Abby

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

There weren't any hugs and smiles this time, except a half-hearted one from Aaron. The drive home was somber, and her dad hadn't even come to pick her up. To bring her home. Last time she'd left rehab, they'd all been excited, happy, optimistic. This time, they worried they'd be back there again in three months. No one was optimistic, not even Abby. They arrived home late afternoon. Aaron offered to skip lacrosse practice to hang, but she said she was tired anyway, she'd see him at dinner. He hugged her again.

"I really am so glad you're home. We all are." She hugged him back, and he noticed it was tighter and lasted a little longer than normal. "I love you, Abs." He said.

"I love you, too." She replied. She went to her room and slept. Hours later, a soft tap at the door woke her. She looked at her phone. Six-twenty. It was late for dinner. Her mother cracked the door.

"Hi, honey. It's almost dinner time."

"Okay. Thanks." She said sitting up. She looked around her room. It was always strange to be here after rehab or any time away. Things looked different. And more than just rearranged like her parents had tossed it. Like she was different, and nothing had changed with her. She walked down to the dining room and sat at the table. She noticed her dad's seat was empty but tried not to call attention to it.

"I was holding dinner for dad, but he called and said he didn't know when he'd be home and to eat without him." Abby nodded though her mother's face was down, and she couldn't see her.

...

Abby woke up for school. She was ready to give this another go. She heard Aaron in the shower, so she dressed and headed downstairs to see her parents before everyone left for work. Only her dad wasn't there. She smiled at her mother who sat at the table. She pushed a steaming cup towards an empty chair, inviting Abby to sit down with her. Abby did so, looking at the mug on the counter. Her dad's mug.

"Dad's gone to work already?" She asked.

"Yes." Her mother replied, her tone void of any emotional cues. Perhaps the void was the cue.

"I'd offer to leave." Abby began. "But I don't have anywhere to go but with Jace."

"You're not going anywhere. He'll get over himself." Her mother said.

Only he didn't. He came home late, after dinner. He left before she got up. There were several more days of this avoidance. Abby knew she had to do something. She sat with her mother on the bleachers, watching Aaron's lacrosse game. Jennie knew her husband wouldn't miss it. But he wasn't with them.

Where are you? She asked him in a text.

At the fence. He replied.

Quit this stupid game and get the hell over here. She sent back. He didn't reply.

"Go. It's okay." Abby said, knowing this was all about her. She didn't want her mother to continually suffer.

"No. I'm here, and he can come over here." Jennie said.

"But he won't." Jennie didn't argue. "Fine. I'll fix this." Abby stood up and walked over to her dad. She stood next to him. He ignored her, but he tensed.

"Good game, huh?" She asked. She held out her hand. "I'm Abby. My brother just scored the last goal." He ignored her and spun away to go sit with his wife.

"What'd she say?" Jennie asked as he sat next to her. He laughed.

"She pretended to be a stranger. She told me her name was Abby, and her brother had just scored the last goal."

"Do you blame her?" Jennie asked.

"Yes, actually, I do blame her. For everything that's wrong in my life, I blame her." Jason shot back. She'd walked right into that one. Touché. They sat quietly as they watched Aaron. A group of girls wearing shirts that advertised their spot on the school's lacrosse team, walked by the fence. They followed them with their eyes, Sierra being one of them. The girls' team went to support the boys' team for rivalry games. They watched as she walked behind Abby. Sierra didn't even bat an eyelash in her direction. But Abby waited until they'd passed, and she looked over her shoulder, following them with her eyes until the crowd cheered, and all three faces went back to the game.