The Ghost of Memories.
Lies.
Sophie had finally managed to persuade him to come home. When he did, she tackled him, and held onto his neck.
“Ger! Oh my God, are you okay?” Sophie yelled.
“Soph, Soph. calm down. I’m fine.”
That night, I was sent to my room early, and Sophie didn’t go home till late. I heard them both in the living room, Gerard slowly talking, Sophie quietly listening. She left to the kitchen to get them both coffee.
She wandered back, and handed him a coffee, which he gratefully accepted by the way Sophie responded.
“What about Audrey?” Sophie whispered.
“She can stay here. She’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure you can manage her?”
“Yeah, she’s a good girl.”
“I know, Ger, but if you’re having a bad day, how’s she going to react by your behaviour? How are you going to react to her bubbly spirit? She doesn’t understand what’s going on, Ger. We can’t expect her to act like us in this situation.”
“I’m not going to let her see, if I’m having a bad day. I faked smiles for three years in High School, I think I can fool a six year old. And I love her ‘bubbly’ spirit. It’ll cheer me up, if anything. I know she’s not an adult, so we’re going to have to act like normal by tomorrow.”
“Act? So your going to try fooling her into believing your fine?”
“Sounds about right.”
“How? She’s a smart kid, she’ll notice.”
“You took drama and psychology. You can figure out how we’re supposed to act, then act it well. I can follow your example.”
As a little girl, lying awake in bed, listening to my dad and perhaps the closest I’d had to a mom, I was afraid, and shocked. Had all those smiles been faked? Had Sophie secretly been spying on her and telling everything I did to my Dad so he could act some more? Had I fell for every trick they put out for me?
Now, I realise they were trying to protect me from the horror that was September 11. That they were trying to stop my dad’s sadness rubbing off on me. I in turn, acted like I had never heard their conversation, and I continued to enjoy Sophie’s company and Gerard’s mash potato.
“Ger! Oh my God, are you okay?” Sophie yelled.
“Soph, Soph. calm down. I’m fine.”
That night, I was sent to my room early, and Sophie didn’t go home till late. I heard them both in the living room, Gerard slowly talking, Sophie quietly listening. She left to the kitchen to get them both coffee.
She wandered back, and handed him a coffee, which he gratefully accepted by the way Sophie responded.
“What about Audrey?” Sophie whispered.
“She can stay here. She’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure you can manage her?”
“Yeah, she’s a good girl.”
“I know, Ger, but if you’re having a bad day, how’s she going to react by your behaviour? How are you going to react to her bubbly spirit? She doesn’t understand what’s going on, Ger. We can’t expect her to act like us in this situation.”
“I’m not going to let her see, if I’m having a bad day. I faked smiles for three years in High School, I think I can fool a six year old. And I love her ‘bubbly’ spirit. It’ll cheer me up, if anything. I know she’s not an adult, so we’re going to have to act like normal by tomorrow.”
“Act? So your going to try fooling her into believing your fine?”
“Sounds about right.”
“How? She’s a smart kid, she’ll notice.”
“You took drama and psychology. You can figure out how we’re supposed to act, then act it well. I can follow your example.”
As a little girl, lying awake in bed, listening to my dad and perhaps the closest I’d had to a mom, I was afraid, and shocked. Had all those smiles been faked? Had Sophie secretly been spying on her and telling everything I did to my Dad so he could act some more? Had I fell for every trick they put out for me?
Now, I realise they were trying to protect me from the horror that was September 11. That they were trying to stop my dad’s sadness rubbing off on me. I in turn, acted like I had never heard their conversation, and I continued to enjoy Sophie’s company and Gerard’s mash potato.