Panda's Box

Chapter 20: Who Knew? They Knew!

Chapter 20

I called my parents as soon as I got settled in at Lane's but they did not sound surprised.

"What's that face?" asked Lane as she brushed her hair. She was observing me through her mirror.

"I told my parents about Mrs. Wyatt while you were in the bathroom, but they sounded like they already knew," I replied.

"How could they if we didn't? And that would mean that all our parents would know," said Lane She slowly placed her brush on the dresser as the realization came to her.

"Mommy, dad? Where are you?" she screamed. She was already halfway down the stairs when I got up.

"What happened to the diva now?"

"Shut up Jared, where are our parents?" asked Lane.

With a confused look on his face, he pointed to the garden.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Lane replied by heading out the door.

"Trust me, you don't want to know," I answered as I went to stand by the door.

"I tell you, she must get her temper from our aunts, no one else in our family is as crazy," joked Jared.

He was beside me now, looking at his sister's dramatic hand motions. I could tell by Mr. and Mrs. Stewarts' expressions that they too knew about Nash's mother.

"So they all knew," I whispered as I moved towards the living room.

"Knew what?" asked Jared. He must have sensed that this was not one of his sister's usual meltdown, for his tone was now one of concern.

"Nash's mom is sick," I started, "and we only found out today, but it seems like everyone knew but us."

"You guys didn't know?"

I shook my head while as a slipped.

"But didn't you see that her shop is being taken over? Or how Mr. Wyatt now drives his personal car, rather than the squad's car? You mean you guys never noticed anything strange?"

"How would we?" muttered Lane, her voice was now hoarse from screaming.

She continued, "We were all out of town, not speaking to each other. We were all wrapped up in our own universe, partially because of me."

"Now Lane, I know you can be...well overwhelming, but you mustn't give yourself so much credit," replied Jared.

"I'm not being a spot light stealer, not right now. If I hadn't said that stuff at the fire, we would have all kept in touch. Even if we were apart for most of the summer, we would have spoken, and he would have felt safe enough to confide in us," stated Lane, her voice quivering.

Jared went over to Lane and wrapped his hands around her. For the first time, Lane had both allowed herself to be vulnerable and comforted. She would admit when she was wrong once in a while, but it was always with an air of supremacy.

Just then, her parents walked in to the scene. "Girls, you mustn't beat up yourselves like this. We found out because Mr. Wyatt told us," offered Mrs. Stewart.

"He asked us not to disclose the information with you guys out of respect for Nash. You have to understand that Nash didn't know how to deal with this; he would eventually talk you to guys once he was ready," added Mr. Stewart.

"I don't have to understand anything," screeched Lane, her voice almost nonexistent.

"Lane," started Mrs. Stewart, "Such an attitude is not necessary. You may not want to understand, but you should. Imagine if he had told you, you would have showered him with sympathy...you would have treated him differently."