“He moved away and now he’s back,” I whispered into my phone. I propped the blinds open again and watched Mark unloading the back of his truck. Six months ago he had moved to California for some unknown job. Or at least he wouldn’t tell me about this mysterious job he had to immediately leave for. All he told me was something along the lines that I was too young to understand.
But now he was back and so was my heart. I had been devastated when Mark had moved away, but I now had hope again. Hope that my family’s life would come back with a little more normalcy. Mark’s steady presence next door had kept us together in a time of great upheaval. Mark was the one who got my parents through their almost divorce. He counseled both through their regrets and bad decisions. He had helped with homework and I always knew somebody cared about me when my parents didn’t seem to.
His unannounced exit from our life broke us with no chance to turn back. My mom moved out and I now only see her sporadically. We had never had a great relationship, but at least it was something. Now she had all but disappeared from my life.
“Run over there and ask what happened. Where he’s been.” Smith thought he knew everything.
I just wish I didn’t think Mark had anything to do with my mom leaving. He was too good for that. Right?
Standing Room Only 