You Saved Me Once Book 1 novel Chapter 9

I met the Bartley’s 13 years ago. The Richards were the “new” neighbors in this small town. At the time I had no clue why my mother decided to move so far from home, in a town we knew no one in.

It was a widowed mom, and her 4 hyperactive kids who had an im-pulse to never sit still. We were a handful, but she knew how to handle us somehow.

I imagine life before Versa was quite dark, though I’d not know. I was too young to remember those memories anyways. I remember the black dresses, and suits at my father’s wake though.

He passed a year before we moved to Versa. By the time we got here, the town knew all about the widowed mother.

That’s Versa for you.

The Bartley’s, they were different. They welcomed us with open arms, they were our friends. More than that, they were our family. They had been living in Versa their entire lives.

In fact, Ms. Kristen was raised, and grew up in the same house she lives in still to this day. She invested in the perfect family. A traveling husband, committed to work, and her two boys. All perfect.

The oldest was Hayes Bartley. When I met him, I was only 4, and he was 7. He was like another older brother. Then their youngest was Timmy Bartley, he was only 2, he was perfect in every single way.

Over the years, our relationship with the Bartley’s grew, so fast and strong. We all build relationships with one another, some more than others.

One summer, when I was ten years old, Hayes confessed his deep-est love for me.

The confession was on a folded paper, with the cheesy “yes” and “no” check boxes. We were so young, yet he wanted me to be his girl-friend, forever.

At the time he was still my “brother”, I thought it was gross.

“How romantic! You should say yes!” Squealed Rochelle. Even back then she was a fan of romance.

Hayes handed me the note in front of everyone, and I read it aloud. I’d thought I had done something wrong. I thought “what did I do to deserve an embarrassing letter in front of everyone”.

“A girlfriend?” I say to my mom.

“I think it’s very cute Alex. But, he’s like your brother.” My mother says.

I contemplated on the idea for a full, 2 hours.

Then I’d go back outside, hiding the note behind my back. Hayes was there, with a handful of picked flowers from his mother’s garden.

We quickly make a trade, without eye contact.

I got the flowers, and he got the note. When he goes to look at it, I can see his face. He was destroyed.

I said no.

I was his first heart break that summer.

If only I knew that was only the beginning for summer heartbreaks. This summer was going to be the worst.

I was big on all-nighters, forts, tents, and movies. They were the best during summer nights.

I only had Rochelle, and Hayes, they were my only friends. Some-times, my friends had friends, and it was just me and my thoughts. Sometimes, I’d host all-nighters, alone. I called them “shut up thoughts I can’t sleep, so let’s draw and listen to the radio all night.” It was better than crying, I guess.

How can you miss someone you barely knew? I missed him every night. Every night that summer I thought of my father.

Most nights would turn into “dawn” mornings. Like always, when I couldn’t sleep, I’d sleep in my mother’s bed. I could always fall asleep in her arms. We’d look at polaroid’s from my dad’s book, as she played in my hair.

I should’ve been more careful that day.

The air was moist, the dryer was going off, downstairs. I call for my mom, she doesn’t respond back to me.

The sun was coming up.

I open her closed door, without knocking.

As soon as I do, I feel the most painful pit in my stomach. It’s as if I’d lost my appetite, without even being hungry. It ached, it hurt. I’m mute now.

The noises had stopped when I peeked inside. The mood was heavy, I could faint from the pressure.

My mother calls after me, but the man closes the door.

Mr. Bartley closes the door. Right in my face.

It was a dream. These words kept mumbling, as I go back upstairs.

My muscles are weak, I struggle to close my door. I slide into bed and fall asleep.

That’s what I’d called them “dreams”. That’s how a 10-year-old, coped with her mother having an affair with her best friend’s father. Silly me, for thinking it would go away.

Silly me, for thinking my mother would comfort me, talk to me.

Choose me.

Summer was fading, yet every “dawn” morning, I’d blast my radio, to mask the dryer, to mask the real noise.

I could’ve asked my mother about it, she remembered me seeing everything. She just never cared enough to talk with me about it. She just expected me to keep this secret.

Deep down, she knew me well enough, to know I would.

Over the summer this lie affected me. It affected me in many ways. The secret became too much.

Summer was almost done, I had carried this secret for so long. I just had to hold on a little longer, just a little longer. One more month.

Then, one afternoon, Ms. Kristen came over. Only hours after Mr. Bartley slipped out of the house earlier that day. She just wanted to drop off some baked goods, like always. Ms. Kristen looked so beautiful that day, she was happy.

Before she got addicted to alcohol, and young men. Before she did something terrible. Before all of that, Ms. Kristen was the “perfect mom” who made the best meals, and gave her heart to everyone, al-ways.

It all changed that day. Everything changed, because of me. Be-cause I got sloppy. Because I wasn’t careful enough.

This was my first secret. One of my only secrets that slipped through.

I didn’t want it to happen right now, I didn’t want to do it. The lie locked away, would come into light, whether I was ready, or not.

She came through the front door. It was just the two of us.

She didn’t have a key, but it was always unlocked, just for the Bart-ley’s.

I followed her into the kitchen, she only made it halfway through when she saw something lying on the counter.

It was a diamond ring. Just like the one on her hand.

“Who’s ring is that?” She asks.

I lie. I lie because, I love my mother so much. I lie because I was afraid. I lie, because I didn’t want to cry. I didn’t want to lie to my sec-ond mother, who stands right in front of me. I loved Ms. Kristen, I loved her so much.

Yet, I pick up the ring, and force a tale.

“It’s mine.” I say.

“Don’t lie Alex, I know you.” She says. She holds my hand.

Her voice is sad. I squeeze her hand and shake my head. This was enough for me to cry, I tried to stop the tears. It hurt too much, to.