Sudden Silence

Chapter 7: Pins and Needles

    Her hair was black like the night against her caramel skin. Sophia, I remember Josefina calling her name before. "Um, Hi. I am Sophia." She spoke at the door way in her pajamas like the rest of us. "She is Josefina's daughter. She lives here." Ethan finally spoke. It all clicked. She does look a whole lot like Josefina. "I'm Evie." I clear my throat. "Uh, if I woke you up I am sorry." She pushed her hair back behind her ears and walked forward. "It is okay. We understand, you have been through a lot."

Another wave of silence went through the air. I really have been through so much. In the last 4 days I have watched my mother die, been injured and hospitalized, and had been put back into the custody of father at the snap of his fingers. I think back to the dream and the way that my lungs stung as the world around me broke. It felt like this was all just one big nightmare. Like I could pinch myself and just wake up. Like I didn't watch my mother die, feel the pool of her blood at my fingertips, or feel the spray of glass on me as my life changed forever.

Right then, in that moment, as Sophia and Ethan watched me as I pointlessly stared into nothingness was when I first felt nothing. No remorse for my mother, no pain in my chest, it was like pins and needles in my brain and that is what scared me the most.

~

After Ethan and Sophia managed to gain my attention I went on as if nothing happened. Sophia joined us on the bed and Ethan found the remote to very large TV mounted on my wall. He flipped through Netflix movies and chose one. I can't remember what it was, something about a fast snail. My mom could never afford to pay the monthly fee for Netflix so having access to it was weird in a way. Like it wasn't mine and I shouldn't be using it.

"Wait so the snail is racing cars?" I ask. "Yeah, wait, haven't you been watching?" Ethan chuckles. I rub the back on my neck. "Oh um yeah..I..just don't get it I think." Right as I finish the door is heard opening downstairs followed by shouting. "Oh, shit." Sophia says, Ethan faces her. "Whitney is here." They say in the same dreadful tone. "Who is Whitney?" I hear more shouting and movement downstairs. Sophia's face looks mortified and Ethan looks at a loss for words. "S-She is my-your step-mom."

Can I add another thing to list of bullshit that I have been through in less than 96 hours? It is like God is playing a paternal subtraction and addition game with my life. My throat went dry as we heard some walk up stairs. Josefina hastily opens the door, very red faced and glossy eyed. "Ethan and Sophia, go get dressed. Whitney has invented people over for brunch." Ethan scoffs. "Dad is seriously letting that happen...right now." He hops off my bed and I follow just trying to decode their conversation. "With everything that is happening right now?" Josefina looks to me and back at Ethan. "Honey, I'm sorry." And with that Ethan walks out of the room along with Sophia after she and her mother exchange a few words, leaving me and Josefina alone.

"Okay. Well we need to get you showered and dressed." I hadn't showered in so long. Suddenly a warm shower sounded wonderful. "I'll show you how to start it and find you some clothes, okay?" "Mmhm."

I looked absolutely hideous. My skin colorless and darkened around my eyes, bruised and stitched, I looked like I should be dead. My rib cage peaked slightly through my skin. I has never done that before but, then again I have never eaten and drunken less before. The warm water and steam encased my body and blurred vision. It hit me at some point during my probably hour long shower that I had a step-mother I never knew about. I wondered what else I could possibly know nothing about. I wrapped body with a very soft, probably over expensive towel and still it somehow hurt my body.

Josefina laid out a pair of soft black pants and a sweatshirt no other than my mom's. The large block letter's "Yale" are faded on the front. My mom went to Yale for a year. That is actually how may parents first met and well we all know what happened next. I went back to the bathroom mirror and brushed my teeth and combed through my hair again. I still looked sick and weak and like I don't belong in this magnificent house. Cautiously, I open the door to the hallway and step out. From the sound coming from downstairs, this is going to be extremely not fun.

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How do you all feel about Sophia?