Just One Love

I’m capering through the parks of insanity, treading through its flower beds; I thought sullenly and groaned, flopping back on my bed. The familiar creak of its iron hinges allowed my crowded mind to think freely. A gust of summer air blew my window shutters open revealing the beautiful rolling hills. Sadly, the gently wave of God’s mighty hand didn’t calm my rational thinking. Why must making decisions be the hardest part for me? And stupidly I don’t even know what I am deciding on -- or trying to for that matter. How incompetent of myself. I turned over so that I could see clearly through my window. Katie, a neighbor of mine with blonde curly hair, could be heard and seen laughing childishly, no doubt by excitement from her old brother, Barrett.

Her girly little voice picked up in volume as he twirled her around in the cloudless sky. My white lace curtains ruffled in another breeze, covering my window view. I got up quickly and secured the curtains against the wall so that I could see both of them plainly. Something about the way he looked in her eyes and held her so tight, laughed with her so easily and played her silly little games fascinated me to no end. I rested my elbows on the window seal, propping myself in a comfortable position, and watched them play about the yard, smiling the whole time. In my position I imagined what my mother, apposed to my kind birth-mother would have done if she’d caught me up here practically spying on Katie and Barrett. Hopefully her rational thinking wouldn’t have sent me to my father in a second as would other things I had done.

I didn’t know Katie and Barrett enough to wish I was down there running about with them, but something inside me hopped that someday soon I would know them, maybe enough to do something more. My legs refused movement as I stood up and smoothed out my skirt. The leather belt around my waist wasn’t tight enough to suffocate me, but it was loose enough to irritate me. Katie screeched happily, bringing my attention to her once again, but soon their mother called them in. The site of their caring mother, calling them in – not yelling, guiding them through the door – not pushing, and actually making sure they were in the door – not ‘accidentally’ leaving – made me think of my own motherly figure barking orders at my poor father downstairs. My mother insisted on my sister and me wearing skirts and blouses, but occasionally – with a great deal of prodding from my father – we were aloud to wear shorts. And oddly enough these shorts were very short, sometimes in the extreme. I didn’t understand why we couldn’t simply wear jeans or capris.

My father isn’t a very religious man, but he deals – always with a false smile on his face - with going to church every Sunday and Wednesday like a good Christian man. We’d been eating supper and he would start arguing profusely with my mother about the fact that he did not enjoy attending church or ‘wasting his time’ sitting in an uncomfortable suit while a man read words out of a book. My mother was furious with him for weeks. Never before had I seen her so livid with anyone in my entire life. Then again my entire life hadn’t been very long. The sun retreated behind the high roof of a neighboring house.

Fluffy fur brushed against my fingers, startling me back into reality. I realized I was once again propped up against the window seal staring at where the sun used to be, smiling dreamily. My cat meowed gently to get my attention. I gladly loved on her, scratching her back into an arch. We looked into each others eyes once she had positioned herself so I could do so. It was an odd relationship Lilly and I had, but it was a sound one. My mothers deafening screech shattered our moment. I rushed down the stairs – an automatic response – to see what all of the raucous was about. I immediately spotted the problem: a cute mouse, probably a baby, was skittering around under the chair my mother was stood on, batting at it with a broom.

“NO!” I cried, racing forward to save the poor creature. The broom came down on my back, but I managed to still save the baby and run out of the back door. My mother cursed at me as I ran. I shushed the poor thing as I rubbed my littlest finger along its stripped back. Its whiskers tickled my palm. I slowed to a walk and looked back at the dirt road behind me. My ears hadn’t picked up a sound that shouldn’t be. An odd white streak lined the spine of the rodent, giving it the look of a skunk. I laughed and set it down, hoping it would stay and smell the air, but it ran off without a second thought.

As my feet padded silently through the crisp night I could already here my mother’s shouts of rage in the distance. Didn’t she know people had their windows were open? Bless her heart, but the woman did not have a bit of sense to her, neither could she prove to someone she was a Christian. Ha! With all of the horrid things she has done I wouldn’t believe she was a Christian. You would have to be a fool to even consider such a thing.

A small part of my mind judged my chances of getting in unnoticed, but deemed them unlikely and very poor. As expected, my mother was standing with her arms folded over her chest at the backdoor when I walked up. I darted left, but she caught me by the ear and pulled me into the house. I refused to let her see my small pain as she chastised me in cruel ways. Letting her see a tear or hear a small plea for help would only fuel her fire.

“Now eat.” A bowl of soup was thrown in front of me, but I did not move towards it. She exhaled noisily and snatched it from the table.

“Go to bed hungry then.” Her beautiful blue eyes took the edge off of her wild hair when she snarled at me. I didn’t bother to reply, knowing that would aggravate her more, and calmly walked up the stairs. My sister, Dakota, beckoned me to tuck her in before I proceeded to my room. Usually I would have blown her off, but Barrett’s and Katie’s smiling faces popped in my head so I kissed her good night.

“I love you.” I told her, smoothing out her hair. She smiled in return and held up her hand showing her two longest fingertips pressed against her palm. I knew this sign all too well. I left in descending spirits, knowing Dakota would never be able to laugh as Katie did.

The familiar squeak of my iron bed did not welcome me at all. Dakota’s cute little smile and silent ‘I love you’ haunted my dreams throughout the night.

 

 

I woke up to the whip cracked across my closed door. Sunday. Outside of my still open window the birds were chasing each other in the light bale morning. Without being able to glance at a clock to see what time it was – mothers choice once again (she detested technology) – I prepared for our outing slowly, taking the time to curl my hair, and pick which skirt I wanted to wear the most.

“Breakfast in ten minutes girls.” My father, such a caring man, gave us a heads up. I quickly shuffled about my room making sure I had all the necessary things to leave for church. My golden red curls dangled from the bun I put them in as I slid my ballet flats carefully onto each foot. An anklet swayed from its placed and I looked at it thoughtfully. It was probably the most solid thing I had kept from my birth-mother since her departure. The white t-shirt I had donned would infuriate my step-mother, but since I had the good sense to pull the skirt up past my belly-button she would have to mind. I smiled at the notion and gazed at my appearance in the mirror thoughtfully; the soft fabric of my skirt peeped from the ends. I twirled a curly stray of hair in between my fingers and giggled daintily before I jogged happily downstairs.

“You look wonderful, Kadence.” My father complimented my attire with a smile as he set the table.

“Thank you.” I winked at Dakota, who was sitting wide-eyed, as I passed her to my seat.

“You look like a tramp.” My mother criticized as she sat down across from me.

“Don’t tell her that.” My father objected with authority. “She looks beautiful.” My mother snuffed, but didn’t argue any further.

At times my mother could tend to be a bit moody, but as far as I know that’s just how she is and probably always will be.

 

Once we arrived at the church we had plenty of time to lolly gag around until the church bells rang.

“Loretta!” a friend of my mothers called for her. I tapped my mothers shoulder and pointed in the direction of the grey haired woman. My mother lit up and ran towards her. They embraced each other in a long hug.

“Where were you last week?” the woman, whose name I had forgotten, asked worriedly.

“Poor Kadence was sick so we couldn’t make it out here.” My mother played her motherly role so well I almost believed it. Yes, I really was sick last week, but no she had never said anything about ‘poor Kadence’.

“I’m much better now Mrs. King, thank you.” I politely hugged her and smiled; grateful I remembered at least her last name.

“Oh darling you look wonderful.” She glanced at me and smiled, but directed her attention to my mother.

“Have you found her someone yet?” I cringed at the subject of the conversation and before they could get too engrossed I interceded, “Would you please excuse me?” my mother swished me away. I gladly found a better place to be; in the nook of the church’s garden was a stone bench I found pleasure in sitting on. Pink flower petals were scattered across the ground. I sat down gently. Expensive stones made a walk way up to a large tree in the middle of the area. I closed my eyes, letting the sweet scent filter through my brain as I breathed slowly. Oh so serenely I drifted off into a trance of delightful smells and enhancing sights. In the distance I could hear the crunching of someone's shoes on gravel that lay just before you reached the stone walkway. My heart beat quickened.

"Hello?" I cried in my small voice. No one answered.

"Is anyone there?" I cried more softly.

"Hello?" They actually a 'he' called back. I gasped slightly as Barrett stepped into my view. His onyx suit stood out among the paler background colors.

"Do you enjoy coming here also?" He stepped a bit closer, a smile tugging at his lips.

"In my spare time, yes." I smiled brightly.

"Do you mind if I join you?" I looked at the small seat, but quickly scooted over.

"Not at all." I looked up to find him smiling at me. His chocolate brown eyes buried into mine.

"What brings you here?" For a scary moment I thought he would've taken my hand.

"I'm waiting for the church bells to ring."

"Not as eager as most are we?" He chuckled slightly.

"Oh no, I enjoy attending church..." I started quickly, but he held a hand up chuckling.

"It's alright, I was just kidding." I tried to laugh also, thinking about how I had been spying on him.

"Do you have any siblings?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Yes, in fact I do." He looked around for a moment and then pointed. "Here she comes now... Katie!" She jumped in his arms giggling.

"Bb!" He rolled his eyes, falsely embarrassed at the repetition of his obvious nickname.

"Hello." I said sweetly, waving impishly.

She gasped, "Who's this? Is she a fairy? We have fairies in the garden?" Barrett and I both laughed at her assumption.

"She is pretty like a fairy..." He whispered, smiling at me and then quickly turned back to Katie.

Suddenly the church bells chimed loudly.

“Allow me.” His hand was held out for me to take and I took it gladly.  

 

Author's Note

This is oober goober short(well ). Hope you likey it. :]

Reviews

[ladybug]

i loved it to sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!:)

[BreezyButterflies]

[A.J.]

I like it very much, but I would suggest that you make it more clear that the mother is actually the stepmother. You only mention it once, and its such an important plot point. Anyone skimming through this story might miss it.