Chasing the Moon

Mr. Black met my intense stare with a small smile and a confused look about him. I forced myself to smile back as Leanne beamed beside me, holding onto my hand so tightly, as if she were afraid I'd vanish if she'd let go for even a second, but I was glued in place. What was going on?

"Gabby, isn't it?" he asked politely.

"Gabriella," I hissed, glaring at him. I hated being so confused and it was his fault! He stumbled over his words, but eventually moved to let us inside.

"Do come in..." Leanne pulled me in, skipping. "Your mother will be home soon, Lee. She went to the store."

"She needed more headache medicine?"

"Err...yeah," he mumbled. I could tell he was lying, but Leanne didn't seem to care. She couldn't be that stupid, could she? I glanced at her and immediately knew what was up: she was well aware what people said about her own mother. I squeezed her hand tightly.

"Wanna go play?" I whispered softly. Her eyes lit up and she smiled brilliantly, nodding so fast I thought her head would fly off her shoulders! She yanked me down the hall and past a room with a crib in it. I froze, unable to move. "Who's room is that?"

"Oh. That's Her room," Leanne mumbled, slamming the door shut and freeing me from my trance. "Here's mine."

I wanted to cry. The room that belonged to no one was all pretty and nice, but Leanne's room looked like a trash heap! Her blankets were filled with holes, her bed didn't look very comfortable, and her floor had nails sticking up everywhere. She sat down happily on her ragged bed.

"Leanne..." Do you like your parents?" I asked quietly as I took all of this in.

"I love them. Why wouldn't I?" Was she insane?

"It's just... The other room looks so much nicer than yours. That's hardly fair."

"Life isn't all about material things," she told me softly, looking down at her feet as they swung back and forth. "We spend all of our money on Mom's medicine. That's more important."

I nodded silently, in an awkward situation. All I could think about was that room. It looked exactly as it had in my dream, not a single thing out of place. And Ian...the man who was my father... But it had to be a coincidence.

The front door slammed shut and I heard mumbling then screaming. Leanne smiled weakly at me.

"Mommy's home," she whispered softly.

"Leanne, have you seen mommy's pills?"

My eyes went wide as the woman who had spoken walked in. She returned the favor and I wanted to cry. Leanne's mother had been in my dream! She was...my mother...

"My baby girl..."

Leanne's eyes darted over to me and I just stared blankly at the lady who'd held onto my when my father had tried to give me away.

"Oh God..." I whispered, swaying on my feet. I always seemed to pass out at the worst possible time and today was no exception. I blacked out before my head hit the beat-up wooden floor...