Baby Shadows
Hope
I stood on the steps of the library, staring at my phone. Dad was so mad. Sighing, I flung my phone back into my messenger bag and entered the peaceful building. Heaven. I sighed again, quietly, and walked over to where the fictional books were shelved. I loved it here, browsing through these books. If only Dad believed that this place was safe, and not somewhere I come to meet boys. He was always so paranoid, Dad. Of course, I know he has reason to be, but really, I need some time to myself. I wish so much that he could see that.
Journey, by Danielle Steel. Perfect. A wonderful way to escape my stress filled life. Finding a sunny spot by the window, I settled down to read. The peace was soon disturbed by shouting and running feet. Yep, Dad had found me.
He stormed over to me and grabbed my arm, hauling me up. Grumbling, I managed to put the book back without having my arm torn out of my socket, before he pulled me outside, pushed me into the car and zoomed off. Good thing they all know who he is in there, else they might have phoned the police, thinking he was kidnapping me. Yeah, and wouldn’t that be ironic. I huffed, staring out the window. Another wonderfully planned afternoon ruined by this embarrassing man I called Dad. Great, just great.
I jumped out the car when we reached home and dashed up the stairs, not even stopping to shout hi to mum. She came out of the kitchen, shock in her eyes when she saw me. She’d thought I was to be out all afternoon.
Yeah, Mum, I thought.
So did I.
I’d let Dad explain, though. I heard them shouting. The walls might be thick, but they weren’t that thick, and I was quite close to the kitchen. I imagined what would be happening down there. Mum would be sticking up for me, of course. I could always count of Mum to take my side, but Dad, Dad was different. After a while, I grew bored with the raised voices and began searching for my iPod. Finding it on my bookshelf, and remembering I’d left it there after school yesterday, I stuck the earphones in my ears and So Far Away blared out. Ouch. I turned it down, and settled myself back on my world. Dad sounded….not peaceful, because we all knew what this song meant, but….well, he sounded different. A long time ago, too long. Long before me, and Annie, in the days just after Jimmy had died. Uncle Jimmy….I thought about that, about what my life might have like if this funny, random, loud, tall man were still alive. Different…. Yes, I’d say so. Different…. Then I was asleep, and dreaming of the man who would have been my uncle.
Journey, by Danielle Steel. Perfect. A wonderful way to escape my stress filled life. Finding a sunny spot by the window, I settled down to read. The peace was soon disturbed by shouting and running feet. Yep, Dad had found me.
He stormed over to me and grabbed my arm, hauling me up. Grumbling, I managed to put the book back without having my arm torn out of my socket, before he pulled me outside, pushed me into the car and zoomed off. Good thing they all know who he is in there, else they might have phoned the police, thinking he was kidnapping me. Yeah, and wouldn’t that be ironic. I huffed, staring out the window. Another wonderfully planned afternoon ruined by this embarrassing man I called Dad. Great, just great.
I jumped out the car when we reached home and dashed up the stairs, not even stopping to shout hi to mum. She came out of the kitchen, shock in her eyes when she saw me. She’d thought I was to be out all afternoon.
Yeah, Mum, I thought.
So did I.
I’d let Dad explain, though. I heard them shouting. The walls might be thick, but they weren’t that thick, and I was quite close to the kitchen. I imagined what would be happening down there. Mum would be sticking up for me, of course. I could always count of Mum to take my side, but Dad, Dad was different. After a while, I grew bored with the raised voices and began searching for my iPod. Finding it on my bookshelf, and remembering I’d left it there after school yesterday, I stuck the earphones in my ears and So Far Away blared out. Ouch. I turned it down, and settled myself back on my world. Dad sounded….not peaceful, because we all knew what this song meant, but….well, he sounded different. A long time ago, too long. Long before me, and Annie, in the days just after Jimmy had died. Uncle Jimmy….I thought about that, about what my life might have like if this funny, random, loud, tall man were still alive. Different…. Yes, I’d say so. Different…. Then I was asleep, and dreaming of the man who would have been my uncle.