ForNever

I realize that even though I hardly ever see my dad, he is basically already a visitor in my life, I will now have to schedule visits with him.

My dad turns toward my mom and with a retaliating tone in his voice, he insists, "She is sixteen and not a child anymore, how much tact did you want me to use. No matter how I say it, there is only one conclusion."

My mom goes red in the face. The glow spreads from her neck up into her cheeks. When she gets upset her neck and chest turns a bright shade of red. She often jokes and says that it must be her Scottish blood. Her family moved here a few generations ago. She turns in her seat toward my dad and she bangs her fist down onto the table. Her voice is slightly raised when she exclaims, "John, we agreed we would discuss this civilly."

He presses his palms against the lip of the table, and his knuckles are snow white as his fingers grip around it. He pushes his chair back violently, and as he stands up, he says, exasperated, "Here we go again with the accusations."

" Don't you dare put all the blame on me, John! How can everything always be my fault? My fault you think you fell in love with someone else!" Her voice is pitched.

I gasp shocked. They both look at me. My dad is towering over me while my mom is still sitting across the table from me. She reaches her hand to me, as she whispers apologetically, "Oh Heather, I am so sorry. You weren't supposed to find out this way."

Pushing myself away from the table, the chair falls over and the leg scrapes my ankle, but I ignore the sudden sting. I walk away from the table briskly and then I run up the stairs to my room, taking the stairs two by two. I walk into my room and then I slam the door shut behind me.

I can hear their voices from downstairs-another fight has started. It does not last long though because, by the time I find my music player, I hear the front door slam shut and total silence fills the house. It is not the usual silence. It is an empty silence.

I lie on my bed, curled into a ball and I vacantly look across my room through the window at the pale blue sky. Summer will be here soon. The sun is setting later and later.

Hearing a funny noise, I sit up. I listen intently and then I realize it is my mom-she is crying. I feel sorry for her, and I wonder if I should go to her to comfort her. I decide not to, we all have to deal with our pain and sorrow in our own way.