A Brief Glimpse at the Past

She opened the book again, straining to read the words with the help of the street light outside. “Stupid,” she thought, “can’t believe you let them leave you.”

Of course her instructors had turned the lights off when they left, she wasn’t supposed to be there this late. Her parents were supposed to be on there way, were supposed to be outside waiting in the warm car, were supposed to remember their only child. But no, according to the poorly lit screen on her phone thirty minutes had passed and still no one was coming. So much for being the “favorite,” for being a “spoiled only child” like everyone assumed. There she was, butt freezing on the cold concrete steps, once again taking bets on which parent would remember her existence first. Hell, which one would get the phone first.

This wasn’t the first time, just the furthest time.

 Forgotten at her after school program? Walk to her mom’s office.

 Forgotten at school? Walk two blocks home.

Forgotten at a friend’s house? Turn it into a sleep over.

 Forgotten at your dance class, fifteen miles from home on a Wednesday night?

Freeze and sing Phantom of the Opera over and over until you can no longer talk.

What other solution was there?

“Could call again,” she mused.

Perhaps this time would be different. She had thought that the past seventeen times, but you never know, miracles happen – hell her birth had happened. Maybe one of them would pick up this time. She sat while the phone rang and rang.

The mother wasn’t supposed to be able to conceive.

The wonders of modern medicine and a clean diet.

The daughter was perfect, without flaw, tested for many.

The baby was exactly on time, March 21.

The parents never were.

No answer, no surprise.

“Really? I am your only child; how do you not realize I’m missing?? This is my own fault for being quiet and relatively well behaved!”

How do you even come to terms with being left behind by the people who love you the most?