Invisible

Chapter 43 A Rough Patch

Knowing the person you trust most is still alive just off living his dream is a vast improvement over losing them in death, or thinking they are dead. But there is one problem, I can't get him out of my head. It's messing me up.

As I flip through recipe after recipe in my good ol' Cakes For All Cookbook (which makes no sense because cake is actually baked not cooked) I keep seeing Hunter's blue eyes piercing into mine or feeling his touch on my arm as he said goodbye to me the night before he left.

I rip a page while turning it as my thoughts are jolted by the memory of his lips against my own.

"Auntie Leah? Can we have some juice?" A tug at my elbow brings me back to reality.

"How do we ask?"

"We say pwease!" Blake chimes in as she climbs on the stool next to me. "Is dat the cake!" She points at the page I just tore.

"No sweetie, I need to find just the right one."

"But dat one has chocowate!"

"Yes, but they don't want chocolate."

"Dats dumb." Blake looks at the book with a solemn expression and I bite back a chuckle.

"Juice please?" Gordi reminds us and I jump up to oblige.

"Should we go to the park soon guys?" I get out goldfish crackers as I look at the clock, soon it will be time to start on supper and Al and Maggie will be by to pick up the kids around 7.

"Yeah!" I get the enthusiastic chorus from the twins and I immediately grab their on the go containers and no spill cups.

We go to the usual park and I opt to play with the kids instead of reading the book I brought or texting Hunter to see how his day is going, he's too busy to have me bugging him every second of every day.

Jumping around on the swings and running around the jungle gym soon gets warm, despite the chill in the air and soon the kids are begging to remove their coats. I feel the urge to yank mine off as well but instead make the decision to get back in the car and have a snack.

"Weah? Are you gonna be by your sewf fo'ever?" Blake's question catches me off guard and I turn to look at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Wew... I got Gordi, mom's got dad, Kenny has Gema, Uncle Sammy has Tiffy, what about you?"

I notice her speech skills are getting better but L's are still hard for her. Maggie and Al were hoping she wouldn't need to take a class for it but if she's still talking like this come summer they really can't wait any longer. I choose to focus on that while I process her words. "You don't need to worry honey, I'm happy right now."

"But who's your best fwiend?"

"H- I have a lot of friends. Like you and Gordi, and your mommy and daddy."

This answer seems to satisfy her but I'm left breathless, was I really going to say his name? Almost as if on cue my phone goes off and when I look at caller ID I see his name flash across the screen. I hit the ignore button and start the car. No talking and driving when the twins are in the back seat.

"Weaaah!" Blake's scared tone rings through the car and I turn and look.

Gordi is convulsing quite violently and he doesn't respond when I say his name. I jump out and run around, yanking the door open and undoing his seat belt. I hold my hands up incase he falls I can prop him back up. Every instinct in my body wants me to reach out and hold him, keep him from shaking, but I know what damage that can do. The episode lasts a good minute but it seems like it lasts forever.