Elis POV

hey baby brother! just wanted to make sure everything is going ok! i love you! :)

The moment i read that message my stomach sank, Something was wrong i could feel it. Today was saturday, and Liz hated exclamation points and fake smily faces. I was worried and I could see that Clare was too, I hated making her feel anything but happiness.

"Its saturday"

"Well what did the message say?" Clare asked my her eyes questioning.

I showed her the message which only made the confused look on her face deepen "Umm it doesnt really seem like somethings wrong, maybe she was just making sure your alright?"

"maybe." I replied "But in the 10 years since Liz moved out West, I havent heard from her when it wasnt a monday, wednesday, or friday unless it was my birthday, or..." I let my sentence trail off, I hadnt planned on letting Clare know this about me, no one knew, Not Adam, not Clare not even Julia had known, I knew, my mom knew and Liz knew.

"or?" she questioned, I loved that about her, she didnt ask things just for the sake of knowing them, she knew when it was time to push and she knew when i needed time. I was happy she was pushing this time.

"Or, something that hasnt happened in almost 4 years is about to happen again, and Im not sure I know how to deal with it"

Clare stared at me head slightly tilted, I could tell she wanted to know more, I was afraid she would never treat me the same, but, you tell the people you love the hard stuff right?

"Clare, my family is...well its fucked up. I told you how Liz and my mom didnt exactly get along, but it was more then that, They hated each other! My mom resented Liz for ruining her perfect family, she always expected to be the good little housewife, with the wonderfull husband and the 2 perfect children, who did good in school and played team sports." I looked up at Clare for the first time, having not realized id been starring at the floor. Her eyes met mine and she gave me a small smile, in a way asking me to go on.

"Im assuming Liz wasnt exactly what your mom imagined when she thought of having a daughter?" she asked me,

I laughed out loud before responding, "Yeah, Liz wasnt exactly a good student, or into team sports...imagine Bianca...but with straight hair and a 22 year old boyfriend with a motercycle."

"ahh i see" clare responded with a small laugh "ok, so your mom and your biance-esque big sister didnt get along, what does that have to do with it being saturday?"

"Well, see Liz hit 18 and decided she was out of here, she packed her stuff and she moved to Vancouver with her boyfriend, Max, the next day, September 29th 2000. I remember the day exactly becuase its the day my life changed forever. My mom and dad got in a huge fight and he left angry they were alwasy fighting about Liz, about how my mom didnt consider Liz her daughter. He never came back. We still get the odd phone calls from him. Birthdays, Christmas, but, for the last 10 years its been basically me and mom."

"Eli, I am so sorry, I had no idea youd been through so much" clare cuddled into me hugging my waist,

"I hate to say babe, but, it gets worse"

"oh?" Clare looked scared.

"yeah, see, my mom took the seperation really hard and started drinking alot, going out at night, and there would be times i would get home from school. and there would be a note taped to the outside of the door. I learned to hate these notes, They would always have my name in Handwritting on the front, Never just Eli, alwasy Elijah. and inside it would be one form or another of goodbye. Then within 24 hours Liz would be here, she took care of me, sometimes moms was gone for a week, sometimes 6 months. but shes been good, for 4 years now."

"So Liz would drop everything and fly in from Vancvouer? how would she know to?"

"My mom always called her, told her what was happeneing, I know it sounds like my mom was or is, the worst mom ever, but she always paid all our bills for us, mortgage, insurance, sent us money for food and stuff, but for a long time, or ever actually, Liz has been the only person to take care of me,"

"So...you think that her texting you on a Saturday means your moms leaving again?" Clare asked me, I knew that to her this all sounded ridiculous, A mother that would leave her children like that.

"I guess its just a matter of waiting for that note on the door, I used to hate those notes, now I just expect them."