Linda had been sat at home, folding the washing. Going through these simple, routinely motions gave her a lot of peace. It was nice to know she could hold onto these small things, even when her world was crumbling around her. There had also been some clothes of Brianâs to wash. She gently held them to her face as she smelt them. Brian didnât smell much of anything, mainly soap powder and occasionally dirt, but there was something very comforting about holding something that was his and still smelt like her son. Her heart ached in her chest as she felt a tear run down her face. Linda had decided then that after she had calmed herself down, in other words, folded the washing, she was going to go out and look for Brian again.Â
It would still be an hour until dinner time so Linda figured that would give her some time to go and look for him. So thatâs when Linda got into her car and drove around for a bit. Eventually, she stopped at one of the few places she hadnât checked yet. Sheâd checked in all the streets and banged on everyoneâs doors but she hadnât checked the forest yet. As she pulled up to the edge of it, she felt her heart hammer in her chest. The idea of her youngest child being here by herself made her toes curl in her boots. She took a deep breath, grabbed her flashlight and left her car.
The branches of the trees high above her looked looming and intimidating. Maybe that was just her maternal mind getting the best of her. Linda didnât like the way it all looked in general. Also, she might be new to this town but sheâd heard rumours about this area. It was enough for her not to want to set foot here if she had a choice, but she had no choice. If she truly wanted to look everywhere to find Brian, that included this part of their town as well. Twigs crackled underneath her feet as she walked further. In a slight clearing where a tree had fallen down, she saw a figure lying there. Her heart immediately sped up as she felt her palms become sweaty, causing the flashlight to slip a little from her grasp. As she got closer, the figure moved in front of her and it only took one second for her to recognize it since she knew this person as well as the back of her hand.
âDavid Jonathan Goode!â Her voice thundered full of authority, in a way that only a mother could do.Â
A deep wrinkle appeared between her eyebrows as her lips narrowed. âWhat do you think you are doing?âÂ
âYouâre here all by yourself, not even with a light or a phone. What if someone came here to hurt you? I am worried sick about all three of you and youâre just here doing God knows what all by yourself!â Tears collected in her eyes as she realised that she wasnât angry, she was scared. Someone had already taken one of her children away and the idea of her losing more was more than she could bear.
As instantly as her anger flared up, she suddenly thought of all the reasons why he was out here. Possibly for the same reason she was. Possibly because he wanted some space. Possibly because he was also just a boy himself who was dealing with something he should never have to deal with. A soft sigh left her lips as she walked up to him and perched on the log next to him.Â
âIâm sorryâŚâ She muttered softly as if she was more speaking to herself than to him. Her eyes glanced at to what he was holding. Linda wasnât stupid and it didnât surprise her that he was drinking. Right now, all she cared about was being close to her eldest son.Â
âHand that over here, would you?â She replied, gesturing to the beer bottle. A soft smile made its way onto her lips, her eyes wrinkling at the sides as they always did when she was genuinely smiling.Â
âDo you mind sharing?â
As soon as he heard his first name, David stood up, eyes wide as he whipped around and saw none other than his mom standing in the clearing. A myriad of emotions flashed through Davidâs head in the moment it took for him to register what was happening. Everything from wow, Iâm glad it isnât a murderer to oh shit iâm drinking and my mom is here. âOh my god. Mom.â He exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air and rolling his eyes.
 He could understand, distantly, why she was mad. She was stressed, a lot had happened, and she just caught her oldest son out alone. That didnât stop David from being angry though. He wanted his mom to go away.. He wanted to be able to sneak out of the house to drink and not get caught when his mom showed up at the place he was hiding. He wanted to be able to shut himself in his room and turn the volume up on his boom box, drowning out everything else. He just wanted to be normal again.
As suddenly as the anger appeared though, the fight went out of him. He watched as his mom deflated, seeming to shrink into herself momentarily. More than anything else, David hated seeing her like that. Heâd seen her act like that around dad too many times and, after theyâd left him behind, David had vowed to never let her act like that again. But here they were, in the middle of the woods and one Goode child short.Â
Watching Linda closely, David followed as she sat down next to him, wondering if he was about to get some kind of lecture about underage drinking, sneaking out, or being out alone. What he wasnât expecting though, was for her to ask to share his beer.Â
Shocked that she was doing this, it took David a moment before he nodded and stuttered out âUm... yeah... Yeah sure here.â Handing the beer over and wondering if he should offer her the joint in his pocket too. God knew she probably needed it.