"I still don't get it, Andie. All of what?"
"All
of me. My memories are mine again. I don't feel lost or alone; a
stranger in my own life. That's what I've felt like all evening. I
wandered the streets looking for something, someone I knew. Or at
least someone who knew me, to tell me who I was, where I was, what I
was doing. I was lost in my own personal nightmare world and the only
thing that felt real to me was the pain."
Andie looked at
the pure white bandages around both of her wrists as she held them
together in front of her, her palms facing upwards and he fingers
gently curled. A single tear fell from her fell from her face, which
was tilted forward, and landed on the pale fabric on her arms. It was
absorbed almost immediately, leaving only a small, slightly darker,
spot. A stain upon the modest covering, upon the very healing
process. Jack took her into his arms and gently rocked her, like a
child, while she sobbed dryly into his shoulder. Little did Andie
know how well she had just described her brother's life for the last
few weeks.
After a few minutes Andie had quietened and now
just stood in her brother's arms. Joshua walked up and put his hand
on Jack's other shoulder.
"Maybe you should get some
sleep, Andie."
Andie leant back slightly to look at Joshua and nodded.
"Thank
you," she said, with a grateful smile that Joshua and Jack both
returned. Brother and sister both took the other's hand and the three
of them made their way upstairs. Joshua waited on the landing while
Jack led Andie into her room.
As Jack quietly closed the door
Andie looked around at her surroundings and saw her Apple Mac on her
desk, her quilt on her bed, her closet, her pictures, her walls, her
room, her life. She was home.
"Are
you going to be okay by yourself?"
"Yes, thank
you."
Jack smiled nervously as he slid back out of the
room through the door that he opened just enough to allow his exit.
As he pulled the door shut once more behind him Jack saw Joshua
sitting on the stairs and made his way over. Jack walked down the
first two stairs and Joshua looked up at him as he sat down next to
him on the top step.
For a few seconds neither of the two boys
moved nor spoke, until Joshua took Jack's hand in his own and broke
the silence.
"Okay so this is teen drama worthy,"
Joshua said with a slight smile playing on his soft features.
"What
is?" Jack replied, looking confused.
"Stalkers,
thunderstorms, kidnapping and amnesia for a start."
Jack
exhaled heavily through his nose as he too smiled. "I guess,"
he said with a slight chuckle.
"You don't have to do this
with me you know, Jack."
"Do what?"
"Be
the strong one. Act like everything is okay when really you're
falling apart inside. Play Atlas and take the weight of the world on
shoulders. I care about you and I want you to be okay but I don't
want you to fake it for my benefit. Cruel as it may sound I would
much rather you break down because, if you do, I can help. And then
together everything will be okay. And I want to do it because I know
you would do exactly the same thing for me."
"Tha –
"
"Joshua put a finger to Jack's lips to silence him.
"That
much goes without saying."
"Then what do I
say?"
"Only what you want to."
Jack
stopped for a second before continuing.
"I
was so sure I had lost her again."
"Again?"
"Andie
spent the summer in an institution. Dad cam back a second time after
her episode, the one that she remembered from the bathroom, and tried
to take us both back to Providence with him. He wanted her... wanted
us to get help. I decided to stay, I didn't even see there to
be any other option, but Andie decided that she needed the help and
went with him. I've only had her back for little more than six weeks
now and I thought I'd lost her again."
"You
didn't though. She's still here, sleeping just one door away. And,
more importantly, you never lost her in the first place; it wasn't
your fault that Andie went to Providence and you knew where she was.
She wasn't lost and it wasn't your fault. Neither was it your fault
that Andie was missing tonight."
"But..."
"It
was not your fault, Jack," Joshua spoke deliberately, looking
Jack in the directly in the eye.
Jack
opened his mouth to speak but Joshua got there first.
"If
you are going to try again to say thank you, I'll kick your
ass!"
"Okay then, not thank you." Jack
yawned.
"Apparently Andie's not the only one who needs to
get some sleep; lets get you to bed, mister."
Jack
followed Joshua obediently to his bedroom and shut the door as Joshua
pulled down the covers.
To Be Continued...