Spring Flower

She Got Up And Left

The couple sat facing each other in silence. Dressed in black sharing a couple of tea. Black, was the color of the tea, very much like the air itself, although the flowers on the coffee table were contrary. They bloomed bright and were seasonal like the spring time morning it was. All over did the house mourn a tragic lost on both parties, a beloved daughter and hated friend. Neither adult wanted to speak. Just let the air and mood do what words are capable of accomplishing. The tea grew cold and untouched until the mother poured herself a cup and stirred some sugar. She sipped and looked everywhere but the direction her husband was in and her husband did the same. Jerry made a noise with his mouth and it scared them both for how loud it was but in reality it was barely audible.

“When will we talk about this? What is there to lose at this point? Our marriage? I want to know what happened and you need to tell me what you know.” She put the tea down and finally looked in the direction of her husband.

 “All I know is she was not liked in school and was treated like a dog. That’s all I know.” Jerry stood up from the chair and angrily dashed to the window with a hot head.

 “Really Stephanie, because the police report had a lot more information than what you claim to know.” “Well dang it what was I supposed to do? Tell you? What would you have done? Call all the parents and tell them their kids are bullying our child? That wouldn’t have done anything?” Jerry turned from the window and marched to his wife and stood in front of her with fuming eyes.

 “You should have told me what was happening instead of finding out through someone else!”

“You don’t even know what she did to the girls at school to shun her. It’ understandable that the girls did that to our daughter because it was revenge but it should have never gotten this far!”

 “How can you defend those monsters for what they did to our daughter?” Now there was no silence in the house.

 “They weren’t the once that pushed her off the building.”

“Yes that’s true they didn’t literally push her they figuratively pushed her but they made her feel the way she did. Thats what caused her to jump. How can you defend them?”

 “How can you love a monster that sabotaged a girl’s home? How can you love a monster that had sex with a teacher?  How can you love a monster that would steal from her own mother and lie to her face? How can you love a monster that would make rumors of the girls at school and post them online? This isn’t the first girl to kill herself. Tell me how can you love a monster that does those things?”

“Because she is our monster. And no matter what she does we will defend her and give her punishments for her actions but death is not a punishment it is an escape. We failed as parents and we have nothing left now.”

 “I didn’t fail as a parent. I tried my best to stop her and make her realize what she was doing.”

 “How was I supposed to stop her if I didn’t know what was going on!”

 “How is that my fault you don’t know what your daughter is doing? Don’t put the blame on me you are just as responsible.”

 “No you are responsible! If you told me what was happening in the first place this would have never happened.”

 “Oh please, when was I supposed to tell you when you were in a business meeting or on an airplane to one? Tell me when?” Jerry became infuriated with her and lost control, grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, stood her up and hit her straight in the face, fist clenched with hatred. Stephanie fell to the floor like a rejected puppet and didn’t stand up for a minute or two. She eventually lifted herself up by her elbows and looked down on the floor and saw red dots.

“This is your fault!” Jerry screamed to the air.

He yelled at her with resentment and walked around the room in a circle with his hands on his head mumbling words to himself.

“I can’t…. this woman… my life…ruined” Stephanie slowly picked herself up until she stood up. She cleaned the blood of nose with the sleeve of her shirt, she picked up her purse from the corner of the coffee table and walked to the door.

“Where do you think you are going I’m not finished talking.” Stephanie opened the door and place a foot outside but turned back and met Jerry’s red eyes.

 “I may have failed as a parent. But at least I tried to save our daughter. You on the other hand, well… what did you do?”

 “Where are you going?” Jerry spoke softly, the anger was muted but not forgotten.

 “It’s over Jerry. There’s nothing left.”

She stepped out of the house and closed the door. Jerry paced around the room until he decided to follow her. He dashed out of the house and ran behind the moving vehicle, he quickly gave up his pursuit and stood in the middle of the road looking at the back-end of her car as she drove away.

Reviews

[Wendi A]

Your story is heart-wrenching. It is a tragic topic and you kept me engaged. I had trouble keeping track of who was talking, so I suggest adding more context around the dialogue. Also, I was looking for some hint of what made this girl a monster - mental illness, teenage angst, addiction, situation at home? Maybe you want to keep it ambiguous, but I was searching for more. Keep up the writing!