Rachel sighed. Nick was still the same, never talk about feelings, which
was his golden rule. It was against everything Rachel had
learned in her education. If you don't talk about your feelings, you'll end up like a basket case. But with Nick, it was a dead end. If he doesn't want to talk, he won't. Rachel knew that from experience. And so she ushered him to put on his own clothes while she made her way to the counter to pay for the clothes, and smiled to the woman behind it. The woman smiled back, nodding her head towards Nick, indicating she meant him.
"Handsome son you have there, you must be very proud of him."
Rachel opened her mouth, ready to say; he's not my son, he's a colleague of mine. But she didn't. It wouldn't make sense, who would believe that the kid was working with her? So she just smiled and said thanks. While she was paying, she looked for Nick, who was already waiting by the door, standing there with crossed arms, a small pout on his face. Oh boy, he was done shopping, that much she could tell. She grabbed the many bags and made her way over to him.
"Okay honey, we're done. Let's go home!"
He scowled at the honey part, which only resulted in a laugh from Rachel. She had noticed the fact that he didn't liked to be addressed with cute names. It was understandable for a seventeen year old to not like it. But she was used to call him honey, and it slipped her mind before she had realised it. She prodded him, laughing harder when the young boy muttered something about crazy psychiatrists.
Later that day, when the evening just started, Nick went to his room to get changed for dinner. Rachel followed him quietly, for she wanted to take a look at the scars she had seen earlier this day. She knew it was going to be a very hard subject for Nick to talk about. She leaned into the doorframe, watching him pick something out from his new clothes. He lingered for a moment, noting her presence and turned around to face her, his eyebrows raised.
"Is there something wrong? Or do you just enjoy watching me?"
She smiled at his sarcastic tone, knowing very well this was one of his teenage moods.
"I wanted to talk with you about your scars."
He immediately blocked himself of, his shoulders tensed, and his lips were pressed together. Rachel cursed inwardly, for not being more subtle about it, she was used to the old Nick, who always sensed it if she wanted to talk. The only way to talk with him was being forward on the subject. The younger one on the other hand, was another story. He obviously needed to be coaxed into a conversation, something she would not forget.
"There's nothing to talk about," he stated, sounding irritated. Somehow Rachel had a feeling this Nick was even harder to talk with.
"There's always something to talk about, especially something as clear as scars."
He huffed, plopping onto the bed, crossing his arms in mock resistance. Rachel took that as a good sign and took the chance of being yelled at, sitting next to him. He shifted, slightly uncomfortable, but did not ushered her away or jumped up.
"Nick, I just want to know who did this to you. Was it your father?"
Pain crossed the hazel green eyes, as he closed his eyes quickly. What did she knew about it, had he told her? He could hardly believe the fact he had actually told somebody about it. Maybe his future self had learned to deal with it better. Rachel waited patiently as she watched the emotions flicker on the youth's face. Pain, fear, insecurity, maybe even a glimmer of hope. First she thought he wouldn't answer her, until a small whisper said a small word that changed everything.
"Yes.."
He did not dare to look at her, tear burning behind his eyes. His under lip trembled, fighting back the bitter tears that had been kept there for so long. The older woman understood him very well, and all she did was open her arms, embracing the young man. She said nothing, just soothingly stroked his back, letting him cry. And he cried, for what his father had done to him, for loosing his mother without even being there and for loosing his memory of the proud young ex seal he used to be. Could things go even worse?
learned in her education. If you don't talk about your feelings, you'll end up like a basket case. But with Nick, it was a dead end. If he doesn't want to talk, he won't. Rachel knew that from experience. And so she ushered him to put on his own clothes while she made her way to the counter to pay for the clothes, and smiled to the woman behind it. The woman smiled back, nodding her head towards Nick, indicating she meant him.
"Handsome son you have there, you must be very proud of him."
Rachel opened her mouth, ready to say; he's not my son, he's a colleague of mine. But she didn't. It wouldn't make sense, who would believe that the kid was working with her? So she just smiled and said thanks. While she was paying, she looked for Nick, who was already waiting by the door, standing there with crossed arms, a small pout on his face. Oh boy, he was done shopping, that much she could tell. She grabbed the many bags and made her way over to him.
"Okay honey, we're done. Let's go home!"
He scowled at the honey part, which only resulted in a laugh from Rachel. She had noticed the fact that he didn't liked to be addressed with cute names. It was understandable for a seventeen year old to not like it. But she was used to call him honey, and it slipped her mind before she had realised it. She prodded him, laughing harder when the young boy muttered something about crazy psychiatrists.
Later that day, when the evening just started, Nick went to his room to get changed for dinner. Rachel followed him quietly, for she wanted to take a look at the scars she had seen earlier this day. She knew it was going to be a very hard subject for Nick to talk about. She leaned into the doorframe, watching him pick something out from his new clothes. He lingered for a moment, noting her presence and turned around to face her, his eyebrows raised.
"Is there something wrong? Or do you just enjoy watching me?"
She smiled at his sarcastic tone, knowing very well this was one of his teenage moods.
"I wanted to talk with you about your scars."
He immediately blocked himself of, his shoulders tensed, and his lips were pressed together. Rachel cursed inwardly, for not being more subtle about it, she was used to the old Nick, who always sensed it if she wanted to talk. The only way to talk with him was being forward on the subject. The younger one on the other hand, was another story. He obviously needed to be coaxed into a conversation, something she would not forget.
"There's nothing to talk about," he stated, sounding irritated. Somehow Rachel had a feeling this Nick was even harder to talk with.
"There's always something to talk about, especially something as clear as scars."
He huffed, plopping onto the bed, crossing his arms in mock resistance. Rachel took that as a good sign and took the chance of being yelled at, sitting next to him. He shifted, slightly uncomfortable, but did not ushered her away or jumped up.
"Nick, I just want to know who did this to you. Was it your father?"
Pain crossed the hazel green eyes, as he closed his eyes quickly. What did she knew about it, had he told her? He could hardly believe the fact he had actually told somebody about it. Maybe his future self had learned to deal with it better. Rachel waited patiently as she watched the emotions flicker on the youth's face. Pain, fear, insecurity, maybe even a glimmer of hope. First she thought he wouldn't answer her, until a small whisper said a small word that changed everything.
"Yes.."
He did not dare to look at her, tear burning behind his eyes. His under lip trembled, fighting back the bitter tears that had been kept there for so long. The older woman understood him very well, and all she did was open her arms, embracing the young man. She said nothing, just soothingly stroked his back, letting him cry. And he cried, for what his father had done to him, for loosing his mother without even being there and for loosing his memory of the proud young ex seal he used to be. Could things go even worse?