Splinters: Part One

Part One | 47

Collie frowned.

"I don't know what happened to her," I admitted. "I don't know if she was cremated or buried or anything."

"I bet we could figure it out if we went and looked it up."

I nodded, but I didn't want to do that. I loved my grandma and everyday I wish I could see her again, but if I ever approached her now, it'd be so much harder for me. I wasn't sure I'd be able to take something like that.

When we entered the facility, I called Melissa and let her know we were here. She lightly scolded me on the fact that I was supposed to let her know I had Collie when I picked her up. Eventually, she hung up and my girlfriend and I went to the front desk. Collie had to sign some papers as did I after we got checked through security stuff. Thankfully, they let us visit my mom in a room rather than over the phone. I wasn't sure if they'd let us since Melissa wasn't here, but I guess Marie wasn't all that bad and it was supervised so they let it happen.

Collie walked behind me, our hands held together. She was nervous, I could tell by the way she was breathing.

"What if she doesn't like me?" Collie whispered, too low for the officer to hear in front of us.

"It's not like she can do anything about it. She's locked up," I said, my words bitter and irritated as I thought of what would happen if Marie didn't like Collie. She'd have no choice. I'd still date her.

"Alright, enjoy your visit," the officer smiled.

It was genuine, and I had a feeling the officer could see the resemblance between my mother and I. It wasn't hard to put it all together.

I pulled Collie in with me as Marie looked up, surprised, happy, and relieved. She stood up, her hands no longer chained like last time. Her hair was nicer, but not neat. I had a feeling she spent time running her hands through it before this meeting.

"Brayden," she breathed, glancing between Collie and I.

"Hi," I smiled. I gestured toward my girlfriend. "Um, this is my girlfriend, Collie. Collie, that's my mom."

Collie grinned at her and extended her hand out. "Hi."

Marie hesitantly smiled and shook it, nodding her head, her face going red. We all sat down.

"I'm sorry we have to meet in a place like this," Marie said. "It's a little embarrassing."

"It's okay," Collie said.

No. Let her be. She should be embarrassed.

All three of us fell silent until I opened my mouth, but Marie beat me to it. "When did you guys..."

"October in school," Collie replied quickly, obviously making a huge effort to converse with my mom comfortably. I smiled. She tries so hard.

"I hope my son treats you well," Marie grinned.

It was weird hearing her say I was her son, even though she's said it plenty of times before at our other visits. Maybe it was because she wasn't saying it to me. She was saying it to someone else. That made me believe she cared a little bit for me.

"Don't worry," Collie said, grabbing my hands beneath the table. "He does."

Marie smiled, and for the longest time, the both of them talked about each other. It was amazing how similar they were. But then Mom started talking about me.

"You know, there was one time when Brayden just could not sleep back when he lived with me and his father," she was saying her story so light-heartedly. I wasn't sure how to feel about it. "And he just snuggled on up with me and slept with me, telling me that he just didn't want me to go."