Matt gave me a look of uncertainty. My right leg was moving up and down, out of nervousness. I couldn't even believe that we were doing this. I took a big gulp of my coffee, hoping the caffeine would seep it's way down into my veins. Two people, a man and a woman, thy both looked in their sixties, maybe fifties. She had brownish-red curly hair, her eyes were a dark, dark brown. She seemed to be floating gracefully; clumsiness not a word in her vocabulary. He stood beside her, floating as well, in a grey suit with a red tie, a grey fedora topping his head, covering black hair. I blinked twice, the two people not disappearing as they walked towards us.

Matt gulped, blinking in sync with me. They walked closer to us, startling us. Goosebumps were created as they bounced all throughout my body. I couldn't control my shaking, I couldn't stop the oxygen from being cut off from me. I was gasping for air as they stepped closer and closer, a sharp pinching swarming me. My vision was blurring by the minute; I couldn't see, I couldn't feel a thing. I looked over to Matt whom had disappeared. Did he run? Did he leave me behind? My eyesight had blacked out and I took one last gasp of air as I looked at the two ghostly figures whom were holding my hand. "I don't know you!" I screamed as I took my last breath, fading away.

I shot up from my sleep in a cold sweat. My chest was begging for me to breathe again, my heart racing and ready to beat out of my chest. My room was pitch black, and before I could cry from feeling alone, a warm hand touched me, causing me to jump.

"Luce! Luce, are you okay? What happened, baby?" I took one look at the man beside me, shirtless and worried, and the tears were coming down my face. Mike grabbed a hold of me and held me in his arms, rubbing circles onto my back, hoping they would somehow send waves of relaxation through me. I sobbed into his chest, becoming really sick of these nightmares that made their way to me every night since my brother had called me. It had been six days, and it had been six days where I was scared to fall asleep, even briefly, because I knew a terror was coming.

I was frightened to say the least about coming face-to-face with my parents. I hadn't made a decision yet, but I didn't have much time as Mike was leaving for tour soon. I was only thinking of going because of the fact that my brother was going to be there, his wife, and of course, Mike. I couldn't do this without him. Matt was coming in tomorrow - today - to discuss us going to San Francisco together to face our parents. Believe me, I thought about this constantly, all the time, everyday. But, my biggest fear was them. I was scared of my own mom and dad.

They never physically abused us. Hell, Matt and I never even got spanked as children. The fear was the fact that they let a narcotic take over their lives. I still had no clue what it was, but that was scary to me. Hey, I've read "The Heroin Diaries: A Year In The Life of A Shattered Rock Star" by Nikki Sixx; I had a clue of what addiction was like. But, they left me. They left me to just rot. I mean, they knew I wouldn't rot, because my grandma was sure to become my guardian, but they never called, or sent out a birthday card, or a "Sorry We Abandoned You" card. It would've been nice to receive one at least, damn.

I laid onto Mike's chest, the tears subsiding now. He kept on rubbing my back, and kissing my head. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Mike. I really don't." I sighed, the thought of all this stressing me out.

"You don't have to see them, you know? But, I think your sub conscience is saying that you should, Luce."

He was right. And, I hated that. "What if they aren't as monstrous as you think they are? What if they are great people? You wouldn't have to let them into your life, but having a little catch-up talk isn't so bad." He continued, looking me in my eyes this time. I furrowed my eyebrows, seeing that he was making a valid point.

"Maybe I just need closure. Whatever closure that is left and needs to be shut." I was beginning to see the silver lining in this whole ordeal. But, nothing could erase this ugly pit in my stomach.

---

I took a gulp of the iced coffee that Matt had brought me. I loved it when Starbucks got my order right. His wife, Brittany, sat beside him, her long brown hair with blonde undertones covering a tiny bit of her tattooed arm. She was truly beautiful. She had perfect features, and what I loved most about her was her sweet personality. She was kind to everyone she met. And as a bonus, she wasn't this stick figure, she was a normal woman. I felt comfortable around her.

Matt drank his hot coffee, probably black, he never liked all that creamer and shit. His dark brown hair was longer than the last time I had seen him. His nose still pierced on the left side. He was wearing cargo shorts and you could see his leg tattoos clearly. They were all in color. His black Thrice t-shirt looked brand new, but it wasn't. He's had that tee for years. I looked up to him. He was always very protective of me and I needed that especially in the household that we grew up in. It was Matt who took me to school, and made me dinner. It was Matt who went to my Open Houses at school and who forged my dad's signature my field trip forms. Matt took care of me more than anyone really knew, only him and I.

I remember he would skip out on those cool high school parties to take me to go see a movie that I had been pestering him and my parents to take me to for weeks before it came out. He once ditched his girlfriend to take me to the park and to get pizza because my parents were having a drug binged night and he didn't want me to see that. We went camping once, with Celina and my cousin Ryan and we roasted marshmallows. It was literally in Celina's backyard, but it was one of my most favorite memories ever. Who knows where I'd be without him?

Mike sat beside me, drinking a cup of coffee that Matt brought him. They both liked it black. Matt liked Mike. He said that he was super cool and took care of me and that's what's important. He also said that Mike looks at me in a way that only someone who's been in true love would understand. When he told me that, I rolled my eyes jokingly. But deep inside, I was extremely excited that my brother and my boyfriend got along so well. That meant a lot to me.

"So, have you thought about it?" Matt asked, tapping his fingers on his cup eyeing me.

I took a deep breath, nodding. "I think I want to go just because I'm curious. And, I want to end this. I'm itching to close this wound, already. It's time to move forward."

He nodded, "I agree. I've been having nightmares like crazy."

"You too?!" I exclaimed, freaked out at how strange this was.

"Yeah dude, I haven't been able to sleep for about a week. So, we're doing this? We're all going to San Francisco and Luce and I are facing our demons?"

I sighed, looking over at Mike and he gave me a reassuring smile. "Yeah, let's do this."

Matt nodded, looking over at his wife and she gave him the same reassurance that Mike had given me. "Alright, here we go."

---

Matt gave me a look of uncertainty. My right leg was moving up and down, out of nervousness. I couldn't even believe that we were doing this. I took a big gulp of my coffee, hoping the caffeine would seep it's way down into my veins. This was the moment. Mike and Brittany were inside of the tiny coffee shop watching from the window, anxiety planting itself on their faces. I looked at the hem of my shirt and started playing with it. I couldn't believe we were doing this. I couldn't believe this was happening.

It seemed like ages, but no one had shown up yet. I had three cups of coffee, Matt had four. We were losing our minds. I was convinced that they were going to stand us up. Just as Matt was about to pay the waitress, two people walked towards us. The woman was wearing a black dress, her red hair showing some gray in it. She had on a pair of black heels, and a red bag hanging on her arm. The man beside her was wearing black slacks, with a white button-up shirt underneath black suspenders. He had on a black fedora. He looked so fifties that it caught me off guard. They gave Matt and I soft smiles and sat before us.

My heart was beating frighteningly fast. I felt like I was literally about to have a heart attack, and my lack of breathing didn't help.

As soon as her eyes met mine, tears welled up in hers. But, I stood my ground. I looked at her for a second, then off to my father. His eyes were tearful as well. Matt gave them a blank stare, more nervous for me, I could tell. I gazed at my mother's arm and there was scars that was fading slowly drawn upon it. I scanned every drug in my mind that involved a needle, and tried thinking back to my childhood.

"H-hi, mijita." Her soft voice causing chills to shoot up my spine. Her voice seemed chillingly dead. It scared the shit out of me, let's be honest. "How are you doing?"

"Amazing." I answered shortly, coldly.

She nodded softly then looked over to my father. He gave her a look and took a deep breath, "We called you two here because we felt it was time to talk to you. About everything."

Matt nodded, and so did I. I scooted myself closer to my brother, getting further away from my mom.

"A lot happened in the years that we were gone, so many incredible things, so many bad things." He began softly. "This whole issue, this addiction was long before you two were even thought of. Your mother and I were young once, and dumb. We tried a lot of things, but we grew to love each other as we fell in love with these substances. We were both clean when the both of you were in your mother's stomach and a bit afterwards. But, I can't tell you why it happened the way it did. Lucy, my diamond, I know that your grandmother raised you incredibly well. She raised you very young and taught you all the things your mother and I wished we could've taught you."

I bit my lip, staring at them. I felt nothing when he called me his "diamond". It meant nothing to me, anymore to be called that by him.

"She brought you up and now we hear from your brother that you are quite a success." He went on giving what seemed like a bullshit excuse for everything that they did. For being addicts, I couldn't blame them for, for leaving us, I blamed them fully. He was making them seem like victims and that's not how my grandma raised me. I couldn't sit here and spit out a fucking monologue about being the victim throughout life. If anyone is the victim, it's Matt and I, but you don't see or hear us fucking blaming the world around us for life. It's life, that's what's supposed to happen. You go through shit and you deal, that's it. I could feel my temper rising, and I could feel Matt's temper rising also.

I let out a soft laugh, not meaning it to be audible, but it was, so oh well. They both looked at me, their eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "You're kidding me, right?"

"What?" My mother asked, generally confused.

"The only people that you two have to blame is yourselves. You two lost control of your lives, not Matt, not I, not my grandma, not my grandpa. You two made the decision that night to overdo it, and overdose in front of me, slumped over on the fucking ground with shit sticking out of your arms. You two decided that you would keeping using in the house and made my fucking brother raise me and my grandma raise me. You two decided to leave us behind and not come back. It's been how long? Almost twenty years or some shit? I am going to be twenty-seven. I was ten when you two overdosed then left once you got sent to the hospital. Why do you think that I need you? I don't. I've come so fucking far by myself, working my ass of to pay rent and to be able to make something of myself. And, I didn't get that from you. I got that from my grandma, and my brother, and my boyfriend. I don't need you to sit here and feed me this bullshit about how sorry you are that it happened to you. Nothing happened to you. You didn't have to pick yourself up off the ground a number of times after shit like this always happened. You didn't have to constantly look after your nine and ten year old sister because your parents were getting high somewhere. You didn't have to do that. Matt and I did. And him and I are a hell of a lot better people and more successful and happier than you'll ever be. Quit blaming others and take responsibility of your own actions." I took a deep breath and stood up from my seat, "It was lovely seeing you two, but I must go." I pushed in my chair and Matt mimicked my actions, a sly smirk playing on his lips. He walked away from the table and inside the coffee shop, making eye contact with our significant others.

"What happened?" Brittany asked wide-eyed, seeing the conversation, but not hearing it.

Matt simply replied, "We just let go."

Mike gave me look if everything was okay, and I nodded, grabbing onto his side and following Matt and Brittany to their car, "Everything is good, baby. Thank you to being here." I planted a soft kiss on his lips and we left, and went to enjoy the city of San Francisco.

Notes

What do you guys think of the little speech that Lucy gave her parents? You can tell that she's been dying to tell them this for years! I wasn't going to have them meet up with their parents in this chapter, but I decided to get this part out of the way because it really does make the trust and relationship grow between her and Mike.

I loved adding Matt and his wife into the story. This whole ordeal might just bring them closer, since they have been estranged for a few years. But, we'll find out ;)

Thank you to those who are reading, I appreciate you. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. See you on the next one!