Shock had held sway until now. Anger surged. "You had no right," I said, voice taut. "No right to keep my private information. No right to move beside me, guarding me like some... project. Your son's accident cost me two years – three surgeries, nightmares. But I survived. I moved on. That wasn't for *your* comfort!" She flinched but nodded. "Yes. I had no right. I did a terrible thing. A selfish thing. I was just... so alone.
So guilty. Watching you... it was like seeing proof... living proof his act wasn't total destruction." She looked up, pleading. "Can you... forgive me? Not now. But perhaps... someday?" I stood. This was too much. "I don't know, Sophia. I need time. I need you... to stop observing me. Return the records, destroy them. Everything about me." She nodded immediately. "Yes. I will. Today. I'll give you everything."
Return
She went into the bedroom. Moments later, she returned with a thick folder placed on the coffee table. Inside were my medical records, clipped newspaper squares about me from years past, photos taken from a distance – my old house, my high school. A wave of nausea hit. "Is this all?" "Yes. I swear. Only these." I stated, "I'm taking these. Then... I don't know about being neighbors." She murmured, "If you want me to move, I will." I didn't answer. I picked up the folder and headed for the door.
Leaving
As I grasped the heavy folder and reached the door, I stopped, my back to her. "What was he like?" The silence stretched, long enough I thought she wouldn't answer. Then, her voice came, "He liked playing guitar. Wrote terrible little songs. Before... he'd bring friends home, make a mess in the kitchen, then laugh while cleaning it up.
" A long pause. "Afterward... he sold his guitar. Stopped seeing friends. Read a lot. Some books... about trauma. Atonement. He became very quiet. The last time we ate together... he looked at me. Said, 'Mom, that guy... might never run again. Because of me.' His eyes... were empty when he said it." I said nothing, opened the door. "I'm sorry, Michael," she said from behind. I closed the door.
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