Status: Rewrite - somewhat active
Sunshine
s e v e n
I heard voices downstairs when I woke up. It was bright outside, I'd obviously slept in later than I had intended. I listened for a few minutes but I couldn't understand any actual conversation. I sighed and slowly got out of bed. My foot was still killing me. The doctor had given me a prescription for painkillers but I needed my dad or Lisa to take me to fill it.
Getting dressed was a slow and painful process. When I was finally finished I started down the stairs, a feat which took all of my concentration and energy. Silence fell the instant I walked into the dining room. My dad was sitting beside Lisa and they had obviously just been talking about me. Mark and Chris were at the other end of the table, pretending they hadn't been listening to the conversation of the adults. I plopped heavily into a chair and waited for someone to speak.
"Abigail Elizabeth, what is going on with you? I had to deal with a very nasty lady accusing me of abuse yesterday," Dad said. I flinched at his accusatory tone.
"I'm sorry Dad," I apologized. "I took a nasty tumble in gym a couple days before I flew out. The people in the emergency room didn't want to believe me. They think someone hurt me." My dad frowned at me.
"Well make sure you are more careful in the future. You're obviously an accident prone child but see if you can't make it through the summer without any more hospital visits," Dad suggested. I nodded. My stomach sank. It was a good thing that I hadn't tried to tell my dad the truth. He was clearly already feeling inconvenienced by my presence.
"Do you want some breakfast honey?" Lisa offered.
"No thank you," I replied. "I'll just make myself some tea in a bit." I glanced at Mark and Chris but they both avoided my gaze, instead focusing on their smartphones. I hadn't eaten anything the day before either but I was used to going a few days without a meal. I jumped when Dad and Lisa pushed out their chairs. My dad squeezed my shoulder on his way out and Lisa kissed the top of my head. As soon as they were out of earshot Chris and Mark turned toward me.
"What happened?" They asked. I told them the same story I'd told Jeremy - I dropped a mug and accidentally stepped in some of the broken glass. They accepted my story readily and I didn't bother to mention that Dave had been over.
Getting dressed was a slow and painful process. When I was finally finished I started down the stairs, a feat which took all of my concentration and energy. Silence fell the instant I walked into the dining room. My dad was sitting beside Lisa and they had obviously just been talking about me. Mark and Chris were at the other end of the table, pretending they hadn't been listening to the conversation of the adults. I plopped heavily into a chair and waited for someone to speak.
"Abigail Elizabeth, what is going on with you? I had to deal with a very nasty lady accusing me of abuse yesterday," Dad said. I flinched at his accusatory tone.
"I'm sorry Dad," I apologized. "I took a nasty tumble in gym a couple days before I flew out. The people in the emergency room didn't want to believe me. They think someone hurt me." My dad frowned at me.
"Well make sure you are more careful in the future. You're obviously an accident prone child but see if you can't make it through the summer without any more hospital visits," Dad suggested. I nodded. My stomach sank. It was a good thing that I hadn't tried to tell my dad the truth. He was clearly already feeling inconvenienced by my presence.
"Do you want some breakfast honey?" Lisa offered.
"No thank you," I replied. "I'll just make myself some tea in a bit." I glanced at Mark and Chris but they both avoided my gaze, instead focusing on their smartphones. I hadn't eaten anything the day before either but I was used to going a few days without a meal. I jumped when Dad and Lisa pushed out their chairs. My dad squeezed my shoulder on his way out and Lisa kissed the top of my head. As soon as they were out of earshot Chris and Mark turned toward me.
"What happened?" They asked. I told them the same story I'd told Jeremy - I dropped a mug and accidentally stepped in some of the broken glass. They accepted my story readily and I didn't bother to mention that Dave had been over.