Fractured Ties: A Short Story
written by ✧Aurora Lovecraft✧
Aurora Lovecraft's third and final short story brings you a young girl of 16 named Savannah torn between listening to the lies that she is fed by her mother and finding out the truth for herself. But the road to that truth is risky. Dangerous. Perhaps heartbreaking. Will she side with the blissful ignorance or unearth what may fracture her?
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
10
Reads
443
Mr. Eaton
Chapter 3
As she drives home from the hospital, Savannah smiles at herself – despite being the socially awkward person she is, she managed to have a long, fulfilling conversation with someone she just met. His name was Tyler. Mr. Tyler Eaton. At first, it was very uncomfortable, for she had no idea what to say to someone in the hospital. But he seemed to pick up on her nervousness and knew just the right things to say. Soon they were laughing about his awkward days in high school and conversing about real issues in the world. She now ponders the brain and spinal tumors that have been devouring his health for months undiagnosed. Now, there is little that can be done for him. Only another matter of time.
Savannah reaches her house and is thoroughly surprised to see her mother’s Mercedes parked in the driveway. She thought she was still supposed to be on that business trip in California. Savannah makes her way inside and walks into the kitchen where she seeks her mother facing the stove.
"Hey Mom," Savannah nonchalantly greets, sitting down at their glass dining table.
Her mother remains as rigid as before, refusing to turn around. "You were gone a lot longer than I expected. I thought you only needed two hours at the hospital." Her voice sounded eerily cooler than usual.
Savannah debates whether or not to mention her meeting with Mr. Eaton, due to her mother's rather overprotective nature.
She decides to stand up for herself and casually mention it. "Oh, well I met one of the patients there, and we...had a really good conversation," she smiles to herself. "I thought I might visit him, Mr. Eaton, again. He seems quite lonely there, and I'd like to cheer him up."
She would never have mentioned the whole ordeal if she knew her mother would flat out drop the frying pan on the tile floor, burning her foot, and turn around at the speed of light when she said the man's name.
Her mother's face turned from ghostly white to dangerously red as she opened her mouth very wide, harsh words at the very edge of her tongue. However, she seemed to feel the need to control herself and she took a moment to regain a measure of internal control. Then, with the same eerie coolness as before, she said, "You are NOT to visit him again. You already have enough community service hours."
Savannah tries not to flinch or look away as she continues with, "Do. You. Understand. Me."
A sigh.
"Yes, Mom."
