Never Leave

Chapter 11

"Babe?" Hunter sits up, looking at me confused. "What's wrong?"

I look over t him, confusion clear in my own expression. Shaking my head, I hand him the phone.

After reading the message twice, he looks up at me. Putting the phone down on the bed next to him, he pulls me to his chest. I bury my head into him neck, inhaling the warm smell of him.

"Do you want to find him?" He asks. keeping one arm around my waist, the other pushing hair away from my face.

Pulling my head away from his neck, I look him in the eyes. "I don't even know." At this point, the questions are swarming around my head like angry wasps.

Did my mom leave because she was pregnant with another mans child? Did my father kick her out because of that? Is that the reason why he started drinking? What the hell happened?

"You don't have to make the decision right now. Take your time." He leans back against the head board, still holding me to him. Exhaustion clear on his face.

Making a deal with myself, I decide that I have to choose weather I want to learn who my brother is by Friday. Todays Sunday, that should be enough time.

"Alright. we're both exhausted. I don't even know where I would start looking." I slide back under the warm sheets, Hunter following suit.

"We can talk about it tomorrow if you want." He snuggles down next to me, allowing me to place my head on his shoulder. Nodding my head, we bid each other goodnight.

After 10 minutes of just laying there thinking of nonsense. I hear Hunter's breathing even out, and a slight snore beginning. Another 20 minutes pass before my own eyes start to drop.

**************

I wake up suddenly from a strange dream. My mother was waddling around, her stomach swollen with months of pregnancy. She looks at a picture of my father and I sitting with our backs to the camera, fishing poles in hand. She covers her mouth and heavy sobs wrack her small frame.

I woke up after that. Looking next to me, Hunter is laying on his stomach, hands under his pillow clenching it to his chest.

Checking the clock, I see that it's only 5 am. Coming to the conclusion that I wont fall back to sleep, I flip the covers and swing my feet out.

Padding over to the closet, I tiptoe in and close the door behind me, flipping on the light.

I pull the clothes that I am currently wearing and slip on a one piece bathing suit. I pull my hair into a tight bun and slip on a flip flops, opening the door again and stepping out. I grab a towel and my phone on the way out.

Heading down the stairs I check the temperature, it's 85 degrees right now, the high 100. I shake my head and continue on my way down.

Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, I step out into the early morning sun. The humid air automatically making my skin sticky.

I place my towel down on one of the lounge chair and slip off my sandals.

Walking over to the diving board in the deep end. Climbing up, I take a look into the clear water and stick my toe in. The water as warm or warmer that the air outside. I walk to the very end and leap up, landing lightly on the spring board again. I go into the air again and place my hands over my head and dive head first in.

Without taking time to stop, I swim to the surface and continue to swim freestyle, from one end of the pool to the other, flipping and kicking off the wall at the end.

After about 100 laps, I stop and just let myself float on my back, catching my breath.

Regaining my breath, I swim over to the wall and pull myself out.