Summer After High School

35

Paige

"Mu-mum. What's happening here? " I question in a voice barely above a whisper.

"I can explain, Paige, " she says, coming close to me.

I move away, "What are you doing here? Why are you not in the hospital? " I ask, wishing she'll tell me something to contradict the answer I already know.

"Calm down, Paige," She says, closing the space between us and placing her hands on my shoulders.

I slowly remove her hands. Her gaze is steady on mine and I'm pretty sure she can see the tears that's blurring my vision.

"Calm down about what, mum? This doesn't make any sense! And you Kyle, you knew about this? " my voice is loud enough for everyone to hear now.

Kyle tries to avert his gaze from mine, he doesn't say a word.

My head feel like a drum that's continuously being played.

"Nanny Rachael, Paige is your daughter? Wait a minute, Brian, is she the girl you told me about? "

Brian and my mum nod at the same time.

"I suggest we give this two privacy," Mr. Wilson says as they all exit the living room.

"Since when? " I ask, a tear rolls down my face.

"A month and a few weeks, " she says," Baby, I lost my job. I didn't want to.."

"Stop, " I tell her, " I don't want to hear your explanation. I'm going home. "

"Paige, please listen to me. "

"Sorry mum, my ears have no interest in hearing lies anymore! "

She calls me as I walk away, I don't answer. I board a cab to take me back home. I'm fine really, I'm just really tired.

There's a feeling you get when you're proved wrong about something you've been so sure about for a while, when you find out the truth you've always known Is a lie. It builds up in your head and flows to your mind. It makes you question what other truths in your life are lies, It makes you wonder if any truth you know is even actually true.

I pay the cab driver and enter my house. When I get to the living room, I just sit down and let a million questions spin in my head. Why would mum do this?

"Hey, what's wrong with you? " The door opens after Phoebe asks and mum comes in the door.

"Ask mum, " I tell her.

Mum closes the door behind her, "You forgot the tools you bought for your dad's welcome back banner, " she says.

I don't answer her because I don't know what to say.

"I need to talk to you girls, " mum says.

"I said I'm done listening to you," I reply.

As I start heading for my room, my phone vibrates , when I unlock it I see a text message from Kyle.

Kyle- Paige. It's okay to be mad at me for not telling you about this but with time I hope you can understand I didn't want to interfere because it's a family issue. For now, Paige, please try to listen to your mum. I know you're mad at her but try to hear her out. Paige , remember when you thought your dad  was cheating and you didn't tell your mum? You didn't tell her simply because you wanted to keep it a secret, you were also worried about her, the situations are kinda similar. Just try to hear her out.

I don't like that his words are getting to me. I lock my phone screen and head back to the living room.

"Why didn't you tell us? What ever happened to no more secrets? Mum when you want someone to do something, you do it too. You can't keep secrets if you don't want us to do the same."