Status: incomplete
Crashing down around me
Crashing down around me
As we approached my house, I noticed something was off. Usually we have gardeners working on the flowerbeds or the lawn, but today, there was no one. Usually, there are kids playing on the playground my parents built for me when I was four, but today it was empty. Usually, there were cars lining our driveway, either those of clients or friends of my mom or dad, but today only my car zoomed up the winding road.
“Vi? Why is this place so empty? It’s as if someone died around here!” Scarlett was as observant as I was and at my house almost as much. She noticed the deserted path as well.
“I don’t know. I bet Mom and Daddy gave everyone the day off or something, maybe they wanted some privacy for once? I’m sure everything is fine though.” I assured my best friend as well as myself, giving plausible reasons that everything was all right, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was not as it seemed.
My feeling was quelled when we drove up to where the driveway doubled back in a circle around a pond in front of my house. There were about six cars, less then usual but enough to assuage my suspicions.
I quickly parked the car and jumped out, running to the front door with Scarlett on my heels, suddenly desperate to see my parents.
“Mom! Daddy! I’m home! Where are you?” I yelled my usual greeting to the entryway, but unlike every other day, I got no answer.
“Mom? Daddy?” I went down the hall to the living room where Mom sat everyday with one friend or another and saw, instead of my mother, seven complete strangers. Scarlett had been following me instead of running up to my room to get things organized as she did every other day and she instantly gasped.
“Um, who are you? Where are my parents?” I asked in a slightly snobby tone, acting like I thought I was better then these people. It usually scared them into leaving me alone for the few minutes I was in their presence while I talked to my parents before I disappeared upstairs.
“Violet, I am” The man in front started to answer my question as two more arose in my mind.
“Wait.” I commanded, not letting him finish his sentence. “First, how did you get in if Mom and Dad aren’t here, and second, how do you know my name? That’s kind of creeper. No, that’s really creeper.” I took my nose out of the air for a second to look at the people in front of me and noticed that three of them were in uniform. Police uniform to be exact.
“Violet, I am” I stopped him once again, slipping out of snobby child mode and into normal violet mode.
“Wait! I don’t care who you are.” I told him, my tone showing the worry that was clear on my face. “What happened? Where are my parents? No stupid introductions please. I know something happened so get to it and be blunt. I assure you it will be easier for us both if you do.” My calm outer exterior hid the raging turmoil within me.
“Okay…” He seemed unsure and looked indecisively at the two other uniformed men, one of which nodded in consent.
“Violet. Your parents are dead.” He looked at me as the words fought against my disbelief. I kept a straight face, not letting even a hint of emotion show through to the strangers in my living room. Scarlett slowly grabbed my hand, showing me she was there and wasn’t leaving. It was the only thing I really needed.
“Ma’am, may I ask you to go? What we are going to discuss is a private matter of which I am not allowed to disclose to anyone besides Miss Mathews.” He turned to Scarlett and spoke in a commanding voice, willing her to object. But before Scarlett could say anything, I spoke up.
“No. She stays. Say whatever you need to say. Scarlett stays here.” I demanded respect, my voice hard and cold, ice shooting through my eyes towards the offending officer.
“Fine then.” He said curtly, seeming tired of my attitude already. “Your parents who died aren’t your real parents. They adopted you. Now, because they are dead your real parents want you back. Your adoptive parents left everything to you, every cent, every item so you can stay here. But your real parents have come to collect you, so I take that back. You can’t stay here. Violet, please meet Mr. and Mrs. Sanders and their dear friend Mr. Haner.” He indicated the three people in back. The men had tattoos winding up their arms, and dyed black hair. The woman was a blonde, tall and slender.
Scarlett took in a huge breath that could be heard around the room. She obviously knew who these people were but I had no idea and it really didn’t matter to me.
“Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. You keep saying ‘Real Parents’ but my real parents were Kimmy and Patrick Mathews. These people gave me away. They didn’t want me. Mom and Dad did. So they may be my biological parents, but they’re defiantly not my real parents. Now, I don’t know who you are and I honestly don’t care. You missed your chance at knowing me when you gave me up.” I stared around the room, daring them to challenge me and knowing at least one of them would try.
“Scarlett? Will you please wait in my room? This will be over soon then we can do our homework and go to Tara’s to plan for Friday.” I knew my tough façade wouldn’t last long and I would need an excuse to get out of the room. Scarlett would provide that.
“’Kay.” She looked at me, decoding the message written in my eyes.
“Vi? I’m right upstairs.” She assured me, knowing I needed someone who wasn’t trying to take me away, knowing I needed someone to be there for me but also knowing I needed to do this alone. Her eyes told me she’d be listening to all that was said through the vent in my bathroom.
I nodded as she left, casting one more glance at my biological parents and their ‘dear friend’.
“Okay, so I seriously don’t care who you are. Scarlett seems to think you matter. But to me, you are just people who didn’t think I was worth it. So you try to take me away from my school, my friends, my life, and you have another thing coming. I will not go with you. I will not leap into your arms, telling you how much I love you, mostly because I don’t even like you. My parents are dead and there is nothing you can do to replace them.” I stared at them with cold, determined eyes, my mouth set in a hard line.
They didn’t know me. They hadn’t even wanted me before now. If they had tried to contact me before, when I had had a choice, when things were different, maybe I could have at least tried to reconcile. But now it was too late and they were beyond stupid if they thought I was going quietly.
“Violet. Please listen to us. We didn’t want to give you away! We’ve been searching for you for the past five years. At least give us a chance!” Mrs. Sanders looked at me pleadingly, willing me to see things their way. But it was too late for that. It was too late for anything.
“Vi? Why is this place so empty? It’s as if someone died around here!” Scarlett was as observant as I was and at my house almost as much. She noticed the deserted path as well.
“I don’t know. I bet Mom and Daddy gave everyone the day off or something, maybe they wanted some privacy for once? I’m sure everything is fine though.” I assured my best friend as well as myself, giving plausible reasons that everything was all right, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was not as it seemed.
My feeling was quelled when we drove up to where the driveway doubled back in a circle around a pond in front of my house. There were about six cars, less then usual but enough to assuage my suspicions.
I quickly parked the car and jumped out, running to the front door with Scarlett on my heels, suddenly desperate to see my parents.
“Mom! Daddy! I’m home! Where are you?” I yelled my usual greeting to the entryway, but unlike every other day, I got no answer.
“Mom? Daddy?” I went down the hall to the living room where Mom sat everyday with one friend or another and saw, instead of my mother, seven complete strangers. Scarlett had been following me instead of running up to my room to get things organized as she did every other day and she instantly gasped.
“Um, who are you? Where are my parents?” I asked in a slightly snobby tone, acting like I thought I was better then these people. It usually scared them into leaving me alone for the few minutes I was in their presence while I talked to my parents before I disappeared upstairs.
“Violet, I am” The man in front started to answer my question as two more arose in my mind.
“Wait.” I commanded, not letting him finish his sentence. “First, how did you get in if Mom and Dad aren’t here, and second, how do you know my name? That’s kind of creeper. No, that’s really creeper.” I took my nose out of the air for a second to look at the people in front of me and noticed that three of them were in uniform. Police uniform to be exact.
“Violet, I am” I stopped him once again, slipping out of snobby child mode and into normal violet mode.
“Wait! I don’t care who you are.” I told him, my tone showing the worry that was clear on my face. “What happened? Where are my parents? No stupid introductions please. I know something happened so get to it and be blunt. I assure you it will be easier for us both if you do.” My calm outer exterior hid the raging turmoil within me.
“Okay…” He seemed unsure and looked indecisively at the two other uniformed men, one of which nodded in consent.
“Violet. Your parents are dead.” He looked at me as the words fought against my disbelief. I kept a straight face, not letting even a hint of emotion show through to the strangers in my living room. Scarlett slowly grabbed my hand, showing me she was there and wasn’t leaving. It was the only thing I really needed.
“Ma’am, may I ask you to go? What we are going to discuss is a private matter of which I am not allowed to disclose to anyone besides Miss Mathews.” He turned to Scarlett and spoke in a commanding voice, willing her to object. But before Scarlett could say anything, I spoke up.
“No. She stays. Say whatever you need to say. Scarlett stays here.” I demanded respect, my voice hard and cold, ice shooting through my eyes towards the offending officer.
“Fine then.” He said curtly, seeming tired of my attitude already. “Your parents who died aren’t your real parents. They adopted you. Now, because they are dead your real parents want you back. Your adoptive parents left everything to you, every cent, every item so you can stay here. But your real parents have come to collect you, so I take that back. You can’t stay here. Violet, please meet Mr. and Mrs. Sanders and their dear friend Mr. Haner.” He indicated the three people in back. The men had tattoos winding up their arms, and dyed black hair. The woman was a blonde, tall and slender.
Scarlett took in a huge breath that could be heard around the room. She obviously knew who these people were but I had no idea and it really didn’t matter to me.
“Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. You keep saying ‘Real Parents’ but my real parents were Kimmy and Patrick Mathews. These people gave me away. They didn’t want me. Mom and Dad did. So they may be my biological parents, but they’re defiantly not my real parents. Now, I don’t know who you are and I honestly don’t care. You missed your chance at knowing me when you gave me up.” I stared around the room, daring them to challenge me and knowing at least one of them would try.
“Scarlett? Will you please wait in my room? This will be over soon then we can do our homework and go to Tara’s to plan for Friday.” I knew my tough façade wouldn’t last long and I would need an excuse to get out of the room. Scarlett would provide that.
“’Kay.” She looked at me, decoding the message written in my eyes.
“Vi? I’m right upstairs.” She assured me, knowing I needed someone who wasn’t trying to take me away, knowing I needed someone to be there for me but also knowing I needed to do this alone. Her eyes told me she’d be listening to all that was said through the vent in my bathroom.
I nodded as she left, casting one more glance at my biological parents and their ‘dear friend’.
“Okay, so I seriously don’t care who you are. Scarlett seems to think you matter. But to me, you are just people who didn’t think I was worth it. So you try to take me away from my school, my friends, my life, and you have another thing coming. I will not go with you. I will not leap into your arms, telling you how much I love you, mostly because I don’t even like you. My parents are dead and there is nothing you can do to replace them.” I stared at them with cold, determined eyes, my mouth set in a hard line.
They didn’t know me. They hadn’t even wanted me before now. If they had tried to contact me before, when I had had a choice, when things were different, maybe I could have at least tried to reconcile. But now it was too late and they were beyond stupid if they thought I was going quietly.
“Violet. Please listen to us. We didn’t want to give you away! We’ve been searching for you for the past five years. At least give us a chance!” Mrs. Sanders looked at me pleadingly, willing me to see things their way. But it was too late for that. It was too late for anything.