Louise

About troubled teenager & parental relationships. The beginning and part of middle. Not sure where this is going yet but any comments welcome. Thanks.

LOUISE

It was Friday and school was over for another week. There was homework to be done, her room to be tidied, household chores to be done but Louise just wanted to chill, find her favourite novel and sit on her bed to read. She opened her bedside drawer and began to rummage through a collection of books, old diaries and notebooks as well as hair clips and headbands. There were letters and notes from friends. There were photographs, some taken on holiday with her mum and older sister, and a few school photographs which amused her since they documented the changes to her size, looks and gradual transformation into the beautiful young lady she had become. Among all of these was the one her mother had taken of her, aged 5, stood proudly alongside her father, Tom, the very last one she’d had taken with him. The paper looked somewhat creased now, turned up at the edges and torn. It didn’t matter as she always focused on his face looking towards the camera, resolute, but happy and trusting. His hair was shoulder-length, dark and uncombed, ‘ very 70s style’ mum always said. His clothes were casual but smart and trendy. He wore an open-neck denim shirt and navy jeans . Louise wasn’t sure how old he would have been , mid thirties maybe, but certainly a well-built, handsome man and it wasn’t too difficult to see why mum had fallen for him.
Soon painful memories came flooding back once more like ugly uninvited guests . There had been arguments and slamming doors. Frequently she’d heard voices raised downstairs as her parents ‘locked horns’ and began endlessly accusing each other with claims and counter claims. She recalled words like, “ You never bother to listen”, “ Why did you do that?” “ Tell me the truth” interspersed with more explosive language that she’d only heard in TV dramas , words she hoped never to hear again. Not for the first time she found her eyes welling up with tears; tears of anguish; tears of sadness and even anger. She didn’t understand. Perhaps she’d never understand. So many questions.....
Her mother could hear the sobs from the kitchen and called up, “ Are you alright sweetheart? “ “What’s the matter?” She said on this and every occasion, yet deep down she knew the answers. “ Louise, my sweet, come down. Let’s have a cuddle. I’m feeling down myself. Come here .” She ran downstairs and met her mother at the foot of the stairs. They threw their arms around each other and together sank onto the bench in the hallway.
Louise nestled into her mother’s arms as she sat on her lap . She had just turned 14 but whenever she was upset she always sought the comfort of her mother’s loving arms.. ‘What is it sweetheart?’ enquired Dianne sympathetically as she cradled her darling daughter in her arms. ‘Oh, you know mum, the usual thing’ There were a number of ‘usual things’ with Louise, especially now as she was growing up so quickly into womanhood and all that entailed. ‘Dad!’ Louise didn’t have to say any more and neither did Dianne. They just gazed at each other. Since the day he had vanished from their lives she had only one desire and that was to find out what had become of him.
Dianne had reassured her , as simply as she could , telling her he had ‘moved on’, that he had found life too difficult and had left home to give himself space. ‘Well that space has lasted a very long time’ Louise always thought to herself. Diane said she had lost contact with him and that he had probably found someone else by now. ‘Ok’ Louise thought. She had almost come to terms with that but why hadn’t he been in touch? Did he still love her? Was he even still alive ?
Dianne stroked her long, soft, black hair tenderly and spoke softly in her ear. ‘ Don’t worry Lou , things will work out. I know it’s hard but we have to believe.....’ Louise calmed herself, pacified by the sure knowledge that she was loved and understood and that mum, at least, would always be there for her.
[ later in the story ]............
.....The road outside the station was packed with cars and taxis pulled up by the kerbside. Louise was hungry and the only thing on her mind was to find a local caff where she could pick up a burger and a coke. She didn’t see the taxi approaching, partially hidden by a van but she definitely heard the loud honk of the horn and clearly see the face of the taxi driver peering straight at her through the windscreen and shaking a fist. She froze, pulling herself up just in time , then stared back at the driver and simply smiled sweetly waving her hand to apologise. She whipped off her headphones

Author's Note

Not tried much in way of short story. This piece /pieces came out of being shown a photo of girl being comforted by older lady / mother .. As I said don't know where it's going yet. any suggestions ( apart from Bin. I mean :) )