Through the Silence

Chapter 17: You Won't Be Alone

WARNING: UNEDITED

Through the Silence

"If you believe that everything's alright,

You won't be all alone tonight.

And I'd be blessed by the light of you company

Slowly lifting me to somewhere new.

Oh, can you tell I haven't slept very well

Since the last time that we spoke?

You said, 'Please, understand, if I see you again,

Don't even say hello.'

Please..."

- Mayday Parade

Chapter 17: You Won't Be Alone

"So, what you're saying is that she's mute again?" Nixon asked, a look of disbelief clear on his face.

"Yes." My mom said. "Intense shock, traumatizing events... They all trigger this." She sniffed, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. Her green eyes were trained on me.

Nixon sighed loudly and slumped in his chair. Stacia rubbed soothing circles on my back. The room was filled with tense energy. After my sputtering attempt at words, Stacia had called Nixon. My mother had embraced me. And, while at a loss for words, I hugged her back.

"It's all my fault." Stacia whispered, eyes filled with regret. "If I just hadn't brought her here..."

"No, don't beat yourself up," my mom said. "It can happen. I guess since it's happened before, it's become some sort of defense mechanism for Callan."

"I guess." Nixon said, looking defeated. I reached out and gripped my mom's hand. It was a slightly awkward gesture; I hadn't seen her in years, after all.

"I'm just going to see where Ayden is." Stacia said, getting up. "Coming with, Nixon?"

"No--oh, ah, yeah sure." He added when he saw Stacia's pointed look. He jumped up from his seat and followed her out of the shop. My mom had closed it while Stacia called Nixon.

"I haven't seen you in so long," my mother whispered, putting a hand to my cheek. "Now you're all grown up."

I nodded, an overwhelming rush of emotions tugging at my heart. She frowned, then reached over the counter. She handed me a black spiral bound notebook and pen.

I nodded, flipping it to the first page.

'I know.' I wrote. 'Why didn't you come find me?'

"I did," she whispered. "I went back to the house, but you were already gone. After that, all I had left were social networking sites, but I never found you."

I leaned into the seat and nodded. It was understandable--I never had facebook or twitter. My hand reached up and started twirling the silver locket at my throat.

"Do you know where I got that?" My mom asked, a nostalgic smile played on her lips. I shook my head. "Well," she said, brushing hair from my face, "I was eighteen when I fell in love for the first time. He was in my English class. He was a little crazy; but sweet nonetheless. We use to spend every afternoon in a little cafe across the street from school." She sighed, the look on her face telling me she was reminiscing about their time together. "On the night of our second date, he gave me the necklace as a gift. I love written work, and Midsummer Night's Dream was my favorite thing to read."

'Was it dad?' I wrote on the notepad.

She shook her head. "No, his name was Hayden. We broke up after our senior year--he was going to study at a university on the other side of the country and I was staying in New York." A sad smile crossed her face. "We stayed in contact for a while, but the magic was gone after a year or so. My father introduced me to Jonah, and we got married."