Splinters: Part One

Part One | 23

"Brayden?"

Greg budded in. "That's not the point, Ursa-"

Ursanne jerked her head towards her father. She bit her tongue, probably straining herself from saying anything.

"Is Collie gonna play piano?" Net asked.

Melissa nodded. "She sure is."

"I didn't say I wanted to go," Odera admitted.

Greg didn't even look at her. "You don't have to."

I watched Odera look at Ursanne, as if she were asking for permission or something. Ursanne just shook her head and the rest of supper was silent. I went to bed, not wanting to converse with anybody anymore. I just wished they all gave her a chance. All of them.

...

Friday, Collie and I went and ate outside alone together. She was eating a sandwich while I was eating some left over pizza the night before. I'd told her about my family going to the recital the day after my parents and sisters agreed on going. Collie was ecstatic, but I could tell she was nervous. She was talking about it to me.

"What if I mess up?"

I shook my head. "You won't."

"How do you know?"

I smiled. "You're Collie. Everything you do is perfect."

She frowned. "Not ruining your sister's eighth grade year."

I wrapped my arm around her. "You'll be fine, Col."

"If I mess up, promise we won't talk about it?"

I let out a short laugh. "I probably won't even notice."

She sighed, but didn't reply. For a while, we kind of just sat there, but then she asked a question I wasn't expecting.

"Brayden?"

"Yeah?" I glanced at her, finishing the crust.

She turned to me, putting a leg on the bench, her hands between her legs.

"What was it like? At your orphanage?"

I froze. Slowly, I put down my pizza and avoided eye contact.

"You don't have to answer that. I just was curious."

I pressed my lips together, playing with the plastic baggy my pizza had been in with my index finger. "It wasn't fun."

"Did you have friends?"

I nodded, wondering if I'd told her about them before. If I had, maybe she forgot, but I didn't want to talk about them. I didn't want to think about them. If I did, I'd freak out, wondering if they were okay. I glanced at Collie.

"Another day."

She nodded, resting her head on my shoulder. "I didn't mean to bring up unwanted memories."

Unwanted memories. Also known as Splinters.

...

I woke up early on Saturday morning, anxious for Collie's recital. I'd been the first to shower, the first to eat, the first ready, and the first in the car. Dressed in a suit with my hair slicked back, I felt well-groomed for her, the way she deserved.

Ursanne was in the living room watching Friends. I stood in the doorway, watching her. I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorframe.

"So..." I slowly started. "Did you see if Bella could come hang out with you?"

She didn't even glance at me. "She's got stuff to do."