Abby

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

"Abby, just talk to your parents. They agonized over whether to come here or not. It wasn't an easy choice. And I know you don't really believe that they think Sierra is more important than you. You're smarter than that." He was right. She didn't really believe it, but what was left of her ego, her need for self-preservation, wouldn't let her express it to anyone but this man. The man that had helped raise her when he had no obligation. She didn't realize just how much she'd love him like she loved her own father until he wasn't around anymore. She'd taken him for granted along with several other things and people. "When you two stopped being friends... I lost a daughter... they lost one too. And it might not be exactly what you want to hear, but I think you know it's the truth. Sixteen years, they never missed a birthday. Please, don't take it out on them. You need them whether you like it or not." His words seemed harsh on paper. But his tone... it overflowed with compassion. They sat in silence, and it was comfortable. It was soothing.

"Thank you." She finally whispered, sniffing back her tears and drying her eyes. "Did she make All-State? Aaron said she was waiting to hear back." Abby asked. Brian smiled to himself, glancing sideways at Sierra. Even if they were never friends again, Sierra needed to hear that Abby did care about her.

"She certainly did." He said, looking at Sierra with a grin. Abby laughed.

"You sound so proud." She noted. "I never understood how we were so close. She couldn't play row your boat on any instrument, even the recorder in the third grade. And I still can't throw a ball..." Abby let her mind wander to the days when she'd sit on the sidelines during her practices while playing the acoustic.

"But..." Brian began. "She wouldn't be into lacrosse if it wasn't for –." Abby smiled; she knew what day he was thinking of.

"The time Aaron was hassling me for not being into sports, and she took his lacrosse stick to try and play so she could shut him up!" Abby finished, so excited that everyone around her stopped what they were doing and looked. "We said that since he teased us for being attached all the time, that we were technically one person, and if she could play, by default I could play." Sierra smiled.

"And I hit him in the face with the ball trying to score a goal on him. He wasn't wearing a helmet, and I had no idea how to use a lacrosse stick." Sierra added in a whisper. Three people with the same memory, forever joined no matter what life handed them. Mrs. Harris wrapped her arm around Sierra's shoulders and kissed her head. Everyone sat in silence for a bit more. Abby finally broke it, wanting to end it before it could take a turn.

"You can tell her I said congratulations, and that it was a pleasure watching her play all those years. Or not if you think she'll not react well to that..." Abby trailed off. "Thank you, dad." She said, using the endearment she'd used as a kid and even into her teen years. He pretty much was her dad, too. Until she'd screwed things up. It hit him right in the gut, to hear her call him dad again.

"You're welcome." He whispered through the emotion. And then Abby hung up.

...

They'd come again. After crying to Mr. Harris, listening to his kind words and well-meaning advice, she went out to see her family for the first time in two weeks.

"Abby." Her mother stood immediately, relieved that she had decided to see them. She stepped forward to hug her, but Abby stepped back. She sat down on the chair perpendicular to the couch they sat on. She tucked her feet underneath her and looked down at her hands. Her mother sat back down. "How have you been?" She hadn't been eating. That much they could tell. Abby shrugged.

"Clean and sober." She replied, just like the very first rehab visit.

"And that's literally all we ask of you." Her father said with bite. Abby stared him down. "Refusing to take your mother's calls or see anyone when we've taken the time to clear our schedules and make the drive? Bitch move. Even for you." He didn't back down.