ᴍʏ ᴍᴏᴍ ɪs ᴡʜᴏ? ✔︎

Secret Talents, Broken Promises

| Cody |

"So, how are you doing, Cody?" I look at my therapist's face. I debate on whether or not to be completely honest. If I'm being truthful, I'd tell her that I'm worried. Worried that these sessions are costing my mom a lot of money. I don't like anyone spending money on me, and since I'm being called a golddigger already, I'd rather not even come back here. I'm worried about the voice in my head, urging me to take a pill, to have a drink. I'm worried about everything, and nothing at the same time.

"I'm fine."

"Let's try something else. Tell me about any hobbies that you've taken up?"

"I don't know."

"I think you do, Cody. Just one hobby." Dr Morris challenges me, holding eye contact and I grow scared of rolling my eyes. I eventually do, simultaneously sighing as I shift in the seat in her office.

"Fine. There is one thing, but only Jack knows about it."

"Jack is your friend, yes?"

"My best friend, yeah. I asked her not to tell anyone about it, so far she's managed to keep it a secret." I tell my therapist, who studies my face probably looking for any signs of discomfort, but she won't find any.

"Why would she tell anyone?" She asks and I chuckle, dryly.

"You don't know my mom."

| Jack |

I'm in our backyard working on my touch and footwork. I honestly miss soccer so much, even if it only just ended. I realize my life revolves around the sport, and honestly? I love that it does.

"Hey kid." I turn to the door, Hope and Alex standing watch and I suddenly become extremely self aware of my level of talent, and not in a good way.

"Use the side of your foot more, and don't be afraid to roll the ball under your foot to control it more when your dribbling." Alex points out, grabbing one of the balls from the side and demonstrating for me. She helps me a little more until I have it down and it feels like second nature.

"Where's your partner, Robin?" Hope asks, and I raise an eyebrow.

"Why does Cody get to be Batman? Besides, I think we're more like Harley Quinn and The Joker - without the balls. Only these balls." I motion to the soccer balls scattered around the yard.

"I call dibs on being The Joker." I hear my best friend say from the door.

"I'm not always the sidekick!" My whining is, of course, ignored by the trio as Alex climbs the few steps towards the door, engulfing Cody in a hug so tight that you'd think they hadn't seen each other in weeks.

"Where were you?" I hear Alex ask my best friend, who makes eye contact with me. She gives me a small nod, happy that I haven't told her mother anything, before she turns her attention back to Alex.

"I had another appointment with Morris, went to a bookstore-"

"-cough- nerd -cough-" I interrupt my best friend, who glares at me before finishing her sentence. I knew excatly what she was doing when she told Alex that she was 'just walking around', it's my best friend's way of trying to tell someone something without really telling them anything at all.
____________

The next day 'The Families' are busy at the mall. That means Alex and Cody, with Hope, Kelley and I and getting all of us in one vehicle was...eventful, to say the least.

About an hour into our adventure - please note the sarcasm - Alex began to freak out.

"Where's Cody?" I watch as Alex starts looking everywhere, panic obviously setting in and I'm left overcome with guilt, because I know exactly where she is.

"Jack." I hear Hope almost grit my name out through clenched teeth. She narrows her eyes at me as I continue to bite my lip, something I don't realize I'm doing until it's too late and I've been busted.

"Yes?" I ask, trying my best to sound innocent and obviously failing.

"Where is Cody?" Hope asks me slowly, raising an eyebrow as she challenges me to lie.

"Um...I...well, you see-"

"Where?" Alex asks me this time, and the look in her eyes is something I've never seen before - she's terrified.

"She's fine, I promise. I can take you to her." I cave in, deciding that hiding the whereabouts of my friend is not worth Alex being like this.

We walk for ten minutes, speed walking to the other side of the mall, into a large music store. Cody and I know this place well and I know this is Cody's safe space. My best friend didn't even want me knowing about her secret talent, and how much she needs this music store. Alex, Hope and Kelley follow quietly behind me as I lead them through the store as the sound of a piano playing begins to fill my ears. I don't fight the grin on my face, she's getting better, a lot better.

| Cody |

I finish the piece, expecting to be met with the beautiful sound of silence but instead I'm met with clapping. I turn to see my mom, my best friend and her moms. Jack breaks eye contact with me immediately.

"What the hell Jack?!"

"I had to Cody, I'm sorry!"

"Bullshit, I can't believe I told you." I argue with my best friend. I can see she's sorry, but the words won't stop falling from my mouth, I'm feeling violated and betrayed. This was my space, the one place that nobody else knew about, and now it's gone.

"Your mom was worried sick about you, Cody. Stop being so fucking selfish!" And with that, Jack turns and leaves, Hope and Kelley in tow, chasing her to catch up. I give my mom my full attention, only now realizing that I should have told her I was breaking away from the group.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you mom-"

"You play beautifully." She waves off my apology, pulling me in for a hug. It's a hug that's a lot tighter than usual.

"Are you okay, mom?" I mumble into her shoulder, but luckily she hears anyway and her arms tighten around me even more.

"I thought I lost you again." She stutters. I pull away to see that she's crying, and I feel guilty and ashamed that I put her through that. Being snatched as a baby wasn't my fault, but this? This is, and it makes me feel sick.

"I'm so sorry, I should have told you where I went." This time I'm pulling my mom in for a hug, and she doesn't hesitate to hug me back.

"Who taught you to play?" My mom asks me after a few minutes of silent hugging, and I'm low-key annoyed she ruined it.

"That would be me." A voice catches our attention and in waddles old Mrs Wilkins, the woman who has owned this store for decades. She owned this store with her husband before he died. She once told me that she hated music, that her father would attempt to play the violin, she hated it so much she intentionally broke it just so he couldn't play it anymore. She told her father it was an accident and that she fell carrying it while running to her father to ask him to play it for her. She hated music until one day she met a young man on the street, playing a violin, the way it should be played. Mrs Wilkins told me that she would stay with him for hours, while he played and she would go back every chance she got just to see him play until he asked her out. A year later they got married, and they stayed together until he died.

"Mom, this is Mrs Wilkins." I introduce Alex to the woman who taught me piano, for free, in her own time. "Mrs Wilkins, this is my mom, Alex."

I wander away from the duo as they chat, mostly Alex asking about my piano progression, and Mrs Wilkins explaining why she taught me. She never told me why she decided to teach me, and until she tells me directly, I dont want to know. I end up back at the piano and look around to see the store is empty, so I take advantage of the silence and start playing, choosing to ignore that my mom is watching me.

____________

| Jack |

Hope, Kelley and I have been home for 2 hours, and we're waiting for Cody and Alex to get back before we start cooking dinner, and obviously, when I say 'we', I mean Hope and Kelley. I waste time in the backyard, striking balls into the net set up on one end, away from any windows because I'm me.

The sun is starting to set, the sky painted a beautiful mixture of blue, red and orange. I'm completely lost to the moment until a ball hits me on the head. Turning, I expect to see Hope or Kelley, but it's Cody.

"What do you want?" I snipe at my friend, fully aware that the adults are watching from their perch - the kitchen window. I'm sure they can hear too since the window is open.

"I want to apologize."

"Okay."

"Jack, stop." Cody sighs out, grabbing my wrist as I try and walk away from her. "I'm really sorry. I thought you told my mom for the sake of telling her but I was wrong." I feel her grip tighten on my wrist, urging me to stay even though I'm not moving. "I didn't think of her feelings when I just walked off, I didn't think that I'd be leaving you in a situation where you had  to tell her, to ease her worrying. I'm sorry I made you feel like shit, you were only being a good friend." I don't speak, I don't move. I let her sweat, because if I'm being honest, I'm still annoyed. I eventually give up being petty, knowing that I can't go a single day without my sister. We seal her apology with a hug and when she pulls away I can see she's crying. Wiping away her tears, I smile at her.

"You're getting really good."

"At apologizing?" She asks me, completely clueless.

"At piano, but at apologies too." I share a chuckle with my best friend as we walk back into the kitchen, coming face to face with three beaming adults.

"Oh, thank God. You're friends again!"