Emergency Stitching

Chapter II

Days dragged into weeks, and I became more depressed every minute. I never stopped trying to talk to my family, but I had little opportunity. I hadn't seen any of them for days, and I was tired of having so much time alone. My stupid hormones made me start crying every time I thought of... well, anything to do with life at the moment. I felt oddly detached, like I was observing someone else. 

I sat cross-legged on the floor, examining my hands. I kept them in my pockets all the time, so they were very pale. I had calluses on them from all the work I used to do outside, and from writing. The fingers were long and dainty, which annoyed me. How was anyone supposed to take me seriously if I looked so fragile? 

I closed my father's casket with these hands. I wiped away all my tears and hid my face with these hands. I wrote positive sentences over and over again, and I dug my nails into my skin to contain my emotions with these hands. 

I felt the reminders burning in my eyes and throat like fire.

A knock on the front door distracted me from my thoughts, saving me from bursting into tears. I was also slightly shocked. Who would come over here? 

"Coming!" I called as the person knocked again. Wrenching the door open, I stood face to face with an unfamiliar woman and... Emily. 

"Hello?" I said uncertainly.

"Hi, is your mother here?" the woman asked in a bright voice. 

I was a bit suspicious of the exaggerated happiness in her tone. "No, she's out at the moment. My brother is here, though, if you want to talk to him...?"

She chuckled, putting a hand on Emily's shoulder. "No, that won't be necessary. I can talk to you, and you can pass on the message. Unless you're too busy?" 

I shook my head and invited her in. "Is this about Emily?" I asked warily.

The woman sighed. "Yes, actually. My name is Georgia Hernan, Emily's friend's mother. I overheard  Emily telling my daughter that she's been having some problems with her home life."

Oh, I should've known. This is what her overly-bright tone was about. "Okay... Emily? Why didn't you tell any of us that something was wrong?" I asked, even though I knew perfectly well. This was all an act for the stranger. I had to act like the concerned big sister... or mother.

Emily glared at me. "When is anyone home to talk to?"

I laughed bitterly. All these nights I'd stayed up just in case anyone came home, and she doesn't even notice? "Emily... when was the last time you came home and I wasn't sitting up waiting for you?" I asked her softly.

She didn't reply.

Georgia didn't seem to notice how upset we both were. "Is your mother usually gone?" she inquired.

Emily and I both nodded at the same time.

Georgia frowned. "Well, is your older brother?"

Emily nodded and I shook my head. 

"When are you ever here, Emily? How can you know?" I asked rhetorically.

 My little sister thought she knew everything, but she didn't.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. If Emily didn't notice how hard I was trying, then perhaps Leo and my mother didn't either! 

"Thank you for coming," I told Georgia extra-politely, considering I was about to kick her out. "But I think it's time for you to be going."

She smiled understandingly. "Just talk with your mother, all right?"

I nodded and showed her the door.

Immediately after I shut the door behind her, Emily whirled on me.

"Why did you do that?!" she shrieked. "That woman has been more of a family to me than the rest of you put together!"

I looked her straight in the eye. "I need you to listen," I said in a deadly voice. She shut her mouth and glared at me.

"When have I ever turned away from you? When have I ever ignored you? When have I ever refused to talk to you?" I asked in the same tone. She opened her mouth to argue, but then snapped it shut.

"That's right: never. On the other hand, when was the last time you didn't do exactly that to all of us?" I continued.

She still gave me a dirty look, but I could tell she was thinking about what I was telling her.

"Before Mom and Daddy divorced," she finally replied.

"A year ago," I finished.

Emily spun around and ran to her room. I let her go; she needed time to think.

Maybe that day is today, I thought happily. Things were getting better already.