My 30 Day Challenge

Chapter 4

'Kellin! Michael! Victor! Breakfast!'

I immediately stood up, hungry as hell. I’d lied when I’d said I’d had food on the plane; I can’t eat the stuff. I just wanted to try and sleep while jet lag would let me, but for all my troubles I got maybe 3 hours tops, and had been starving hungry since midnight.

Heading downstairs, I saw Mr Fuentes sitting at the table, three empty seats indicating I was the first up. I took a seat on the end, and immediately a plate full of food was put in front of me.

'Don't eat just yet, Kellin, we try to wait until everyone is here,' said Mrs Fuentes. 'If you'd like, I can go wake up the boys personally and get them down faster.'

'No, it's fine, really,' I mumbled quickly, not wanting to impose or seem rude.

'VICTOR! MICHAEL! FOOD!'

Eventually Mike stumbled down the stairs, eyes half closed and in boxer shorts.

'Where is your brother?' Mr Fuentes said without looking up from his newspaper. It was like this was routine.

'Unnghow,' was the stifled response.

'I'll take that as a no, then,' he sighed.

Mike sat down next to me and put his head on the table, closing his eyes.

'How did you sleep, Kellin? Your mother tells me you've had sleeping problems,' asked Mrs Fuentes. How would she know? I've never been able to sleep, but I always act like I'm asleep when she gets home. I guess Dr Jardine told her.

'I was okay, thanks,' I lied quietly.

After a few more silent minutes passed, I excused myself from the table to go to the bathroom. Heading upstairs, I realized I’d forgotten which room Vic had told me was the bathroom. I stood awkwardly in the hall for  bit, then walked over to the room that had Vic’s name on the closed door.

Knocking, I heard no response, so I tried the door, which was open. Walking in, I found him sitting on the floor of an impeccably clean room, fully dressed, looking out the window.

'What do you want, Kellin?' he asked boredly without looking to see who it was. He had changed so much from the evening before.

'Uh, your parents want you to come down to breakfast. Also, I, um, forgot where the bathroom is…' I muttered, face bright red, I'm sure. I then realized the smart thing to do would have been to open each room and see which one had a toilet in it.

'Bathroom's across from my room. Tell mom and dad I'm not hungry.'

'Okay. Thanks.'

'And Kellin?' he turned around to look at me. 'Please don't come in my room again.'

I closed the door on my way out, and went to the bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, I suddenly craved my razor. Slipping my shirt off, I stared at my torso, searching for cuts that had faded to scars. The few weeks since I’d been put in hospital had healed my body. They were now going to try to heal my mind.

I finished up in the bathroom, then headed downstairs, where the Fuentes’ were still waiting. 

'Uh, Vic says not to wait for him, he's not hungry.'

Mr and Mrs Fuentes exchanged a look, then said at the same time ‘Alright then,’ and started eating. I shoved Mike to wake him up again and started eating my own food.

***

An hour later, Mike and Vic had gone to school, and I was once again in the car with Mrs Fuentes, this time on our way into San Diego itself. I had been scheduled in for regular sessions once a week all day at a mental hospital by Dr Jardine before I left Michigan. My doctor would spend 2 hours with me in a private session, then I would spend another 4 hours in a group session trying to ‘connect with others going through the same thing.’ I hadn’t spoken to Mrs Fuentes at all about why I was in their house; but I knew she knew. 

'Kellin…' she started. I knew where this was going.

'Look, Mrs Fuentes - '

'Vivian,' she interrupted. 'And please let me finish. I do know why your mother asked me to take care of you while she couldn't. I guess that what I'm trying to say is… think of us as your family. You can talk to any of us about anything; I imagine you'll feel more comfortable talking to the boys than my husband or I, but I haven't told them, because I felt it was your place to do so. I do think you should, however; personally, I feel they have a right to know why they are now sharing their house with you. But if you don't then I guess that's up to you. But although they can be a pain in my ass sometimes, I love them, and they are good kids - they will try to be as understanding and caring as they can, and I know that they - and my husband and I - will all try to help you through this, because even though we don't really know you as yet, we love you. Okay?'

I was a bit shellshocked; this was the most I’d ever heard her say. I agreed with some of what she said, and disagreed with parts. ‘Okay.’

With that, she pulled up outside a very bland-looking building labelled ‘Sacred Heart Mental Hospital’.

'Good luck, Kellin.'