Cutting Out Paper Hearts

Where’d you move to?
Where’d you move to?
Where the fuck did you move to?
Brilliant question, Dad, just awesome. These are the thoughts that ran through my head in the seconds between the question and the answer. Truthfully I never knew my brain worked that fast, but hey, you learn something new everyday. Bethany smiled the smile that’s never off her face--well, the first time I didn’t see her smile was after my little outburst earlier. How can one woman be so god damn happy I will never know. “Well, we moved to a quiet little town in Missouri but since my work had a new job up here, we moved back. I think it’ll be good for the boys.” I rolled my eyes, while she ran a hand over Roydon’s hair. He watched me, biting his lip. It started to get uncomfortable after a while so I glared at him. “They never really did take the move well, especially Roydon. He missed you so much, Bailey dear.” They did have a faint southern accent, now that I listened close enough for it. I flashed them a fake smile, hoping to earn some points from my parents. Just enough so they’d let me go back to my room, but they were too busy examining the two boys.

“Did you hear that, Bay, he missed you.” Denny nudged my elbow with his. A grin on his face turned to a frown when I opened my mouth.

“Oh I heard it, Den.” Venom dripped off my words, making Bethany’s everlasting smile falter and a small smile to come on my lips. Dad gave me a warning look which I brushed off while Mom bit her lip, looking at her hands with sudden interest. “May I be excused up to my room?”

“No.” Dad snapped, giving me another warning look. Mom flinched at his tone; she never did like arguments and yelling so she never did. Normally the only time Dad would yell at us was when Mom wasn’t home or was asleep. Thurstan shifted in his seat, glancing at Denny and giving the boy a smile. Denny returned it, instantly turning pink. “How about you go check on dinner, Luc?”

“Sounds great, uh, Bethany, would you mind helping me?” Mom smiled at the always grinning woman who nodded her head. The two ladies left the room without another word. Dad gave me a warning look before asking, “So, boys, where will you be going to school?”

“I’ll be going to Firewood and Roydon is home schooled.” Thurstan answered with a smile in Denny’s direction. I looked at the curled-up ball of a boy with wonder. Why was he home schooled while Thurstan wasn’t? Roydon opened his eyes, focusing on me with worry. Thurstan pulled his little brother closed into his side, rubbed the boy’s back. “Sorry, he’s a little shy.”

“It’s alright, Thurstan.” Dad smiled, flashing me yet another warning look. I rolled my eyes, standing up only to be pushed back down by Denny. Older brother’s are so useless. “If you don’t mind my asking, but why is Roydon home schooled?”

“It’s up to him if he wants to tell you really.” Roydon picked up his head, looked at each of us, and put his head back down. Thurstan rubbed the boy’s back, noticing he was shaking. “I don’t think he’s okay with telling people.”

“That’s fine.” Denny said.

“Dinner’s done, kids!” Mom shouted after a couple minutes of my Dad asking them more questions. I sat down at the table, eating my food right away so I could get up to my room and away from these people. Roydon sat a cross from me, staring at his food with disgust. I wanted to say: hey, my mom’s cooking isn’t that bad; but I held that comment in when my dad gave me another warning look.

All I wanted from them was a goodbye.