Sticky
Four
He visited her one evening, when they were celebrating her younger brother Jericho’s sixth birthday. In his hands was a little rectangular package bedecked in shiny blue paper and a big white bow. He handed this to Jericho, leaning over her as she sat in her seat at the dinner table, the scent of fabric softener and cologne almost making her gag. She held her breath as the cotton of his t-shirt brushed against her sweater.
“Wow, thanks!” Jericho shouted from across the table as he clutched his new plastic gun in his fist. Their parents were delighted with his thoughtfulness, and offered him cake that he politely refused. He took the seat next to Hartley, giving her a small wink when she shot him a look. She had to fight the urge to bolt from room when he started rubbing her knee with his hand, unseen by the rest of her family.
She wished that they could hear the screaming in her head when her parents asked him to stay and watch a movie with them. Jericho was ecstatic, pulling on the man’s hand and leading him into the living room to aid in choosing the film. Her mother asked her to stay behind to wash the dishes, casting furtive glances every few moments to make sure she wasn’t trying to slit her wrists while rinsing off the kitchen knives. Her mother had been keeping a special eye on Hartley since she’d come clean, waiting for the girl to have another breakdown and do something drastic.
While the others enjoyed the film, Hartley sat in a recliner separate from the couch they occupied, unable to concentrate with him the room. It frustrated her to no end knowing that he could waltz into her house and act so normal while she was drowning. What was worse was that her parents couldn’t see the effect this was having on their daughter. A small part of her mind pushed her to say something, to tell them, but his threats bounced around in Hartley’s mind and fear glued her lips shut.
“Wow, thanks!” Jericho shouted from across the table as he clutched his new plastic gun in his fist. Their parents were delighted with his thoughtfulness, and offered him cake that he politely refused. He took the seat next to Hartley, giving her a small wink when she shot him a look. She had to fight the urge to bolt from room when he started rubbing her knee with his hand, unseen by the rest of her family.
She wished that they could hear the screaming in her head when her parents asked him to stay and watch a movie with them. Jericho was ecstatic, pulling on the man’s hand and leading him into the living room to aid in choosing the film. Her mother asked her to stay behind to wash the dishes, casting furtive glances every few moments to make sure she wasn’t trying to slit her wrists while rinsing off the kitchen knives. Her mother had been keeping a special eye on Hartley since she’d come clean, waiting for the girl to have another breakdown and do something drastic.
While the others enjoyed the film, Hartley sat in a recliner separate from the couch they occupied, unable to concentrate with him the room. It frustrated her to no end knowing that he could waltz into her house and act so normal while she was drowning. What was worse was that her parents couldn’t see the effect this was having on their daughter. A small part of her mind pushed her to say something, to tell them, but his threats bounced around in Hartley’s mind and fear glued her lips shut.