After leaving the movies and sitting on a bench for thirty to forty minutes, I texted my friends in our group chat to see if any of them wanted to hang out.
Jake:
Can’t today.
Hannah:
Maybe later?
Sorry Dal.
Lucy:
I’m sick 😷
Phillip:
I’m busy right now, but maybe we can do something later?
It’s past 3pm on a Sunday afternoon, how is nobody free to hang out? Cody usually works at Joe’s Cafe on Sundays, maybe I could stop by and see if he wants to hang out afterwards? It would be nice to talk to him.
Joe’s Cafe was not too far down the street from the cinema, so it wouldn’t be that much of an effort to walk there, even for someone with a sprained ankle.
I had texted Deja and told her I had to go home. I tried to come up with a good excuse as to why I decided to ditch her mid-date. I mean, who does that? Then again, who makes out with their brother’s best friend in the restroom while being on said date?
And that movie was actually interesting…
The excuse I ended up giving her was the classic ‘I feel sick.’ Luckily, I was an expert in faking being sick, which isn’t exactly a cool thing to brag about. And to add more luck, she seemed to believe it.
I make it to the outside of Joe’s Cafe. It’s a small rustic building, and a dozen plants adorned it’s bricky facade.
I surveyed it’s interior through the window to see if Cody was inside. In the far back corner, he stands with his apron still on as he approaches a table.
Wait.
That girl kind of looks like Hannah…
I focus on the girl and come to the realisation that it actually is Hannah, and she’s seated at a table with Jake and Phillip? I can’t believe it.
Cody takes a seat beside them and starts a conversation.
Lucy wasn’t there, but for all I knew, she was probably in the bathroom. Either that, or she was actually telling the truth when she said that she was sick.
Why didn’t they invite me?
I take a step backwards away from the window and started woefully on my way home.
Maybe they have a perfectly good reason as to why they didn’t invite me?
I tried my best not to think about it as I walked home, and it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Instead, I found myself fixated on the scorching sun that was currently roasting me alive. If I liked swimming, I would consider going to the nearest body of water and throw myself into it.
As I turn a corner, a text came through on my phone, causing me to come to a halt. It’s not like I could text and crutch.
Deja:
I’m sad you missed the rest of the movie. It was so good!
Me:
I’m sorry I missed it.
Deja:
Maybe we could see it again sometime?
Me:
Yeah, maybe.
I slipped my phone back into my pocket and continued the unbearable walk home.
Grayson’s car was in the driveway.
Dear lord, please smite me.
I reluctantly walk across the street towards my house. It’s totally fine. He’s probably hanging out with Mitchell playing stupid video games like always. I can easily just crutch straight upstairs and lock my bedroom door to make sure he doesn’t enter and spontaneously make out with me again.
I swear, as soon as my parents return home from their fake honeymoon, I am going to beg them to send me to a boarding school halfway across the world. I hear Switzerland is a nice destination all year round.
As suspected, my brother and his best friend were seated in the living room, screaming “die, die, die!” at the growling zombies on the game.
“How was your date?” Mitchell wonders while simultaneously and incessantly clicking the keys on his controller.
I let out a dehydrated groan. “None of your business.”
“Oh, sounds like it was bad.”
I roll my eyes and head straight to the kitchen to get a glass of water, which ended up being three glasses. And instead of water, I decided to go with nice and cold orange juice from the refrigerator in an attempt to cool my rising temperature.
I felt both emotionally and physically drained, so I decided that I would just head upstairs, have an ice cold shower, and then I would probably have a nap, depends on wether or not I can manage to fall asleep.
Night came all too soon. Mostly because I had fallen asleep after showering and had just now woken up to the sound of a horn beeping from the driveway.
I get on crutches and begin descending down the staircase to see what the bloody noise is all about. Halfway down, my parents open the front door and walk in with their luggage.
After letting out a yawn, I look down at them. “Mom? Dad?”
“Oh my god!? What happened?” Mom asked, panic in her tone.
“I sprained my ankle on that stupid camping trip. Didn’t Mitchell tell you?”
“No he did not.” She says frustratedly.
“Where is he?” Dad asks, looking around.
“He’s probably drag racing down a street somewhere for money.” I gave a sarcastic answer, though, I would not rule it out just yet. My brother never ceased to amaze me when it came to doing stupid and moronic things. “Why?”
“Your mom and I need to talk to you guys.” His voice is restful and sincere. Not at all like his usual raspy voice.
Were they coming clean about their bullshit honeymoon?
“You know what, I need to talk to you too.” I say, clearing my throat. “Mitchell might be stupid enough to believe that you both actually went on a ‘honeymoon’, but I do not believe that for a single second.”
“Yes, that’s what we wanted to talk to you about.” Mom says.
“Okay.” I say, waiting for them to spill the beans.
“Wait until your brother gets home.” Dad says.
I huffed before answering with a disagreeing groan. “Fine.”
I follow my parents towards the dining area and take a seat, waiting for Mitchell to get his ass home so we can finally find out what the hell was going on.
“How’d you sprain your ankle?” Dad wondered.
“I got lost and tripped on a rock.” I gave a short answer.
My mom’s mouth falls open in shock. “Oh, my poor baby.”
“Mom, I’m not a baby.” I tell her.
“You’ll always be my little baby boy.” She says, pinching my cheek.
I cringed with a disapproving groan.
She takes a seat at the table as my father flips the kettle on to probably make some tea, or hot chocolate? I let out a sigh, getting all antsy as I waited for Mitchell to get home.
When the kettle flips off automatically, indicating that the water was heated, my father made two cups of tea and set one down in front of mom before taking a seat at the head of the table.
Sure to make me one.
Nah, it’s okay. I’ve never really liked tea anyway.
Not wanting to wait any longer, I decided to just come right out and say it.
“Are you pregnant?!” I didn’t mean to say it as loud as I did, but there’s no turning back now.
My mom’s eyes widened, and the silence that followed my question was deafening. My father, who was cooling down his tea with his own breath, sputters from the head of the table in disbelief. Then, my mother laughs at me.
“No, I’m not pregnant.”
I thought I’d be relieved at that, but the idea that I could have possibly had another sibling that might’ve grown up to be less annoying than the one I already had, it made me wish that it were true.
Speaking of the sibling that I already had, it’s about freaking time he gets home!
I hear his off-key singing before I hear the front door open and then close behind him.
“Mitchell?” Mom calls out.
His singing stops and he comes into the dining area. “Oh, I thought you were coming home tomorrow?”
“We came home early.” Dad stated.
Mitchell nods his head.
“Take a seat.” Mom says, sounding strangely formal.
“What’s going on?” Mitchell wonders, taking a seat.
The seat he chooses to sit in creaks, which mildly irritates me.
“We have some,” Mom pauses, drawing in a quivering breath. “Uh, we have something to tell you both.”
In the corner of my eye, I can see my father with his head down.
My mother’s eyes glistened with future tears.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, afraid of what the answer could be.
My mother sniffles before taking another breath. My own breath seemed to catch in my throat as I wait for her response. She’s having trouble forming the words, like she knows what to say but doesn’t know how to say it.
“I have, um,” she paused with a gulp. “I have cancer.”
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