Page 5 of Poison Aches

After their daughter dropped out of college, disappeared and broke their hearts, then later abandoned her children at their doorstep in the middle of the night, they relied on each other even more.

But now, because of my foolish act of running away from home to go and look for someone who left me, Grammy is now alone.

In my head, I had imagined reuniting with my mother, bringing her home to Gramps and Grammy so that they could be happy again.

But no, my curse struck again.

“Oh, sweetheart, I’m so dearly sorry.”

I look up at our neighbor, Mrs. Galloway, whom Grammy doesn’t like because she sticks her nose into other people’s business a little too much instead of minding her wayward children, but today, Mrs. Galloway looks different, just like everyone here.

They all look stunned, sad and shaking their heads in sympathy.

A burning sensation blooms in my throat as I watch Mrs. Galloway and her husband move to shake hands and hug Samuel.

I peek at my brother again.

I bet he hates me now.

Grammy hates me too.

They are going to leave me as well.

Suddenly, I remember the call I overhead between Grammy and her “specialist” friend a few months ago.

I wasn’t sure what that friend specialized in, all I recall is that her friend had recommended that I be sent away to some place, “just in case.”

When Grammy paused and didn’t immediately refute it, that’s when I knew she was considering it.

Even before all this, they wanted to send me away. Now, they have a solid reason.

The truth is, I’m unwanted.

I’ve always been unwanted.

And I always pretended like I wasn’t aware of this.

Pretending kept the peace.

Pretending allowed me to have some semblance of normalcy.

All I had to do was be blind to the silent exchanges, be deaf to the late-night whispers, maybe then they would allow me to stay.

But the thing about being a curse is that you can’t hide it.

At some point the bubble will burst in your face.

And nothing bursts bubbles of naivety than curiosity.

If only I hadn’t been curious.

If only I had ignored the letter that wasn’t even addressed to me, none of this would be happening.

“Thank you for coming,” Grammy mutters softly.

“Of course. If there’s anything we can do…”

“Young man, you’ll now have to be the man of the house,” an old friend of Gramps says to Samuel.

---