Lauren Sanders has been left to start a 'new' normal life with her aunt and cousin after her family died. Everybody knows almost everything except for two things: Lauren's parents' mysterious death and her schizophrenia.
Lauren goes out on a mission...
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Out of a hundred thousand people living in the same city as you, what are the chances of meeting someone at the mall, on a Sunday mid-afternoon?
I knew that it was him the moment I turned my head around. After all these years, with my mind still clouded with anger, and no matter how much I wanted to forget him, a part of me very much knows that I still recognize him.
The way he was standing there with his hand in the pocket of his jeans. The way he bends forward to get a better look at things as he examines them. The way he tilts his head from side to side as he weighs the pros and cons, whether or not to buy the product, and how his forehead wrinkles as he does so. I wanted to forget all of the little details I knew about him, but I couldn't seem to.
I could tell the moment my parents sat us down for a discussion that they wanted to put an end to things. I've witnessed my mom and father fight several times, and I knew they had a way to resolve things quickly as they seem to be in a good mood the next day, acting as if nothing had happened the night before they fought.
"Your dad and I..." Mom hesitates for a second as she gave a look at Christopher who didn't return her gaze. I watch him stare at his hands, silent.
Mom sighed. I gave it meaning in the back of my mind. Maybe when she looked at him, she thought that if he gave her one last look—a look that could stop her from potentially ending a marriage, she would. But he didn't.
Mom looks at me and Jonathan, "We're going to file a separation."
She told us that, and I knew she wasn't going to give it all up, so I think I know a lot about people, especially my family. She had the option to file for divorce, but she chose not to do so since I was aware of her persistent love for him and because I had no control over it.
She may have also not meant to prove that my grandma was right all along when she said that my father would eventually leave her—because he did. But since I knew Father, he always came back. He would leave as well as return. Repetitively, a never-ending cycle of watching my mom cry as he did what he wanted to.
We're always defeated by someone (or something). Her love for Christopher was defeated over wanting to leave. She loved him, and my love for mom defeated me over her love for Christopher. Even if people don't tell you, you know that no matter who or what you are to a person, there will always be someone (or something) bigger and better than you. Nothing surpasses a person's endurance, no matter how much you give or how hard you strive.
"Are you even listening?" Liam waves his hand on my face, snapping me out of my thoughts about the encounter I had with Christopher yesterday.
"What were you saying, again?" I ask, squinting his eyes at me.
He rolls his eyes and says, "Party. Friday night, next week."
"Oh," I say. I shake my head and continue, "I can't. My little bro has a soccer game. Big bro duties. I have to watch and support."
