Where Hearts Might Heal

Chapter 27

"What's up?" I asked. Canton had led me up to his room, where he instantly started pulling out all kinds of art materials.

"Do you know anything about what happened to my mom?" I shook my head.

"I remember hearing about it, but not what happened," I replied. He took a deep breath as he started drawing on the canvas in front of him.

"It keeps me calm. All my siblings are in a sport. This is a very sporty family. I'm the youngest out of all of them. Nat, Memphis, Ross, Bryson, Easton, and Ash were all born at the same time. Sixtuplets. My mom had fertility problems and needed help getting pregnant. Then a year after having six babies, she got pregnant again. Without treatments this time. As long as I can remember, all six of them were always outside playing, while I was inside coloring. Being inside, I became closer to my mom than any of the others. We all used to have after-school activities with their sports and my art. I used to just ride home with one of my siblings.

"One day, the after-school art program was canceled. Instead of having to wait around for over an hour, I just walked home. We didn't live that far anyways." Canton closed his eyes. "I was just passing the neighbor's house when I heard gunshots. I quickly ran home. I ran inside to find my mother on the floor bleeding to death and some guy I didn't know standing over her. He turned and pointed the gun at me. My mom knocked him down just as he shot. I got hit in the shoulder and fell back. I hit my head on this big marble table thing we used to keep close to the door. I woke up in a hospital bed. Ross told me that Mom had been pronounced dead when the paramedics got there. My dad couldn't even look at me after that. I know he blames me. I should've been able to do something to stop it. I should've headed home right after school instead of staying back to talk to a friend. Maybe I could've saved her."

"Why tell me?" I asked. He looked away from whatever he was painting to look at me.

"I heard about your dad and grandparents. I figured that if anybody understood, it would be you." I nodded.

"I do understand. I was home sick the day my dad was murdered. I was the one who had to video everything. I'm the one who got my dad's murder on camera. I'm the one who identified the guys that had done it. I'm the reason the guy went after my grandparents. I was only six when my dad died. I was fifteen when the guy got out of jail and came looking for me. I would've been at my grandparent's sooner. I was supposed to be. I'd been with Jay before that, so I was running a little late. If I had been on time, maybe they'd still be here. If I hadn't had to video everything, maybe he wouldn't have come after me. If I had listened to my grandma and stayed out of the rain, I probably wouldn't have been sick." I ranted.

I thought about what he told me. I thought about everything Jay had told me, Beck had told me, Jake and Joe had told me. We couldn't focus on what might have happened had things gone differently. "But you know what? All these what-ifs and should haves aren't going to bring them back. It's not going to do us any good. All it does is torture us even more. We shouldn't focus on that stuff. Think about all the good memories you have with your mom, not that horrible day." I told him.

"Thanks, Blaire. You can go back to Jay or wherever now. You helped me." I smiled at him.

"He's here for you as well if you ever need someone to talk to. All of us are." I whispered before leaving him to finish his painting.

I found Jay sitting on the couch with Tate and Day watching some sports game. I sighed as I laid out over their legs. "Good to see you too," Tate mumbled. I smiled up at my boyfriend.

"Canton okay?" He asked as he ran his fingers through my hair. I closed my eyes and nodded.

"We have something in common. He thought I'd understand better than any of you would." I told him. Jay nodded.