The Truth Is Always Harsh

Keith Mercer

Well-Known Member
Messages
672
Wand
Oak 14 3/4" Essence of Raven Feather
Keith sat at his large table with his hands clasped together in front of him. Taylor and Melissa sat across from each other and Taylor wore a pained and confused expression. Keith couldnt blame her, Mel had told her she needed to tell her something, without elaborating at all. He was here to make sure it all went smoothly. Melissa was very emotional sometimes and Keith was there to fill Tay in if Melissa got off subject. He looked at Mel, waiting for her to make the first move.
 
Melissa swallowed as Keith turned to her. She needed him here as support, she couldnt tell Taylor this on her own. It was too hard and so much to give her. Taylor had always been observant, Mel couldnt get away with crying. Mel was just so happy to see her daughter, that she was able to keep her emotions in check long enough to not cry until nightfall, but it still didnt escape Taylor, nothing rarely did.

Clearing her throat, she kept her emotions down and looked directly at Taylor, this was a big deal, she didnt know what Taylor would say. She didnt know how she would react to this. She would obviously feel sorrow for Melissa, but this would affect her in other ways as well. Melissa finally spoke. "You obviously know i have something important to tell you." She said, her voice waverly, but very slightly.
 
Taylor looked from her Mum to her Dad, confused by the situation. On one hand, she was so glad to be home and in the familiar environment, on the other, this tension was not familiar and it scared Taylor. Her Mum looked nervous and Taylor realised she was about to find out what her mother was talking about in her owl. Taylor furrowed her brow and looked at her mother while waiting for her to say something. When she looked up and spoke, Taylor nodded irritable, she knew that much all ready, she wanted to find out and she needed to find out, it was worrying finding her Mum so upset the last few nights she had been home. Taylor wanted to know what was so upsetting, so maybe she could try to make her Mum better. "I know that Mum, just tell me?" She said gently in question. When her Mum was fragile like this, she needed to be gentle.
 
Melissa's eyes fell down. Her daughter was always caring about her. It made Melissa Happy to know her daughter cared so much. She let a sad smile fall onto her face as she looked back up again. Taylor was impatient, she wanted to know now. Melissa guess she would do it like a bandaid. Quickly and getting the pain over with. "Im sorry this had to happen and i know it doesnt involve you directly, but Chadarnus is gone." She choked the name out as a tear hit the table. She shook her head to rid the tears. It shouldnt be this hard. Mel should move on. He wasnt coming back Melissa knew this. It was just painful to admit. Mel kept her eyes on Taylor to judge her reaction.
 
Taylor's face went blank. She knew they fought, but how much actually happened when Taylor had been away, she saw the pain in her mothers eyes and without much thought jumped out of her chair to the other side of the table. She sat in the seat beside Mel and held her. It wasnt meant to be like this, daughter holding mother, but Taylor wanted Melissa to have all the comfort she could get. She had just lost her second husband, this had to be hard. Taylor held her Mum while she sobbed into Taylors shoulder. She held the back of her head, stroking her hair in a soothing motion. She would ask her to explain why and how this happened when she settled down, but for now, she would show her Mum that she was here.

Taylor looked over at her Dad and gave him a pained look. She felt bad that he had to be here, but Mel and him were very close, even though they had been through a divorce. They both knew that it was hard. Taylor couldnt understand, but she knew it must hurt a hell of a lot.
 
Keith stayed silent, glad to see that Melissa got it over with, the details could be worked out later, she had completed the hardest part. It wasnt Keith's place to say anything, so he watched as Taylor comforted her mother. She looked up and Keith felt a surge of pride swim through him. Taylor was such a gentle child. Keith himself wasnt the kindest of people, but his family meant more to him than anything. He could be understanding of situations when it was his loved ones. He nodded to Taylor and she placed her head back down on her Mums shoulder and whispered soothing words to her. It wasnt nice to see Mel in so much pain, but Keith had been the one to cause pain like this once before. He could not compare what happened between him and Mel to this though, they had come to an agreement and she was still important to him and he most likely was to Mel.
 
Taylor shifted slightly and placed her hands on her Mums shaking shoulders. She pushed her back gently so she could look into her face. "Mum, can you tell me how and why this happened?" She said uncertainly. She didnt know whether Mel would want to say it, if she was this upset, maybe Taylor didnt want to know? Either way, Taylors always present curiousity was screaming and this was a serious issue. She kept her gaze on Melissa's eyes, keeping her fixated, so she couldnt look away. "Please Mum, this is worrying." She said with an almost urgency in her voice.
 
Mel composed herself enough to look up, with her shoulders still shaking slightly. It was so much harder than she thought to tell her daughter. She decided she couldnt be the one to tell Jessica, she wasnt as kind as Taylor. It would be alot harder. Mel took a deep breath, preparing herself to explain. "His parents found out that i wasnt pureblooded and they took him, somewhere." She sniffed and took a moment to stop the fresh flow of tears building behind her eyes. "I dont know where, he left me a note saying he has gone and i have the house." She looked down before looking back at Taylor. "Completely gone without a trace. His stupid parents did all this. I know he wouldnt just leave if he had a choice." Melissa straightened up and took Taylor's hands from her shoulders to hold them under her chin, she looked motherly at Taylor. "Its going to be ok." She shook Taylor's hands in her own. "I just need time, i dont want you to tell your sister." She said seriously. Mel looked down, rememering Faith. She was one and her Dad had disappeared. Mel shook her head once again and looked back at Taylor. "I love you girls so much." She smiled through her sadness, nothing was more important to her than her girls.
 
Taylor hated seeing her Mum like this. The woman was always so strong. Taylor listened to every word that was spoken and soaked it in. When she was finished Taylor squeezed her Mums hands and leant in closer to make her point known. "We love you too Mum and dont you forget that. It doesnt matter as long as there are people like us that love you, you dont need anyone else." She said it softly and she meant every word. What did it matter that Chad was gone. It would take time to get over surely, but Mel didnt need him as long as she had her friends and her children. "I wont tell Jess, but i can in time if you dont want to yourself, i know she isnt the most-" She stopped to find a word, "-understanding-" She settled for, "-child, but i can sometimes get through to her." She released her hands from her Mothers grasp and placed them on Mels shoulders again. "It must be hard, but we are all here for you." She hugged her Mum and looked back at her Father, who nodded in return. This had been a hard time for Mel, but now Taylor knew she could help her get through it.
 
Melissa smiled a true smile of happiness for the first time in a while. "Thats why i had daughters." She laughed a bit in Taylor's arms. It was one of her favourite sayings to use, but it was true. Things would have gone so differently had she had boys. She pulled back from Taylor again and looked over at Keith, who had been great support by simply being here. She gave him a weak smile. He was often a harsh man, but he could be the nicest person in the world when he wanted to, without any exaggerations there. Looking back to Taylor, Mel said. "I dont want you to worry about this too much, i just wanted you to know okay?" She didnt want Taylor stressing, she just couldnt keep it from Taylor, she always knew when something was up and Mel would rather tell her the news herself, than Taylor randomly finding out.
 
Keith looked sternly at Taylor when her mother said that Taylor was not to worry about this. "She is right you know, you shouldnt dwell on her problems. You have school work. I will always be here to help your mother and i know alot more than you do about this. So dont feel like your entitled to worry all the time." Keith wouldnt have said anything, if he didnt think Taylor would worry. She was the worrying type so she would want to make this her problem.
 
Taylor nodded her head firmly and tried to get her parents to stop lecturing her about worrying. "I wont worry, well of course i will, but i wont make it my problem." She said softly. "I just want you to be ok Mum." She said, looking at her Mothers sad features. "Im always here if you need to talk, i know im your daughter, but it doesnt mean im not a good person to talk to." She said with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood a bit. "For now, i think we dont talk about this anymore, we can discuss it later." She said standing up and giving her Mum one last quick hug before returning to the other side of the table. "I love you Mum." She said one last time. Of course she was concerned, but it wasnt her problem like her Dad had said. Right now she was hungry. She clicked her finger and Clover the house elf appeared with dinner and served it for everyone. "Well on a lighter note, considering we arent worrying about this now, i would like to tell you that i got top of the class for Defence Against the Dark Arts." She looked at her Dad when she said that, knowing he would be the most pleased. Especially for what class it was.
 
Melissa silently agreed to stop talking about the subject, Taylor knew and that was all there was to it for now. She began eating the dinner served, quietly until Taylor mentioned getting top of the class. "Oh well done, im so proud of you." She said with a smile. She knew Taylor would do well in school, Mel was worried about Jessica though, that girl wasnt as much of a hard worker as Taylor was.
 
Keith didnt show it but inside he was screaming with pride. "I knew you would." Anyone that knew Keith could see his emotions in his eyes, they were his windows to the soul that lie beneath the sometimes harsh surface. Taylor grinned back at him and he raised his fork to his mouth and began eating his dinner without saying anything more about it. He would personaly congratulate Taylor later, that girl was the one person he would let his guard down completely with. He could never even do that with Melissa and they had been married. His daughters were his life.
 
Taylor sat back in her chair, not sure what had happened at the Mercer Manor that night. She pushed her food around with her fork as she thought about the circumstances her Mum had spoken of. It seemed surreal now that she could think about it. Why would Chad's parents do that? Taylor didnt know, she couldnt think of any explanation exept blood status. Its not that big of a deal? Not to Taylor anyway. It just goes to show that society isnt what everyone thinks it is, or more, what everyone wants it to be. Sitting back up straight again, before her Dad pointed out her bad posture, she started eating again. She snuck a glace at her parents, sitting at the table eating. Looking back down, there was a part of Taylor that it could be like this all the time. Although, she knew she was kidding herself. It would be nice though.


 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top