Emotions are what makes us human, especially love. Caring for other individuals keeps our humanity intact. But, what's Peri to think when the very fervor she's been dreaming of feeling for another human being, is incited by her half brother Nathan...
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"A hello would've been nice," - Nathan
Nathan and I walked into the house together, him opening the door for me from behind. It was oddly quiet, usually our Mom is in the kitchen watching the small tv, or my Dad is in the living room surfing through the big one. I turned to Nate with furrowed eyebrows, and he gave me a questioning look. "Why is it so silent?"
"Maybe they're not here?" He proposed, but he was wrong because their cars are outside. Curiously, we both rounded the corner out of the foyer and into the living room. I spotted the both of them sitting on the long couch, with a concerning expression on their faces.
"A hello would've been nice," Nate joked, highlighting how they didn't say anything when we walked through the door. "what's going on in here?"
"I thought you kids had an after school program today?" My Dad asked, and he stood up awkwardly. I could tell that by the way his blonde hair was pushed everywhere, that he'd been running his hands through it all day. He only does that when he's nervous, so I was confused.
"No, it was cancelled, why are you guys gathered here like this?" I questioned back.
"You kids weren't supposed to be here, we have something to tell you." Our Mom confessed, raising our suspicions. I wish they would just get on with it, instead of stalling with obvious questions and statements.
"Ok?" We say in unison.
"Remember ... when you guys were five, and we had that big house fire?" She reminded, and I glanced over at Nathan to see his reaction. That night, his father died, and I almost felt bad for him since she brought it back up. "I know that we have all finally numbed the pain that the night caused us, pushed it down, or whatever you did to alleviate it."
Personally, I numbed it, and Nathaniel pushed it down by becoming denial. He ignored the situation until he was convinced that it didn't happen, and that his pain wasn't real. It was extremely unhealthy, but I was just content with the fact that he wasn't hurting immensely.
"What does this have to do with anything?" He inquired.
"Well ... as you know, the police had told us, that your father," she paused to take a deep breath, I guess because she didn't want to be blunt by saying that he died. "but that wasn't the case, he wasn't gone, his body was just never recovered."
I looked over at my dad, noticing how he had sat down, and allowed my mom to tell us whatever it was they were hiding. "So what are you saying?" Nathan chuckled nervously.
"Well, when Steve and I learned that, I got this feeling in my gut, that Keith was still alive. After weeks of me bugging him about it, we hired a private investigator."
