A Bond Beyond Death

CHAPTER THREE - THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE

SELENE'S POV

“What a way to spend your birthday,” Josh said.

The three of us laughed.

“Tomorrow will be different, I promise,” Uncle Nate said.

I stared out the window, as I enjoyed the cool breeze, trying to forget what had happened so my mind could finally be at peace.

When we finally reached home, exhaustion followed us like an oppressive blanket. Doors opened and closed down the hallway. Each of us went into our respective rooms, one by one. The house filled with the distant sounds of running water and footsteps.

Josh and I came together into the kitchen after some time had gone by. The smell of home-made food filled the house like a comforting blanket. As Uncle Nate moved around the kitchen, the sound of clinking utensils redounded in the silence as none of us seemed prepared to speak.

Josh leaned quietly against the counter, fiddling with his phone. I sat at the table with my arms folded, watching the steam rise from the pot.

Dinner was finally ready, and when the plates were cleared, we didn't linger. We drifted off one by one.

When I finally lay down in bed, sleep came quickly. But it wasn't peaceful.

Morning crept in quietly. The aroma reached me before I even made it to the kitchen.

“Are you cooking what I think you're cooking?” I asked, unable to hide my excitement.

“Wow.” Josh grinned. “Our birthday girl finally woke up. I thought we'd have to write your eulogy.”

“Well, first off...” I widened my eyes dramatically. “My birthday was yesterday, Josh. And secondly... how could I not wake up when the scent of my favorite food is filling the whole house?”

Josh chuckled.

“Enough with your bickering, both of you,” Uncle Nate said. “Happy birthday, my princess.” He said while serving me.

“Thanks, Uncle Nate.” I smiled, unable to hide my excitement.

He watched me take my first bite. “Still your favorite?”

I nodded.

For a moment, there was nothing but the soft clink of cutlery. Josh was already halfway through his plate. So was I.

Across from me, Uncle Nate ate quietly and unhurriedly.

We were almost finished when he spoke.

“So…” He leaned back slightly in his chair. “How'd you manage to convince your mother to let you stay for a few days?”

My stomach dropped. I tried not to panic.

“I told her I was going to stay with Damon. I guess she thought it'd be good for me…” I hesitated. “You know…change of environment.”

“Who's Damon?” Josh asked.

“My best friend.”

“Interesting.” Uncle Nate's voice was calm.

The silence that followed wasn't. It stretched between us. Heavy, uncomfortable.

I could feel my chest tightening.

“Just to be clear…” He looked directly at me.

“This same mother who says, 'Friends are trouble, and you're better off without them,' is the same mother who let you stay with one?”

I swallowed. The lie grew heavier with every passing second. “Sh... she didn't mind.” The words stumbled out.

Uncle Nate didn't answer immediately. He simply watched me. Quietly. The weight of his gaze pressed against me.

“Selene…” Before he could continue, Josh spoke.

“I mean…” He glanced between us. “People change, right? She's not a kid anymore. Maybe her mom finally loosened up a bit.”

I smiled at him. A small, grateful smile.

After a long moment, Uncle Nate let out a slow breath.

“Not your mother, Selene.”

I felt the tension settle even deeper. Part of me already knew he didn't believe me.

“Selene…” Uncle Nate said softly. “What's going on? I know I haven't spoken to your mother in years, but I know her. So please... tell me the truth.”

His voice remained calm, but his expression didn't. It had gone cold for some reason.

“Did she really say you could stay with your friend?”

I froze. My fork hovered above my plate.

I opened my mouth. Closed it again.

Then… The truth slipped out before I could stop it.

“My mom didn't say I could stay.” My voice barely rose above a whisper. I swallowed. “She didn't say I couldn't either.”

Another pause.

“She hasn't...” My voice faltered.

“She hasn't been around for a while.” I looked down at my plate. I could feel their eyes on me.

Slowly, I lifted my head to meet Uncle Nate's gaze. “She’s....missing.”

The word settled between us. The air grew heavier.

No one spoke. Uncle Nate remained motionless. Josh moved in his chair. It creaked just once. Then there was silence. Somewhere in the house, the clock continued to tick louder than usual.

No one said anything. No one needed to.

We sat there for a minute, each of us trying to reflect on what had just been said. I could see the confusion written on their faces. The house felt congested, the air thin. I could feel the walls breathing. I felt nauseous.

I jolted at the sound of someone speaking. Josh.

“When you say ‘for a while’... how long are you actually talking about?” Josh said.

Hearing him speak instead of Uncle Nate made me breathe a sigh of relief. "Give or take five years," I said. The room went quiet. Not the peaceful kind. The heavy kind that presses against your ears. Uncle Nate's face changed. The calm drained from it, replaced by something raw and unsettled.

“Five years?” he repeated. He rose from his seat quickly, pulling his hair back as his chair made scratching noises on the floor. “Five years and you never said a thing?”

His eyes narrowed as he focused on me. “You talked to us every day, and you were...” His voice faltered, and his fingers went up to his forehead. “Why didn’t you tell me, Selene?”

Tension gripped my throat. “I didn’t know how.”

“That’s not an answer. ”His voice got louder involuntarily. “I’m your uncle. I was right there. All you had to do was make one call.”

Josh moved his chair halfway back, careful. “Dad...”

“No.” Uncle Nate turned to face him. “Don’t.” He turned back to me, eyes blazing. It wasn’t with cruelty but with hurt.

I was hit by a sudden rush of sadness. One much greater than any feeling I had experienced after my mother left. That is why I was not prepared to be here.