The Pain You Bring

32 | 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐧

Carter

I stand in the company of Mandy's kitchen with her crying mother and I honestly don't know what to do.

I know this is hard for Mandy. I know she's not as close with her mom. I know about her dad.

But what I don't know is why these two women are to similar and yet so different at the same time.

After Mandy went upstairs about an hour ago, I stayed down here and helped clean up. Katherine is still crying.

She dabs her brown eyes, a shade slightly lighter than Mandy's, and sniffles.

"I just want her to have the best for herself," she admits. I nod.

Katherine cares a lot about her daughter. I can see that. But there is still a part of me that makes me look at her slightly different. She put Mandy through years of loneliness and mental struggle.

My Mandy.

Katherine seems sorry about it now. But Mandy was still hurt in the process to make her life "better" than her own.

She was hurt for a long time. And even though I didn't know her then, my heart pinches at the thought of her ever being in mental or physical pain now.

I love her beyond words. Beyond actions. There is possibly nothing I could ever do that would compare to my love for her. She's it for me.

And I'm it for her. I know I am.

"Katherine," I say softly. Her brown eyes meet mine, puffy from crying.

"Mandy is an amazing young woman. She's headstrong, she's confident. You have raised her to hold her head proudly on her high shoulders."

Katherine smiles at my compliment but I continue, "I'm not in your place. I'm certainly not a parent, either. But as someone who has issues with their parents, I know that they affect you through your entire life."

Her face drops to a frown, her eyes overfilling with sadness, emotion, and compassion. She nods and looks down at her fidgeting fingers, "I know," she whispers.

"I'm gonna go check on her," I get up and give her a comforting smile, "I'll see you in the morning."

I begin to walk out of the kitchen, I hear my name, "Carter?" I spin around.

"Don't let go of Mandy," she says, "please?"

Wasn't going to.

I nod curtly and walk upstairs.

——————————-

When I enter my room, Mandy is asleep, fully clothed, on our bed.

I shut the door behind me and pull of my sweater, the coldness from outside making my bare chest cover with goosebumps.

I leave my sweats on and sit down on the bed. Mandy is asleep on the left side, her cheek on her hand.

"Baby," I whisper as I tuck a strand of her dark hair behind her ear.