Abby

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

"I don't know who's heard and who hasn't so I'm just going to make an announcement." Principal Stone began. "Abby Demarco was arrested Wednesday afternoon at her home." There was mostly silence. A few gasps, a few whispers. It was the weekly staff meeting, and it seemed relevant information. The proper time to get it out there. "I went to her arraignment yesterday as I've been in close contact with her parents for some time now." He paused. The words were harder to say than he'd thought they'd be. "She will not be out on bail. She is currently in a Juvenile Detention Center, but the police are pushing to have her tried as an adult. They want seven to ten years in county jail." Dead silence this time. "Obviously, we are not to discuss this with, or in front of, the students. But I wanted everyone to be aware. Particularly, those of you that have Aaron in class. He'll be a wreck for sure, whether he shows it or not. His parents told me that he chose to come to school today, but that he's very shook up."

...

He walked the halls, head down. He kept her ear buds in. Classic Abby. He didn't really like her choice in music, but it made him feel closer to her. And he hoped she'd feel it, the twin thing. He'd stayed off social media. He hadn't talked to a soul. Someone put a hand on his shoulder, and he jumped a mile. He looked up to see Principal Stone who offered a smile. Aaron didn't reciprocate, but he respectfully pulled out an earbud.

"Do you want to come to my office? Maybe talk for a bit?" Aaron shook his head and walked on. His teachers didn't speak to him, and his peers seemed to know he wanted to be left alone. He sat through lunch alone in the courtyard. Sierra watched him with pity.

"Someone needs to talk to him." She said.

"I don't think he wants to talk. He's plenty popular." Sean observed. "If he wanted to talk, he'd have plenty of people to do it with." She knew that, but still.

...

He felt her shadow over him. He ignored her. She sat down and he continued to ignore her.

"Aaron, talk to me." She pleaded. He pulled an ear bud out.

"I want to be left alone. I'm the only person in this world that she has, and no one will let me see her. I'm just trying to finish up the year." She respected that.

"I'm glad she has you." Sierra said.

"She was supposed to have you." He countered. Sierra knew that would probably come up. And she knew it wasn't the time or place. They held each other's eyes for a moment, exchanging love for Abby. And then he put his ear bud back in. She finished her lunch sitting next to him, though they didn't speak. Neither one had much to say. Words were moot.

...

He stood in the doorway to his parent's bedroom. He looked down at the floor, kicking his feet around aimlessly, hands in his pockets, posture slouched, ear buds in. If you looked real quick, you'd see Abby.

"Hey, Aaron." His mother said. He looked up. He gave her a fake two second smile. "Come sit." She patted the bed next to her. He sat. "Nothing happens over the weekend." She assured him. It was Sunday. Four days since Abby had been arrested.

"When can I see her?" He asked.

"I'm not sure. Right now, she's in a juvenile detention center because she's under eighteen. The prosecutor is pushing to have her tried as an adult. If they are granted their wish, she'd be moved to the county jail. Right now, we don't know if she's being moved or not." His mother didn't cry, but her tone was delicate. She looked tired and sad. She was losing weight. None of them had much of an appetite.

"When will we know?" He asked. She shrugged.

"Hopefully, tomorrow."

"And then can I see her?" His mother was quiet. "Mom. I need to see her." He begged quietly. She nodded.

"I know. If she stays where she is, visiting hours are Tuesdays and Fridays five-thirty to seven-thirty. If she's moved, it's Mondays and Thursdays six-thirty to eight-thirty."

"Visiting hours." He said quietly. Everything about him was quiet now. That hadn't occurred to him. When she was in rehab, they saw her often and mostly whenever they wanted. "My relationship with my sister has been reduced to four hours a week. Awesome." He left his parent's room and went back to Abby's. He practically lived in there now. He crawled into her bed. His mother texted his father.

He asked about seeing her. I explained the hold up. He's not doing well at all. Jason had spent as much time as possible at work despite being given time off. He didn't want to be at home. He read the text and immediately felt guilty. He still had a son. And a wife. No mother and no daughter, but a son and a wife.

I'll be home in a half hour. He replied. When he arrived home, it was quiet and still. This was their new norm. He walked up to Abby's door and opened it up.

"We're going to the gym." He announced. He walked into his room to change. "We're going to the gym." He told his wife. "We'll sweat this out of us like real men."