Emerald Eyes

Chapter 19.

                It was Saturday. As Lucas had predicted, my cheek had turned a wonderful shade of dark purple. I tried my best to cover it with makeup, but to no avail. Which was bad news since my mom was still in New York, so we were at my dad’s house.

                I tried to stay in my room all day, but my dad insisted on a family dinner. I wasn’t sure why, since usually we just found some food and went back to our rooms.

                I arranged my hair as best as I could to cover my bruise and went downstairs to supper. My dad wasn’t sitting at the table like I expected him to be. In fact, everyone - that is, Kyle and Audrey – looked tense. I sat down awkwardly.

                “What’s going on?”

                My dad took a deep breath. And then it all came out. “I know this is going to be hard for you all to hear, especially with all that’s been going on. But,” My dad stopped. It looked like he was getting a little choked up. What the hell? “It’s… your grandfather has… passed away. It’s very sudden, but he had Alzheimer’s. I’m so sorry, kids.”

                My first thought was that I didn’t know why he was apologizing to us when it wasn’t his fault, but then what he said sank in.

                Without noticing it, I shook my head, dislodging my hair from its place. “But we just saw him not too long ago!”

                “I know but sometimes that’s how it with Alzheimer’s. There’s nothing we can – could have done.

                “When’s the funeral?” Kyle asked, his voice going gentle.

                “Tuesday. I’ll be very busy until then, getting all the preparations and everything. You kids are just going to have to handle it, okay? This is going to be… well. It’s not going to be easy.”

                We all went our separate ways after that, all thoughts of supper gone. Except for Audrey, who ate a sandwich.  

                Once up in my room again, I sat on my bed and just let it sink in. I couldn’t believe it. All of a sudden, everything seemed so overwhelming. First the divorce, then my sister, now this? Why was everything going wrong for us? My poor dad was probably falling apart.

                Suddenly I needed my safety valve. I had to let something out or I would burst. I grabbed my razor and, without bothering to go to the bathroom, dragged it across my calf a few times. It didn’t even hurt until the blood started welling up, and even then it only stung. It didn’t matter. I just had to drain something. To let a little bit leak out so I wouldn’t burst.

                I held a towel to my skin until the blood had mostly stopped flowing, and then I bandaged myself up. Sighing, I sat down on my bed and closed my eyes. This was going to be a long weekend.