Natalie curls up next to Henry in her bedroom. They did this usually. She would just be quiet and he'd hold her. Her father was never truly thrilled with the whole thing, but since her mother was back, she got away with more and more when it came to her boyfriend.
Henry looks down at her, "Where did your mother ask you to take her?"
Natalie starts to laugh bitterly, "You wouldn't believe it even if I told you."
"Does it have to do with your mom?"
"Doesn't it always." She sighs, "My brother isn't dead. He's alive and well. I saw him myself."
"I'm really baked and that still doesn't make any sense."
"I don't know." She laughs again, "I don't have any fucking idea what's going on."
"Uh…okay, neither do I." He kisses the top of her hair, looking down at her, "So tell me what happened."
Natalie goes through the motions of telling her boyfriend about what happened with her mother and her brother and the pictures, "And, as it turns out, I was made for nothing."
"You can't be made for nothing." Henry shakes his head.
"So that it would help my mother heal and forget about him. Since he's back…there's nothing to heal from."
"Nat, your purpose is to be their daughter. Just like my purpose is to be my mother's son. It's no difference."
"My mother imagined him to be alive. Made him up how she thought he would look. Ruined my life, because of him. The reason she was sick, everything, was because of him, Henry. It was because she thought he was dead. He isn't though." Natalie rambles, then stops looking up at him, "I'm sorry."
He shakes his head, "It's a lot to take in. I can understand that."
"You always say that, but it's really hard to understand."
"I know that." Henry rubs her back softly, "I just want you to feel okay." His voice is soft, calming.
"I don't know if that will ever be possible."