Chapter Twelve

"Is Freddie home?" Kaitlyn asked when Freddie's dad answered the phone. It was the next morning, and Kaitlyn was still feeling a little miffed at Freddie's decision to tour the mothership instead of listening to her theories on the V's intentions, but now she was hoping she would be able to convince him to go with her to that evening's Bible study. She was eager to get out of the house anyway; Tyler was grounded, so he'd be sulking around all night since he couldn't see Lisa. Not that he didn't put up a fight; her mother cornered Tyler early that morning and they had their little 'talk', if that was what you wanted to call it. It wasn't all bad, but Tyler was hardly in the mood to talk about safe sex with his mother, and Kaitlyn couldn't say she really blamed him. She herself shut her bedroom door and did homework.

"Hello?" Freddie finally answered.

"Hey man," Kaitlyn replied, fiddling with her hair. "Where were you last night?" As if she didn't know.

"Oh hey Kaiti," Freddie said distractedly. "Yeah, my dad said you called. I was up on the mothership."

"Well, la-dee-dah!" Kaitlyn scoffed.

"Whatever, you would have loved it!"

"Well, thanks for the invite."

"Come on, you know Bret and Corey never invite me anywhere! I had to go with them." Freddie sighed. "Besides, it was sooo cool."

So Freddie launched into a whole step-by-step commentary on his night on the mothership, and all the techonology he saw, the V's he met, the food he ate. Kaitlyn rolled her eyes, stifling a yawn.

"Well, cool, glad you had fun." She lied. "Anyway, you're coming tonight, right?"

"Uh..." Freddie sighed. "Kaiti, I don't think I'm gonna go back to church."

Kaitlyn literally felt her stomach turn to ice. Of all the excuses she imagined Freddie coming up with, this was the last thing she expected.

"What do you mean you're not gonna go back?" Kaitlyn swallowed. "Like, ever?"

Freddie's sigh was monstrous.

"It's just...I've been doing a lot of thinking." He paused. "Don't you ever wonder why we believe in a God who doesn't show up?"

"Doesn't show up? Freddie, that's insane! He shows up everywhere. I mean, He heals the sick, He-"

"Yeah, well the V's do that too, don't they?" Freddie raised his voice a little. "So, where's God?"

It was like a rock lodged itself in Kaitlyn's throat. She would not cry, but she couldn't help feel the tingling behind her eyes. Her friend, her best friend, was renouncing his faith, the same faith that led Kaitlyn to believe in God.

"Freddie, you don't mean this, you're just...you're just too caught up in the V's right now," Kaitlyn pointed out.

"Or maybe you're too caught up in God."

"Since when is that a bad thing?"

"Since when are the V's a bad thing?"

"Since you made them your new god!" Kaitlyn yelled out, unable to control herself. She hated yelling at her best friend, but he was delusional. This wasn't like him. How could she make him see that?

Apparently, she couldn't. He told her he had to go, and he hung up.

Kaitlyn took a deep breath, trying to compose herself before heading downstairs. Tyler was parked in front of the TV, probably his new home until his punishment was over. Kaitlyn crossed the room, stealing a glance at the TV. Of course; there was Anna, blabbing on about something.

"What now?" Kaitlyn asked bitterly, with nothing better to do than collapse in the armchair.

"The V's are offering vitamin injections. Their technology is awesome! This injection will help your whole immune system! They say you'll never get sick again." Tyler shrugged. "Except for the flu. So, Anna still thinks everyone should get their flu shot."

Kaitlyn raised an eyebrow.

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing I'm getting my flu shot tomorrow," she said sarcastically. "Seriously? The V's can cure everything but the flu? I don't see why people are so amazed by these people."

"Oh, what's your problem?" Tyler asked with attitude. Kaitlyn ignored him; the last thing she felt like was a screaming match with her brother. She was already close to tears because of Freddie. One angsty word from her brother, and the floodgates would open. No, not today. She simply focused her gaze on the television, without really seeing the images.

Erica rushed into the room, startling Kaitlyn, who didn't even realize their mother was still home.

"Hey guys, I'm heading to work," Erica said. Kaitlyn sighed, of course!

"Kaitlyn, you're going to church tonight, aren't you?" Erica asked, sitting at the edge of the coffee table to talk to her kids. Kaitlyn nodded without meeting her mother's gaze.

"With Freddie?" Erica inquired.

Kaitlyn shook her head. "No, he's not coming."

"Why not?" Erica wanted to know.

"He's busy," Kaitlyn lied, eyes still glued to the television.

"Honey, I don't want you walking home by yourself tonight," Erica said after a brief pause. This caught Kaitlyn's attention.

"Why not?"

"Because you're only 13 years old, kiddo!" Erica turned to Tyler. "Can you please pick up your sister from the church at nine?"

Tyler huffed.

"Come on, mom," he whined. Erica raised an eyebrow.

"You're grounded, remember?" She smiled. "Your schedule's wide open. Thank you in advance for your cooperation."

Tyler only rolled his eyes in response.

"Speaking of schedule, Tyler, don't you have an appointment with Valerie this morning?" Erica glanced at her watch. Kaitlyn felt her stomach knot; Valerie was Tyler's therapist, and Kaitlyn hated when it came up. Tyler had been reluctant about therapy at first, but opened up to the idea eventually, but their mother was still trying to change Kaitlyn's mind about it. But Kaitlyn was set; she didn't need therapy. Families fell apart every day, not everybody had the money to pay a shrink to ask "how do you feel about that?"

Tyler turned off the TV and took off without a word. In the silence, Erica turned to her daughter, and Kaitlyn could predict the words before her mother even said them.

"Kaiti, maybe-"

"I don't need therapy, mom, so please don't even bring it up." Kaitlyn plopped her head down on the arm of the chair. She was so exhausted and upset about Freddie, about Tyler; she did not want to have this conversation.

"Honey, there's no shame in talking to somebody about stuff." Erica smiled at her youngest. "Divorce isn't easy, and-"

"Mom, Ty's the one with psychological problems, not me." Kaitlyn sighed. "I'm fine."

Except for the fact that I'm a pathological liar, now.

Erica rested her hand on her daughter's head, her daughter who wouldn't even look up. Erica could see something was up.

"What's the matter, baby?" Erica wanted to know. "This is more than me bringing up therapy."

Kaitlyn sighed. She could pretend, again, that she was fine, but Tyler wasn't here, and her mother was, and the best part was, she didn't seem in a rush to get to work. For a moment, she seemed willing to be late if it meant being there for Kaitlyn.

So Kaitlyn reached out.

She began to cry, and she let her mother hold her as she told her the whole story about Freddie, her only friend, her best friend, how he had denounced his faith, and maybe even their friendship. What would she do, oh, what would she do without Freddie, her best friend in the whole world? Erica didn't have any consoling advice or words of wisdom, but she held her daughter close, let her cry until she was all cried out, told her it would be okay, and Kaitlyn, for a few moments, could forget about the V's, and about Freddie, because right now, she had her mother's attention, and that was all that mattered, for now.