The Divorce

My name is Christine McCreary. I’m 17, a senior in high school. I have brown hair with red streaks and green eyes. My brother Seth is 15, a freshman. Our parents’ arguing was a daily thing that we had to deal with. It was just the beginning of October, October 3rd to be exact. The leaves were starting to change color and it was getting colder outside. We all got along pretty well but things took a turn for the worst that day. My brother was in his room and I was at my desk in my room doing my homework when they started arguing again. This was something that occurred daily. That’s the third time today that they have argued about something. It’s always something little that sets them off and they fight.  Then I heard my mom yell something and I heard the door slam. My mom had just left.

         One month later, my parents are divorced. It was really hard on my brother and me, switching between houses every other week. Holidays were going to be a nightmare.

Our dad lives in a basic three bedroom two bathroom house. It wasn’t the best house anyone could ask for but it served its purpose. It was a Friday, we were at dad’s house that week and as usual he wasn’t home from work yet. When I came home from my friends house Seth was sitting at the kitchen table. He looked like a zombie.

“Hey Seth,” I said.

“Hi,” he said, in a sad voice.

“What’s wrong?” I asked him, throwing my stuff on the counter by the sink.

“Nothing, why?” he said.

“I’m just wondering. You look like you haven’t slept in a week,” I said, sitting down in the chair across the table from him.

“No I’m fine. I’m just tired and I have too much homework,” he replied.

“Ok. What do you want for dinner? I’ll make something or we can order food.” I said walking over to the fridge.

“I’m not really hungry for anything.” He said.

“Are you sure? Did you eat anything today?” I asked pulling a Mountain Dew out of the fridge and sitting back down at the table.

“No, they didn’t have anything good for lunch today,” He said putting his head down on the table.

“Alright, I’m going to my room then. If you do get hungry you know where the food is,” I told him getting up and getting my stuff.

I went up to my room and threw my stuff on the floor and plopped on my bed. My room was red with grey carpet. I had band posters everywhere and a huge queen size bed. This divorce was hard on my brother and I’ve been trying to help him through it. An hour later, around 5 o’clock, I went back downstairs and the TV was on and Seth was passed out on the couch. Figures, a bag of chips on the floor by the couch and an open can of coke on the table. That’s a healthy dinner. I picked up the bag of chips and the coke and went in the kitchen. I put the chips away and dumped out the coke in the sink. I made a mini pizza and heard the door open. Either my dad was home from work or Seth just went outside. I went in the living room and Seth was still dead on the couch.

“Dad?” I asked to anybody in the house.

“Yeah, what’s up?” He replied coming to the top of the stairs.

“Nothing I was just wondering who it was that opened the door,” I said.

“Oh ok. Well I had a long day at work so I’ll be in my room if you need me,” He replied.

“Do you want something to eat before you go?” I asked him.

“No I’m good. I got drive thru before I came home. Thanks anyway though,” He said.

“No problem,” I told him.

Am I the only one in this house that will actually sit down and eat normal food?

A half hour later I was sitting on the chair in the living room on my laptop listening to my IPod when Seth woke up.

“Sleep Good?” I asked him.

“Sure I guess, I’m going to my room,” He replied.

“Okay bye,” I said.

The next day was a Saturday and Seth had gone to his friend’s house and my dad was at work. I had the house to myself and I figured I’ll just watch TV all day. I went upstairs to get my slippers and a blanket and I saw a little bag of something by Seth’s garbage can by his door. I picked it up. Weed? Where did he get this? I knew this divorce was hard on him but I didn’t think it would cause him to turn to drugs as a release. No wonder he looked terrible when I came home yesterday. Seth was smoking weed, he’s only 15. I heard somebody come in the door. I put the drugs in the garbage can and walked downstairs.

“Hey Chris,” Seth said, sounding kind of worried and out of breath.

“How was your friend’s house?” I asked him, trying to pretend like nothing was wrong.

“Um, good,” He said.

“Cool. Why are you out of breath?”  I asked him, turning on the TV.

“Well I’m going up to my room now so if the cops show up, I’m not here,” he said.

I am seriously confused right now. Why would the cops show up? Before I knew it there was a knock on the door and there were red and blue flashing lights outside. I opened the door.

“Hello officer,” I said.

“Does Seth McCreary live here?” he asked me.

“Yes, he’s my little brother. Is there a problem?” I asked.

“Yes there is. Your neighbor just called us saying he broke into their house.” He said.

“What? Why would he do that?” I said.

“I don’t know but they didn’t report anything missing but some skiing equipment,” he replied.

“Seth wouldn’t steal skiing equipment. He hates skiing,” I replied.

“Your neighbor said it was your brother that broke through their back door and went into their garage,” he said.

“Seth is upstairs in his room. Let me go talk to him for a second,” I told him.

“Sure,” he said.

I walked upstairs to Seth’s room and the door was locked.

“Seth, open the door,” I said.

“Are you the cops?” he asked.

“No I’m not the cops. I’m your sister,” I told him.

Seth’s room was a dark blue color and he had pictures of hockey players all over his walls. His clothes were all over the floor. He opened the door a crack and walked away from it. I walked into his room and he was sitting in the corner. I saw a little bit of blood on the wall.

“What did you do to the wall?” I asked him.

“I punched it…” he replied.

“Why?” I asked him.

“Because I’m mad,” he replied.

“Who are you mad at?” I asked him.

“The world,” he said.

“How can you be mad at the world?” I asked

“Because the world hates me…” he said.

“Why would you even say that?” I said.

“Because my life is falling apart...” he said

“How do you figure that?” I asked him.

“Just…..because it is,” he said.

“Did you steal our neighbors skiing equipment?” I asked him

“At first I was going to, but I put it back,” he said.

“Then why is that policeman saying you stole it?”

“I don’t know. I know I put it back where I found it,” he replied.

“Okay, hang on. I’ll go talk to him,” I told him getting up.

I walked downstairs and the policeman was sitting on one of our dark green porch chairs outside. I walked out and sat in the chair next to him.

“He said that he put the equipment back where he found it. He didn’t take it. If he did wouldn’t he have come in with it?” I told him.

“Possibly but that’s not the case here. There’s still the case to whether or not they will file charges for breaking and entering and attempted theft,” he said.

“Well I would hope not. Is there anything else you want to ask me?” I asked the policeman.

“No, I think we’re done here,” he said.

“Okay. Thank you officer,” I said as he got back in his police cruiser.

I went inside and went back up to Seth’s room. He had it closed and locked again. I knocked on the door and there was no answer. I went in my room and got a bobby pin and picked the lock on his door. When I went in I first saw an open bottle of pills on the floor and Seth lying there, lifeless. I dialed 911.

The next day we were in the hospital. It was a white room with a double wide window and a TV on the wall. Seth was asleep in the hospital bed and I was sitting in the chair next to him. He had tubes running fluids into his arms. He was breathing, the best sign of life I could have seen in him. Our parents were on their way. I was starting to get extremely worried about him. At first I just thought it was an emotional phase he was going through but I realized it was much worse. He had overdosed to try to kill himself. I wasn’t more than five minutes later when he woke up.

“Chris?” he said looking around, seeming confused.

“Hey. How are you feeling?” I asked him, tearing up because he looked so weak.

“I feel ok, but why am I in the hospital?” he asked me.

“You’re in here because you overdosed and almost killed yourself.” I told him.

“I did? I don’t remember anything,” he said.

“Seth, can I ask you a question? I know your all hyped up on pain meds and everything but, why did you do all of this? Punch the wall, overdose, and break into someone’s house. Why go through all the trouble?” I asked him.

“I did it because…I figured that if I did those things mom and dad would show up here and they would realize that getting back together would keep me from doing more bad things,” he replied.

On that queue both our parents walked in. My mom looked like she had been crying, and like she was about to cry even more. My dad had the same look of no emotion on his face. They had heard what Seth had just said.

“Is that true?” my mom asked him.



“Yes it’s true. I just wanted us to be one family again. Not two separate ones,” he told my mom.

“Seth. I’m sorry, but your dad and I aren’t getting back together. I know you want us to be a family again but it just can’t happen,” my mom told him.

“Things can never go back to the way they were,” my dad said.

“But why can’t they?” Seth asked.

“Because, it’s just not possible,” my dad said.

Seth grabbed a hold of me and was hugging me. It didn’t seem like he was going to let go of me any time soon.

“I think it would be better if you guys gave us a minute,” I told them, still holding onto Seth.

We didn’t have much family, other than our grandparents on our mom’s side. They lived almost 5 hours away so we never saw them. I was the only form of support that Seth had.

“Okay,” they said at the same time, leaving the room.

“I’m right here Seth. It’s ok,” I told him.

“No it’s not ok,” he mumbled.

I then decided that I would be taking Seth to see a therapist whenever he needed it. After realizing that I almost lost my brother, I knew neither house would be considered home for him. I didn’t know what was going to happen in the future when we leave this hospital, but whatever does I’ll be ready.