More Specifically, Me Maxine

Maxine’s POV

I was only age seven when my world came crashing down on me. It was like tornado ripping through a busy town of Kansas, winds terribly fast and scary for a tiny first grader.

I was watching The Fairly OddParents on Nickelodeon in the living room when the yells and sound of plates breaking filled my tiny ears. Words of pain and hurtful words crashed through our home, the place where I thought I could be happy. That day I ran to my parents room, hiding in their closet and holding one of my fathers’ hooded black sweatshirt close to my chest, tears flowing.

“Goodbye Harper! Have fun taking care of Maxine on your own!” My father yelled, footsteps crashing heavily against the carpeted stairs.

The bedroom door slams open, someone collecting all of their stuff. After a few minutes the closet I was hiding in is now opened, the man collecting everything that’s his, until he got to me, the little girl holding the hoodie. He tugs on the sweatshirt I’m holding, realizing I’m holding he kneels down to me, now talking softly to me.

“Maxine, I’m going away for a while and I’m not coming back. Mommy did something very mean to me and I can’t be with her anymore. I’m sorry but I want you to keep some things and don’t let mommy touch them okay? Hold on a second I’ll get them.” He leaves for a minute and gives me some items.

“I’m giving you my guitar, I know you don’t know how to play it but somehow I want you to learn. Also I’m giving you my sweatshirt you're holding right now okay? And this last thing I’m giving you is this necklace, see its shaped like daddy’s guitar pick, you can use it on your guitar or you can wear it, but whatever you do, once you’re done using it on your guitar put it back on your neck, and make sure mommy doesn’t see it either.” He says, placing the hoodie on me and the silver plated guitar pick necklace.

“Don’t think you did anything wrong Maxy, because you didn’t. You’ll understand when you’re older, maybe mommy will tell you, but if she doesn’t by the time you're sixteen I want you to open this letter and you will understand everything. I’m sorry honey but I love you a lot and maybe we’ll see each other soon, but not now.” He said, my tears flowing like Niagara Falls.

“Daddy don’t go!” I cried, clinging onto him.

“Maxine, I’m sorry but I can’t just be here anymore.”

“Take me with you then!” I said

“I just can’t, you’ll understand when you're older.” He says, pushing me away and walking out the door, leaving me to drown in my tears.

And that was the last time I ever heard or saw from him, he never did call me or text, just like mom said he would do, but that was five years ago when he said he’d call or text. So I just gave up from hope from him, and that note he gave me, I’m seventeen now and still haven’t read it. I’m scared to, Razor knows that I have the note from my dad. She knows everything about me. I trust her more than I do my mom, a drunken alcoholic.

So I just live my life in what I hope it’s worth, but after all that day was the downfall of us all.