Stolen Secrets

Stolen Secrets- Chapter 2

~Natalie~

When we got to Ottawa the next morning, all of our stuff was already at Dad’s apartment. Dad had a room set up for me because sometimes I would stay with him for a weekend or so when he was in Ottawa. I didn’t have very many things. I had just brought my clothes, iPod, laptop, phone, my mom’s necklace and engagement ring and a couple other souvenirs I had from various vacations I had gone on.

I put my small amount of belongings on the desk, and left my clothes in the boxes. I didn’t want to unpack them now, so as I wore them I would wash them, then put them away in the drawers.

Dad gave me the info for my new school. It was just like every other high school.  I would have to go in early tomorrow morning for a tour and to pick up my schedule. Dad had managed to get me into all the same classes I had at my last school so there wouldn’t be a huge switch.

We didn’t talk much. We both unpacked our things, and then silently we moved on and help each other with the rest of the stuff. Mom’s name was never mentioned, but her presence hung over us like a storm cloud. Out of the corner of my eye I would think I would see her opening a box, her studying something we had had for years. I would turn my head, and the image would be gone, her death crashing back into me.

Or I would hear her laugh, or swear I felt her lay her hand on my back like she always did when she passed me. But she was never there. She was on the other side of the country just lying in a padded bed while she slowly rotted in her favourite dress.

Dad was distant. He seemed to just be going through the steps, not really thinking about what he was doing, or seeing his hands at all. More of him had died with Mom than I thought.

I doubt I was much better.

Both of silently grieved in the same way. Like father like daughter I guess.

After dinner I slipped into my pyjama bottoms with the little hearts all over them and I put on a shirt. I sat down in front of the TV and started to flip through channels.

I had tried to take as long as possible to unpack, but that can only be stalled so long. I had hoped that the TV would distract me from the obvious fact that my mother was now gone from my life.

The TV did nothing to distract me though.

“Night Dad,” I said not caring that it was only eight thirty.

He nodded. His eyes were glued to the screen even though a commercial for soap was on the screen. I think he did it so I wouldn’t see the tears running down his cheeks.

I made my way to my new bedroom and cried myself to sleep. The only good thing that came out of the last couple of days was the fact that I was starting at a new school.

Most people would hate that. But at this school people couldn’t immediately peg me as a loser. They didn’t know me yet. It was a fresh start. These people didn’t know that my mother had died, that my dad was a popular politician, or that my now ex-boyfriend had hit me.

Tomorrow I could hide the bruise beneath makeup. Or if I didn’t have the energy for that, I could lie and say I was clumsy. No one would know me well enough to say otherwise.

~Jeff~

I was late for class, again. Every single day that little snooze button is hit like five times. I really need to break that habit.

It’s a good thing I have first block English though, Mr. Anderson walks Ms. Thyna to the Math class she teaches downstairs every morning. So it’s a good thing I have the teacher too busy flirting than a normal teacher, otherwise I would be in trouble like every single day.