River of Misery

Kie

After I ran into the person that saved me on the stairs, I go looking for Trinity. I find her in the kitchen. I feel her worrying.

“What’s wrong, Trinity?”

“Nothing that you need to bother yourself with. Just a friend in need. Lots of need.”

The last part she mutters to herself, but I have acute hearing. My family thinks that it's because I’m pretty much blind. I see a little but most of it is a giant blur. Not that many people know that.

Smiling, I reply, “Well, if you need help with anything I would be glad to help. Just ask.”

She says, “Okay, I’ll keep that in mind. So, how are you holding up? Did you find your room okay? Have you met most of the family? I know that they can be hard to understand. Have you meet my brother? He’s around here somewhere...and so is his best friend, Jaden. Chris is...look! There he is. Come on!”

I follow helplessly like a lost puppy as Trinity drags me along behind her. We walk through the back door, and in the woods a little ways. All the while, Trinity is humming a little tune.

“Trinity, what are you doing out here? I thought we told you to stay away from the woods after dusk. Why don’t you ever listen to us? I swear that you will be the death of us!” Comes a gruff voice which comes from in front of us.

“Oh, come on, Jaden! It’s not like you listen all that well either. Last time I remember you listening was...never. And Chris, you better not be mocking me. Because you will get a major butt whooping! And besides I’m not a little girl anymore. Geeze. It's not like either of you haven’t made a mistake before. One little mistake and you never live it down!”

That last one she muttered to herself. In hopes of not getting her in trouble, I say, “She’s not alone. She’s dragging me along. My name is Kie. I’m a friend of Trinity’s.”

Trinity snorted, “Please, Chris and Jaden both know who you are. They have heard me talking about you for years. And if Chris had been here this past week, he would have known that you have been moving in. But no, he wasn’t here, and of course he couldn’t even tell me where he was so that the family wouldn’t have to send out a search and rescue team.”

I can tell she’s peeved. But I continue to walk with her. As it is, I was thinking when she jerks to a stop and I trip when I stop as well. Course, fate and karma must side against me on this. That is when I notice that the guy who stopped me from falling the first time, stopped me from falling face first into the ground the second time.

“Who are you? I think it’s time to get to know your name. I seem to keep falling into your arms,” I say, tired of not knowing who’s around me.

“I’m Chris. The giant over there is Jaden. Are you ok? Your eyes don’t seem to be focusing,” He whispers to me.

He seems like a decent enough guy. But then again, I wouldn’t know since I don’t know anything about him other than his name. And that he is Trinity's brother.

Jaden on the other hand, I’ve heard a lot about him from the girls at school. They say he’s handsome, tall, and generously kind. From what I can tell, however, he is a giant and kinda gruff and stern. A no-nonsense kind of guy.

“Yeah, I’m fine. But I’m blind. It’s okay. I’ve been blind for most of my life. So, I’m used to it. Really.” I say to Christopher when he starts to say he’s sorry for pointing out her unfocused eyes.

“Yes, but I’m sure that people don’t often tell you so bluntly. I’m sorry for being so rude,” Christopher says sincerely.

“It’s fine. Really, most people are more likely to take one look at me and then talk around me like I’m also deaf and mute. But your family seems to be unique in that respect. Your sister found out the same way you did, and she still treats me like a normal human being. Anyway, thank you for catching me,” I hesitate for a second, “I have a weird question. Would you mind letting me touch your face? I can “see” that way.”

“Sure, then you should ask Jaden so that you also know his face. We really don’t mind, just as long as we know what we are going to be subjected to,” Chris says with a smile in his voice.

“Okay.”

I put my hands on his face and lightly touch his face starting with his chin and going up. He has a strong jaw, a bow-like mouth. An aristocratic nose that has probably been broken a couple of times. His eyes are almond shaped, and he has laugh lines around his eyes. But his frown lines have a new feeling to them. Almost like he has had a hard life with a lot of pain and recently, within the last few years, a lot of upset in it.

“Thank you, Christopher. Jaden, can I touch your face, please? Just so that I know what you look like.”

“Sure, are you blind or something?”

I tilt my head, “Yeah, I’m blind. You people around here are so strange. Most just give me a wide berth when they find out I’m blind. And they never bluntly say anything to me about it.”

Jaden laughs, “You should get used to it if you're moving in with us. We are a strange bunch. But you learn to live and love us all.”

He moves in front of me. I put my hands up to what I thought would be his face, but in reality, it was his chest that I first touched. He pulled my hands to his face. I did the exact same process that I had Christopher suffer through.

“Thanks, Jaden. Do you know that the kids at school are wrong about you? None of the stuff they say is the truth, is it? Except that you are extremely handsome and tall,” I grin up at him while I tease him and continue to feel his face as he listens to what I’m saying to him.

“You, little one, are a really intelligent girl. Do you know that? The kids at school are wrong about both me and Chris’s family. And now we can include you into that beautiful mix,” he grins at me like a little boy about to get away with taking a cookie from the cookie jar without getting caught.

I grin back at him and say, “Thank you both for letting me “see” your faces. Now if you guys don’t mind, I need to get settled into my room. Trinity could you help me get there. Just to forewarn you all, I say sorry a lot. Also, umm…. I kinda want to say in advance that I’m sorry for all the trouble I’m going to be.”

Trinity and Jaden say that they wouldn’t be bothered by anything. But Christopher spoke up, “You don't have to apologize for anything here. Trust me, we will all screw up on something. And there are so many people living, or visiting, the house that there would be thousands of sorry’s going around night and day. Plus, we all wouldn’t care if we had to play catch with you. We all already love you from what Trinity has said about you. Why don’t we all walk back together. Don’t you agree, Jaden?”

“Yep,” came the causal response.

I nod my head and we all start to walk back to the house with Jaden and Trinity bickering.