A Bird Set Free

chapter 2

"Mom, I'm talking to Raven!" I exclaimed.

"Well you need to get off the phone now. Dinner's ready." 

"Alright mom, I'll be right up" I told her, to make her go away. When I heard the footsteps go back into the kitchen I knew I was safe to speak again without her eavesdropping by my door.

"Hey Raven, I have to go, can I talk to you tomorrow?"

"Uhm, yeah... but uh, Jake?... C-Can I ask you a question?" she replied hesitantly.

"Yeah of course, you can ask me anything." my voice sounded calm on the outside, but on the inside my heart was pacing rapidly at an uncontrollable pace as I waited patiently for her to speak again.

"Well... I mean...do you ever... or... I mean... would you?...."

I still waited.

My brain felt like it was about to burst with all the thoughts running back and forth through my entire mind.

It felt like days had past until she spoke... once again. 

there was a long moment of silence. "Jake! my mom's calling me, tell you tomorrow! Bye!"

"Oh, okay... B-." I said a bit confused. But she hung up before I could finish saying another word.

I was now flustered with emotions.

After that, I walked stiffly up the cemented staircase and opened the basement door. When I walked into the kitchen I could smell the fresh green-beans and corn, mixed with chicken fried steak and gravy, which was all sitting on the stove as if calling my name. 'Jake come eat me, Jake come eat me'

When I walked closer to the stove, I opened the pot of green beans and smoke came tumbling out as if escaping for air. When I finished serving myself I sat down at the table, and noticed that my mom was no-where in sight.

"Mom?" I asked uncertainly.

"I'm up here, doodle" I heard her say. I was shocked when I heard that name, because she hasn't called me that since my father was alive. As I walked down the hallway in which the 2 bathrooms and my moms room was, I noticed that the attic light was on and the wooden stairs were pulled down to the carpet.

I peaked my head through before stepping all the way in, and saw my mom in a corner looking through a box full of what it looked like was photo albums and pictures. I saw that she was smiling.

"What are you doing mom?"

I saw her jump when she heard my voice. 

"Oh, uhm... nothing. Just looking at some old photos. You can come look too... if you want."

"Okay" I walked over calmly to wear my mom was, and sat down next to her. When I looked over at the picture she was holding, I knew who it was right away.

The man in the picture was very handsome with a slight 5 o'clock shadow, and blue-green eyes with a smile that was as bright as a thousand suns. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt to where you could see his muscles practically ripping out of the sleeves of the shirt, and faded blue jeans. 

When I looked again, I noticed that there was a 3 year old boy behind him, clinging to the bottom of his jeans, and I knew immediately that it was me.

"You know, you look a lot like him Jacob. You have his hair, eyes, and everything the same."

I looked at her with a confused face expression, and looked back at the picture.

"But... my dad was handsome, tan and muscular. I'm all skinny and have a baby face."