Cloud Walking

flipped me the middle finger and I laughed again before rounding the corner.

    My mom pointed to the bags by the refrigerator and I started to unload them. “So, I ran into Laura at the store.” I looked over at my mom wondering why she was sharing that particular story. It wasn't unusual for her to bump into Maggie's mom. We did live in the same town.

    “Okay,” I said slowly, waiting for her to continue.

    My mom walked over and pulled a frozen lasagna from the bag in my hands and took it out of its packaging. “She looked a wreck. I don't think I've ever seen Laura look like that.” I could hear my mom's worry for her old friend and that in turn made me worry.

    “Really? Why? Is everything okay?” I asked turning to watch Mom as she put the oven on and placed the lasagna inside. Daniel came in at that moment and pulled out a chair at the kitchen table, sitting down beside Kaitlin who beamed up at him with a megawatt smile.

    He ruffled her hair in a brotherly way, much to her chagrin, before turning his attention to us. “Is what okay?” he asked, leaning backwards in his chair.

    My mom pushed the back of his chair so that it sat on the floor. “A chair has four legs for a reason, Daniel,” she said sternly but with a barely concealed smile. Everyone loved Danny. It was that ridiculous charm of his.

    After unloading the bags, I turned on the coffee pot and made a cup for my mom. I handed her the steaming mug and she thanked me before finishing her story. “She mentioned that things weren't good with Maggie,” my mom said, looking between Daniel and me.

    “Maggie? What do you mean?” I asked, shooting glance in Daniel's direction. He met my gaze and we shared an unspoken communication. We had a damn good idea what this was about. Maggie had been slowly pulling inward. We had cornered her last week and demanded to know what was going on. She finally admitted that she and Clay had broken up.

    I hate to admit how relieved I was. Did that make me a bad friend? That I'd rather see her miserable than with the guy she loved? Daniel and I talked a lot about it and he felt the exact same way. We had tried. Honest and truly tried to get behind their relationship. But witnessing the slow deterioration of your best friend was a hard thing to stomach.

    Watching Maggie's love for Clay tear her apart, I couldn't help but draw comparisons to my own new and blossoming relationship. Sure, it had taken us a long time to get here, with our fair share of hurt feelings and tears. But now that we had found our way to each other, the miscommunication, insecurities and doubts had disappeared. Daniel and I were sure in the feelings we had for each other and there wasn't a day that went by that I didn't know how much he cared about me.

    I wanted that for Maggie so desperately. I wanted her to have that lighter than air feeling when she and Clay were together. Instead, she felt nothing but the weight of their dysfunction. Because that's what they were; dysfunctional. I wasn't sure why. Maggie would never say what Clay's deal was. Why he was so hot and cold, up and down. I had my theories but not ones that I shared with her. If she wanted to tell me, she would. Until then, Danny and I supported her as best we could. Even as she pushed us away.

    Since that day we had cornered her, Maggie seemed to be trying. But her “trying” was really kind of pathetic. Because her heart wasn't in it. And she was still half of the person she used to be.

    My mom stirred some more sugar into her coffee before taking a drink. “Laura says she's depressed. That ever since she and that boy she was dating broke up, she barely talks to either her or Marty. She stays in her room most of the time, and is barely eating. She's apparently having these nightmares where she wakes up screaming. Laura was a complete mess. I think it would be good if you guys try to get Maggie out of the house more often.”

    Daniel and I traded glances again. My mom had no idea how much we badgered our friend. “Sure Mom,” I agreed, feeling like maybe we did need to step up our game a bit. After my mom finished her coffee, she went to go get changed for work.

    Daniel stayed in the kitchen to help Kaitlin with her homework and I went back to my room to get my English notes for the essay I had to work on. I was rooting through my book bag when my mom stopped in my doorway, already changed into her scrubs.

    “How late is Danny planning to stay?” she asked.