Seth
I wake up with an awful headache, I slowly bring my hand to my face and just brush it over all the cuts and the bruises.
"Seth?"
I look across the room and see my mother with Becky's daughter.
"Why isn't she with Becky?"
"Becky discharged herself last night and nobody's seen her since. I'm sorry Seth..."
"I've lost her now..."
"Darling, don't say that...what's been going on?"
I sighed as I looked at her, I know I can't lie anymore the truth has to come out.
"I met Rebecca a few months ago, there was something about her that just attracted me ~ she was a little rough around the edges but she was special. I got to know her a little more and one day she fell asleep so I took off her leather jacket, you know the one she wears all the time. I saw needle marks and bruises spread all up her arm, she woke up and pulled her arm away. She broke down in front of me and I found out she was doing drugs, heroine to be specific."
My mother had a look of sympathy spread across her face, you wouldn't think this was the woman who came home all guns a blazing yesterday. I took an uneasy breath before continuing.
"She tried to quit, but she couldn't, we argued and then she overdosed. Things got a little better and everything was doing okay until yesterday, you and dad came home and her dealers trashed our house. After you kicked her out yesterday she said she was going to go to her mums, she's never really got on well with her mum and step dad but I didn't really know why until earlier. When I saw her daughter I had to know who the dad was, I couldn't take not knowing. We started to argue and I found out it was her step-dad's and he'd raped her...she didn't tell me because she knew I'd do something stupid and I did, this is my fault and now I've lost her..."
More and more tears ran down my face as I looked back up at my mother.
"Seth I had no idea, I'm so sorry. I would've come him earlier if you needed me."
"Things were easier without you here~"
"Come on honey that's not fair and you know it, me and your dad were falling apart we just couldn't stay here...we needed a break."
"And you didn't think I was falling apart, or I needed a break from my life too. Recently I've needed you more than ever and you say if I needed you, you could've come home earlier but every time I've called it's gone straight to voicemail and my texts were never read. Didn't you ever think of what I needed."
I could see the tears in her eyes after I spoke.
"I missed you so much Seth but I needed a time out, I'm sorry I never returned your calls or opened your text messages. I'm not going to leave again, I didn't know what was going on Okay?"
"But if you were here you would know~"
"Seth I know you're upset and I understand why but you can't take it all out on me. I'm sorry I left I really am, Becky can stay with us if that'll fix things..."
"That doesn't matter now, she's probably off her face somewhere or dead..."
"Seth you can't give up on her, she's never going to get better if you don't help her. Think about what happened with your sister, she had nobody and no help and we lost her. I don't want that for Becky, she's a bright girl who's got a beautiful daughter. Becky actually reminds me a lot of your sister, so fight for her. Find her and look after her. Seth I can tell you love her so do something about it..."
"Mum I can't do it...I just can't do it."
"Why?"
"Because I know I'll fail her and I can't go through the pain of losing her mum."
"You're going to lose her if you don't help her, Seth I know it's hard but she means a lot to you and you probably mean a lot to her too."
"I don't even know where she is..."
"Well we've got her daughter so she won't be away for long, she'll be back eventually and until then you Seth must step up to the mark. You must be trying to find her, looking everywhere because she's going to turn to you if she needs any help."
"How do you know all this?"
"Because I was in a similar position to Becky and I turned to your dad when I needed help the most, what I'm trying to say is she'll probably find you before you find her."
"I'm sorry mum for earlier, none of this is your fault~"
"I know, I know. You were just looking for someone to take it out on and I was the unlucky one, I know it must be hard but Becky's out there so you can't give up on her because she wouldn't give up on you."
"You've only known her five minutes mum, how do you know what she would do?"
"I don't know, I guess I can just feel it. Now come here and give me a hug, you've had a hell of a few hours."
She stood up from her seat and walked over to me enveloping me into a hug.
"I love you mum..."
"I love you too Seth."