Page 10 of Remnants
Right. Because the seatbelt she’s wearing or the heart medication in her purse is any different?
It breaks my heart how much I dislike my mother—my entire family, actually. I remember when I first got married, me and my then friend, Becky, had a small cupcake business that was set up at farmer’s markets. She and her husband tried, even with IVF, for years to have a baby. It was soul-crushing to watch her get so hopeful, only to get let down. Finally, the IVF worked though and they had a healthy baby boy that they treat like a little prince. If their happiness and that little boy was “against God’s will”, then I am not sure I want to believe in his will.
“You may also be having problems due to your past.” I let out a long sigh.Here we go.
“How so, Mother? Is God punishing me for my lesbianism?”
“SHHH!” she says loudly, as if someone will hear us in her car. “Kaitlin! Do not use such filthy language! All I am saying is, maybe you still haven’t been fully absolved.”
“I went to the camp, the groups, the meetings, the punishments. I left all of that behind me, and I married a man. That isn’t enough?” My mother’s thin lips press tighter together as her blue eyes burn into me.
“Only God can decide when you are completely absolved. What you did…” She shakes her head as she gets out of the car, muttering words likeimpure, tragic, unforgivable. I sigh to myself before getting out of the car and following her into the church.
I sit on my front step as I watch the sun creeping down behind the homes. My previous excitement of James being sweeter to me due to the accident is gone. He called me while I was in the church service and I had turned my phone on silent, consequently missing every one of his nineteen phone calls. When I got out and called him, he was so irate and said such horrible things to me, all I could do was pray he would decide to add another week to his trip in the hopes that he would have cooled down by the time he came back.
I dig my nail under the label on the wine cooler I have been nursing when the booming and frantic barking of Sam jerks me out of my depressive thoughts. I look across the street and see Sam’s dark shadow in the open window. He’s barking and running away before coming back and barking at me again.
I furrow my brows as I stand up, deciding to jog across the street and walk to Nora’s door. I knock, but get nothing but Sam’s constant barking. I try to open the door. It’s unlocked but something is in front of it, making it impossible for me to budge it open. I walk over to the window Sam is barking through and peer inside. There’s a dresser that has been shoved against the door.What on earth?
“Nora?” I yell through the window. I peer through the screen at Sam whining and looking down the hall then back at me.
“Okay, bud.” I sigh as I look at the window frame. “I’m coming.” I push on the frame of the edge several times until the latches break and the screen falls into my hands. Hopefully Nora won’t be too mad. I thank God that I have changed out of mychurch clothes and into my black leggings and red sweatshirt as I heave myself through the window, landing with an“oof”on her loveseat. Sam runs over to me, snorting and nudging me with his nose before running back to the hall.
My heart pounds as I follow him through the house until I come to a bedroom, and in the doorway lay Nora’s crumpled body.
“Nora!” I run over and kneel beside her head. She’s unconscious but breathing. I look around the area; she doesn’t have her prosthetic on, but I see her crutch laying off to the side. I reach in my pocket and go to call 911 but something tells me not to, so instead, I scroll through my contacts until I findBlack Widow Ink.
After a couple rings a young male voice comes over the phone.
“Black Widow Ink, this is Jamie,” the voice says.
“Jamie, my name is Kaitlin. I need to speak to Mac immediately.”
“Oh, sorry. Mac is with—”
“I don’t care who he’s fucking with!” I yell as I place Nora’s head in my lap. She lets out a whimper as I run my hand over her cheek.
“It’s about his sister. Get him. Now,” I growl. There’s silence before I hear rustling on the other end.
“Katie.” Mac’s voice is deep and serious in a way that sends chills over me. “What happened?”
“I don’t know,” I say, trying to hold back the tears. “I was outside, Sam was barking, I came into the house and she’s unconscious, and the front door is like… barricaded or something.” I hear him cuss before letting out a sigh.
“I’ll be there in twenty. If she is breathing, do not call 911 and Katie—if she wakes up, keep her calm. I’m going to have Jamie text you my number. Text me any updates. I’m on my way.” Theline goes dead and I sit my phone down while continuing to hold Nora’s head.
Her face scrunches as if she is in pain and she keeps muttering something that I can’t understand.
“Shhh,” I coo, tracing her dark brows. “Nora, it’s Kaitlin. You’re safe.” I watch her turn her head towards me and nuzzle into my stomach as she lets out a sigh.
After several quiet moments, Nora groans loudly and starts to open her eyes. When her brown eyes look into mine, they appear wild and far away. She shoves off of me and scoots to the other side of the hall while looking around in panic.
“Nora,” I say softly, holding my hands up to show her I mean no harm. “Sweetie, it’s okay. You're okay.”
“How did you find me?” she orders as she tries to stand, but falls. It’s as if she’s forgotten about her leg. Does she think her prosthetic is on?
“Sam was barking.” I continue to talk softly while I grab my phone, I need to text Mac.
“What’s that?” she yells and points at my phone. “What are you doing?” I place the phone down slowly and look at her. Her eyes can’t seem to focus on me—she is looking everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
