Hold me close

Kate was uprooting the soil in her mothers newly planted rose garden, they did not bloom a bright red but rather sagged in thirst. The sun beat down on her bare sunburnt arms.

Blue eye, blonde three year old Kate discovered that as far as she could, there was no ending to the hole that her little arms managed to quarry. Fair brows furrowed in quaint frustration.

In disinterest she buried the spoon in the hole and pushed the soil back, patting down the earth with thuds while leaving imprints of her chubby like hands.

Dirt concealed beneath her nails and smeared the front of her white frock which did not inconvenience her least.

Across the lawn she trotted onto the back porch when she’d achieved the tall foot steps with effort it was at that moment she heard the sound of shattering glass. Knowing only that the sound was unfamiliar it led her to curiosity where she’d gone to find the source of the noise inside the house.

As she entered the back door straight ahead was the corridor and the front door directly ahead. The stairway looming beside her creaked as someone’s heavy weighted footsteps sounded beneath them. Kate awaited with widened eyes to see whose footsteps they’d belonged too. The person manoeuvred silently down until they were within her view. A man with a balaclava and a gun clenched tightly in his right hand turned sharply to the kitchen where he’d overlooked where Kate stood.

 

“Where is it?” A loud booming voice sounded from the kitchen joined by another shattering of glass and her mother’s painful shriek.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” Her mother bubbled.

 

“Tell me where it is, my patience is wearing thin”

 

Kate darted to the kitchen in panic. She was defenceless and vulnerable, she did not stand a chance but she did not care. Her mind was only set on easing her mother’s pain.

 

“He didn’t tell me anything he never does”

 

Kate stood in the doorway within her mothers view. She was on the ground amongst a pile of broken glasses and furniture. Her usual heart-shaped face was now a torment of pain and confusion. Blood trickled from her left brow and she immediately spotted Kate but ignored her entirely.

 

“Don’t lie to me” He bellowed so loudly that Kate let out a whimper and covered her ears.

 

The intruder spun around to see Kate.

 

“What do we have here?” He sent an evil slit eyed glance to her mother “This must be Kate”

 

He aimed the gun at her.

 

“Stop please!” Cried her mother, she began to sob.

 

“Tell me where it is or I swear that I’ll kill her”

 

Her mother calmed herself for a fraction of a minute and soon took a thoughtful look at Kate.

 

“Okay, it’s in the basement in the brass trunk under the stairwell”

 

The intruder disappeared and Kate had been frozen on the same spot to numb and confused to move.

Her mother quickly reached her examined her with trembling fingers and gripped her in a tight hug it overwhelmed them both .This intruder, this strange unknown man returned within a few seconds and did not take a backward glance when he tore out of the house and drove away.

 

“Its okay mommy. The mean man is gone” Her daughter reassured, pushing back a strand of hair and tucking it behind her ear mimicking the times she’d felt sadness an her mother had done the same.  

 

Her mother wasn’t aware of the soft sobs she was choking back until a cry broke free from her quivering lips.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah disnaday was the most popular girl when I was eleven. People praised her which alternatively wasn’t getting them anywhere; it put them in unfavourable judgment of others. More decisively it began to dawn on their minds that not only were it a futile technique of gaining friendship but it lowered their self-esteem and respect.

Only the desperate searching would be idiotic enough to render Sarah an important idol in their life. Only the people that felt concerned with being abnormally popular in recognition of ones positive opinion would be dull enough to want to be friends with Sarah.

It was perhaps the only thing I cared about when I was eleven. Though I despised of her just as much as broccoli or traditional pumpkin soup, at the same time I wanted her to like me.

She never showed much as a quick gaze in my direction and as I’d once sat there staring down at her and her gang of friends from my bedroom window she rode off across the street on her expensively shinny bike while the others had to huddle to keep up with her. One stumbled over her own feet and they fell like human dominoes. I giggled and snickered.

It comforted me to know that I wasn’t the only person who’d wanted Sarah’s approval.

 

Although I don’t think much of being well-liked apart of my life now I still find it necessary to keep up with socialising such as Christmas dinners and family reunions. But looking back now on what was I realise how small the world was when I was eleven. I did not know of love or money perhaps the only money that mattered were nickels and dollars for candy at the shop. None of that mattered when I was eleven. Now all I can think about is money, my life is surrounded by nothing but money and bills.  

My daughter’s piano recital is tomorrow, her name is Jamie and she’s twelve turning thirteen next month. I know that it will burn a hole in my pocket having to buy all those little decorations that kids find so fascinating which I cannot begin to fathom why. I would have to scrap up a few extra dollars for the rent but it brings me bliss to see her smile.

Mom’s coming over for dinner tonight which Jamie is looking forward too however her and Andrew still haven’t settled an agreement with him about buying a new car. He doesn’t want her to control our lives, which is comprehensible. It’s what he feels she’s always doing. Since her and dad’s divorce she’s been unable to cope with being alone therefore moulding her life into ours. My Perceptive is bias, I recognise, but that was how I refine what I know about it. Thinking it makes me seem callous; the truth is felt overstated as it sounds.

The thought of leaving her alone in an empty house brought along with it guilt to season the pain. In all equality Andrew tends to be dominant for his way he’s renowned for being overly-competitive. I adored that about him though we both secretly had our own inside jokes about it. I didn’t want to abandon her now, it was pointless too. I didn’t want her thinking poorly of me.

 

“Are you alright, love?” Andrew whispers teasingly in my ear. It had made me jump for his presence was unknown.

He wrapped his arms around me making me feel cherished with the slight tightening of his rough hands. 

 

“One more startle like that Andrew and perhaps you’d love me a little less if you had to sleep on the couch”

 

“You are certainly one of a kind Kate”

 

“That I am don’t forget it”

 

He chuckled lowly and withdrew himself.

 

“Jamie needs picked up in about half an hour”

 

“It’s your turn to pick her up Kate, remember”

 

“Yes but I have very important things to do I won’t have time to do them at work”

 

“So Jamie isn’t important?”

 

“I didn’t say that”

 

“You might as well have”

 

“Andrew” I warned with the temptation in the air that would lead to a sly and dry humours argument.

 

“Besides If I have to sit there one more time with Mrs Mormons tits stuck to the window I might have to buy a new car”

 

“Is that a hint?”

 

“Maybe” He said disappearing from the room.

 

Stirred with frustration I dumped the work on the desk and ambled out of the house.

 

“Thanks Sweetheart” Called Andrew from upstairs, he’d heard the door slam hard enough to know my impatience.

 

I grumbled my profanities under my breath but did not dare show my irritation when I’d arrived to pick up Jamie.

Jamie was the first to meet me. She ran down the little footsteps and threw open the door to wiggle her way in and wrap her arms around my neck.

 

“Hello cupcake, I missed you”

 

“I missed you too mommy”

 

She closed the door and began talking about her day as I managed to pull out before the car behind could and knowing the drivers here as well as I do it would take a long time to do so.

 

“We made these cards and we painted and I played in the sandpit with Porsche and Henry. I ate all my lunch like you told me to mum”

 

“That’s good Jamie”

 

“But mum these girls were being mean to me”

 

I remembered being bullied a lot. I didn’t want this experience ever happening to Jamie and perhaps it can’t be avoided all the time but I had to try and protect her. It’s something that can affect ones life permanently.

 

“What did they do Hun?”

 

I took a sharp turn and the car behind me had to slam on the brakes for a split second as it was going straight ahead before I’d so ignorantly and unrightfully cut in.

Jamie’s little face looked of longing. She wanted to tell me something but her lips would not settle to open.

 

“Jamie what did they do?” I ask again.

 

When she doesn’t reply I reach over and stroke her hair. She’ll have to tell me sooner or later. It was not her nature to leave any problem untouched. She loved to talk and it wasn’t until we’d gotten home that I realised she’d been silent all the rest of the way back.