The Six Month Contract

The Dreadful Truth

I stand in the living room of my parents house. My hands begin to shiver and I wipe them on my jeans to calm me down. "Why are you telling me this now?" I say.

"You had every right to know," father says taking a step forward in an attempt to grab my hand.

I take a step away from him. "Don't!"

Mother sits on the couch wiping her tears. "I'm sorry. We wanted to tell you for so long."

I look from mother and then back to father. They're distraught. It still doesn't make anything okay. They should've been honest with me.

"I need to go," I say turning my back at them.

I thought I had a plan. Suddenly I have nothing.

"Please, Sky," mothers voice sounds behind me.

I don't want to, but I stop. Turning to face her, I notice how blotchy and red her face is. Yes, she's been crying — but this is worse.

"What else are you not telling me?"

That's it," father says. "I swear."

I shake my head. "There's more to the story."

Father clears his throat and tries to grab my arm. "Please, Sky."

"Well tell me the whole truth," I say. "Or else, I'm turning and leaving now."

Mother wipes frantically at her tears. "Sky, we love you."

"That doesn't take away from the fact that you lied to me, that you kept this a secret all this time."

Suddenly I have tears rolling down my eyes. I take a deep breath and drop myself on the couch. I didn't want to sit here and watch them lie to me again but I feel restricted, I feel like I cannot breathe.

Shaking my head, I know I cannot sit here. The pain will only get worse.

I stand up, hands on either side of my hips. I think I'm going to be sick. I bend over a little and take deep breaths.

"I need to go now," I say.

Father shakes his head beside me. "You do not look good enough to leave."

Mother watches him for a second and then frowns. "I told you," she says facing father. "I said we'd tell her when she's better. Clearly she isn't well!" She says in a loud tone that it even surprises me.

I have never seen mother talk to him like that and from his expression, I can tell it's a first for him too.

Digging my fingers into my hip, I realise I need to truly get out of here. "I have to go."

Father wraps his hand around my arm and pulls me down onto the couch. "You are not going anywhere."

Mother jumps as I scream in pain.

"Dammit!" she says. "What is wrong with you? She's not well. Be careful."

Father takes a deep breath. "I am so frustrated right now. Yes, your mother and I made a mistake but we're trying to rectify it now," he says looking me in the eyes. "I shouldn't have pulled too hard but you're just too adamant you want to leave without even giving us a chance to explain. We..."

I cut him off before he can finish. "Give you a chance?" I say in anger. "How about the fact that I just asked you guys to be honest and yet you're still not telling me the whole truth. How about the fact that I did give you a chance, I asked for honesty and truthfulness and you gave me everything but that."

"But we did give you the truth," father says.

I shake my head. "Don't."

I walk past him and this time he doesn't try to stop me. They look defeated but not as much as I do.