Curtains Close; Take a bow. I think we fooled all of them now.

Rain's POV

"Sorry." Joe said, lifting a cup of coffee to his lips.

"What?" I said, confused.

"For being a shit." He laughed, looking down in guilt.

I starred at him. He would be swingy and he would change at moments, but I knew that eventually he would steady himself out. Watching him smile made me feel better about him though. There were good sides to him. He was apologetic. "It's nothing!" I laughed. "You can't help it."

"When I stay on the meds and don't fuck around, I do get better. Once, I even managed to stay the same personality for months. But it's difficult sometimes." He showed a darker story, but looked up and smiled with faith. "So, do you want to see mum?"

"Why not dad?" I asked, watching his smile drop straight down.

"Dad's gone, Rain..." He shifted position in the chair, and then stood up, briskly coming to sit next to me.

"He's dead!?" I cried, cupping my face with my hands. My heart felt like it had skipped beats and my cheeks started to swell.

"No!" Joe replied. "Of course not. No, no. He moved away. He couldn't handle it."

"Handle what?" I snapped, feeling like I had completely missed everything.

"You went missing. Mum started drinking. I started leaving home for days and days, not bothering to return. They thought I was going to go missing too." He gulped hard. "I got arrested one too many times." He paused and looked at me, as if to check I was still listening.

"Go on..." I said, drinking my tea.

"One day, I came home and he wasn't there. I found mum in her bed, sobbing and screaming at me. She was real upset, Rain. I think she needed you then." He sadly pouted at me. "I told her I was going to fix myself up by going to rehab and then when I got back, I would take care of her." He teared up a little. "Easier said than done, I guess. But she's alright."

I felt guilty. What had even happened to my family? All of this had begun because of my selfishness. I had a head full of myself. I was determined to get myself out of here now as fast as possible. I needed to look after my kids, my brother, my mum, and most importantly, my Oliver.

I decided it was time to call home. Leaving Joe there after a short conversation, I headed to the main office and asked if I could use the public phone. Sitting at that desk facing the secretary made me feel nervous. It was like she was counting the seconds I was there for, with nothing better to do. I lifted the receiver to my ear, listening to the fuzzy sound and the beeping as I dialed the number.

Listening to it ring was painful. I wanted to talk to Oli, Anthony and my kids. But I also didn't want to. Because I knew that it would pain me so much to hear them there. I was still trying to let go. I was still trying to forget them for now. But deep down I just wanted to be there with them, and I felt like any contact with them would kill me inside.

"Hello?"

Notes

I feel really bad for her mum tbh... :T