“Hello?” Mr. Leighton asked.
“Hey, dad” Pasliee said, looking around.
“How are you doing? Are you okay?” Mr. Leighton asked. Pasliee willed herself not to cry.
“Yeah, dad, I’m fine” Pasliee lied and took a deep breath.
“I called yesterday morning” Pasliee told him.
“I know” Mr. Leighton said.
“You know?” Pasliee asked, confused. Since Mr. Leighton wasn’t home yesterday, she wondered how he knew.
“Simon told me” Mr. Leighton informed her.
“How’d he know it was me? I didn’t say anything” Pasliee remembered.
“He heard you crying, you said his name and he just knew it was you” Mr. Leighton explained. Pasliee didn’t say anything for a minute.
“How’s Simon doing?” Pasliee asked. Simon silently walked into the living room and picked up the phone.
“Simon’s great” Mr. Leighton answered.
“Oh, that’s…good” Pasliee wiped a few tears. She knew what was going to happen, she was going to start to really cry and her voice would break.
“Pasliee, are you okay?” Mr. Leighton asked.
“Yeah, I’m-” Pasliee stopped hearing her voice break.
“Pasliee, you can tell me what’s wrong?” Mr. Leighton told her.
“I-I just miss Simon so much! I can’t talk to him, the closer I get, the further he moves! I wouldn’t know what to say to him if I did get a chance to talk to him! I’m going crazy! I have nightmares! I can’t stop them and they feel so…real! Simon hates me now! All I can think of is Simon and how…how he used to hug me when I was scared but now he won’t because he hates me and he can’t because he’s not here…with me! I miss him so much, dad and I’m scared and Simon’s not here and I don’t know what to do! I need Simon, I need him!” Pasliee sobbed, taking deep, gulping breaths. She suddenly started hyperventilating to a point where she could barely breathe.
“Breathe…breathe…breathe” Mr. Leighton instructed. Pasliee’s breathing returned to normal after a few deep breaths.
“Maybe I could help by talking to Simon” Mr. Leighton suggested.
“He wouldn’t listen!” Pasliee sniffled.
“Yes, he will! I’ll make him listen” Mr. Leighton insisted.
“I’ve got to go” Pasliee said.
“Okay, bye” Mr. Leighton said.
“I love you, dad” Pasliee said before hanging up.