. I almost lifted the phone from my ear when I heard the click of her answer.

“Freddi?” her tired voice said. God it was almost noon and she was still asleep.
“Hey Leda.” I sighed after I heard her voice. It was good to hear it. I kinda missed her.
“God! Where the hell have you been? If you hadn’t told me you were not alone in that note I would be coming after you and dragging you back by the hair holy crap you spaz” she rambled, I could tell she wasn’t mad though. I laughed as she carried on with her rambling.
“Listen Leda, I kind of have something I wanted to tell you.” I said clearing my throat.
“What is it? You’ve moved to Mexico and married some boy named Pepito?” She joked.
“Leda, seriously.” Her end of the phone quietened down.
“What’s wrong, Fred?” Worry sounded in her tone.
My voice got caught in my throat.
“I… uh. I saw him today. I know we don’t talk about this but he said he’s going to come and see us like…old times.” I spoke whispering the last few words.
“Freddi, I want you to come home now. Do you understand me?” She said in a stern tone that I hadn’t heard for years.
“Leda, I cant leave, I really cant… but what if you come with us? He wont be able to get to us out here.” I reasoned. Her end was silent for a while as she considered it.
“…Okay, tell me where you are and I’ll come down.”
I laughed a little sarcastically as I thought. “I don’t actually know where I am, but I’ll find out and text you okay?”
“Okay, Love you Fred” She spoke.
I smiled softly. “Love you too, look out for yourself Leda.”

Maybe we could rebuild what that sick fuck tore down.

---

Jaime gave me the address of the hotel we were going to stay in tonight. I text it to Leda before placing my phone away. After speaking to both Jaime and Leda I felt as if I had the biggest weight taken off of my shoulders. I looked over at Jaime and he smiled slyly at me.

"I'm glad you're feeling more lively Fred, but there is something else we have to discuss." He spoke quietly into my ear as a questioning look plastered on my face.
"What?"
I could hear the smile in his voice.
"That poem..."

oh shit.