Secrets//Jake Jagielski

~32~

Brighid walked down the stairs to find her mother had made breakfast.

"Morning" Deb said all cheery which Brighid found quite strange since Nathan sprung on her last night that he was emancipating both of them and moving out.

"Morning" Brighid responded sliding the plate closer to her. "Mom?"

"Yeah?" Deb asked quickies turning around.

"Why is Nathan leaving? He wouldn't tell me the specifics only that you both are liars" Brighid explained looking at Deb as she shoved a pancake into her mouth.

"Brighid, I've been holding so many secrets back. You should know that when you and Nathan went to basketball camp that summer. I had left your father for another man. I felt guilty and came back a couple months later. Believe me when I-"

"Don't say another word!" Brighid shouted disgusted. There was a long pause between the two before Brighid muttered "He's going to win isn't he?"

Deb looked at Brighid with a sad look. Brighid just got her answer.
———
That afternoon Brighid walked out of basketball practice feeling defeated and lost. She wished she could leave like her brother but knew she was too young and too naive to do so.

She waited by the parking lot for someone to pick her up.

Ten minutes eventually passed and no one came. Brighid sighed checking her phone for messages or a voicemail.

"Need a ride?" A voice asked behind her.

She turned around to find Lucas standing there with his keys in hand.

"Ummm, I guess" Brighid responded. She hesitantly followed Lucas to his truck before climbing into the passenger seat.

"Where to?"

"I think my mom is working at the cafe. You can drop me off there" Brighid responded checking her cellphone once more.

The two silently drove away from the school.

"How's your arm?" Lucas asked breaking the silence.

"Good, how's yours?"

"Not good"

Brighid sunk back in the seat unsure of what to say.

"What did we talk about? Before my accident. Did we talk?" Brighid asked. Lucas smiled and let out a chuckle.

"I remember the first time you stuck up for me against Nathan. It was a party at the beach house and we were playing Never Have I. Never really got thank you for that night" Lucas said. Brighid smiled. She may not have remembered it but it was nice knowing she had put Nathan in his place.

The two exchanged a smile with each other as Lucas parked in front of the cafe. The two got out entering the cafe to find Karen and Deb talking.

As the bell chimed their attention turned towards the two.

"Oh, shoot I forgot I had to pick you up" Deb muttered under her breath before sighing.

"It's okay, Lucas drove me here" Brighid explained. Karen looked Lucas with a smile.

"Thank you Lucas" Deb said. "I am a terrible mother"

"You're not mommy dearest Deb" Karen said with a chuckle.

"No but my kids probably hate me. Nathan divorced me for crying out loud"

"I think you're doing okay" Brigid said giving a soft smile before slipping into a booth to do her school work while she waited for her mom to be done at the cafe.