Not Alone

 There I was sitting at the kitchen counter on the desktop searching for food porn when my parents' number showed on my cell phone. It was 9:15 here-an hour later at their house in the Midwest. At least it wasn't their cell phone. That would be a very bad sign. That would mean they weren't at home. That would mean they were at the hospital.

They knew the kids were gone and I'd talked to them  only a few days before. I tried to sound casual as I picked up the phone..as if I was in the middle of unloading the dishwasher or throwing a load of clothes into the dryer. As if I was not scared.

"Hey Bird. Where are you?" 

A huge lump forming in my throat at the sound of Dad's voice.

Instinctively, I clutched the counter with my right hand and looked to Big Yankee relaxing in our sandy brown recliner. He was getting ready to take his first bite of the shrimp pad thai we had  made that night. I would need to remember this. This would be an important detail later on.

My heart dropped into my gut and I tried so hard to swallow.

"I'm at the house. Big Yankee just got home."

I wanted him to know that I wasn't alone. He could tell me if he needed too.

  

*I originally wrote this in March and it's been sitting in my drafts ever since waiting for it's fifteen minutes of fame.