_ No need to be afraid you and your daughters will be okay. Said the shorter guy with an ironic smile and then he left. Elena quickly locked the fragile door that didn’t represent any security at all, suddenly started crying uncontrollably and hugged her daughters strongly to her chest.
She never had considered that she would ever go through such a situation, maybe for being too innocent and never having seen the true meaning of the word bad.
Upon seeing her mother crying Maggie said:
_ Mommy don’t be sad and don’t worry, everything’s gonna be alright.
_ They left, we’re okay now. Elena thanked God for those wrongdoers not having done any harm to her and her daughters.
The next morning when John arrived home and saw everything trashed. Maggie and Amanda were still asleep in their room and Elena was sitting on the bed. John asked what happened, Elena told him everything. John said that he never should’ve gotten rid o Marly – their dog, she would’ve kept the men from breaking into the house. John was furious with what happened, a feeling of revolt followed by powerlessness comes down on his very being.
Elena was upset with everything that she lived on that night and needed to leave there as soon as possible. She told John she’d go back to her mother’s home. John stayed silent, he didn’t know what to say. But he knew that his family couldn’t continue to live there; the crooks could come back, and after knowing they stayed alone in the house, it’d be too easy “they were like sitting ducks”. John meditated for a few instants and decided to talk, he said that yes obviously that was the right thing to do. She should write their parents a letter informing that she was coming to stay with them for some time, but asked that Elena wouldn’t tell them what happened for now.
Elena took out a sheet from the notebook and started writing a letter to her parents informing them that she would stay in their house for a while. But she reserved herself not to tell what happened, so she wouldn’t make them worry.
John left and took the letter with him to put in the mail. And told Elena he’d buy some packs and a bag for the trip. By dusk, John passed by the town’s precint and pressed charges. The commissioner didn’t deem the case too relevant, just filed the complaint. He said that there had been several residents on that same area that registered robbery charges and always with similar reports, two black men that broke into properties in the middle of the night. The police had already conducted a thorough search on the region, however no suspect was found. The commissioner informed John, that upon learning any new information about the case he would be immediately informed. John knew that que commissioner would barely do anything to find the bandits and decided to buy a gun.
The morning after the robbery, Maggie woke up and didn’t seem to remember what had happened. She told her mother she thought she had a nightmare. In the dream there were two criminals who robbed her house. Elena thought best not to tell her that it was all real. Maggie was still too small to grasp the situation, and it could leave her traumatized.
While having lunch, Elena told her daughters they would go on a trip to their grandparents’ and were going to spend a long time in their house.
Maggie was very hungry, and went to the stove to catch some bread her father had brought when he arrived home at dawn. After eating the bread and drinking a glass of chocolate milk that Elena prepared for her, Maggie left to play with Amanda, who was planting a few plant seeds in a small garden that she cultivated right next to home. Maggie also wanted to plant something and asked Amanda for a rose seed. She consented and delivered a plant with the stalk full of dirt. Amanda helped her sister with the plant. A few minutes later Maggie got tired and bored. And since her hands were covered in dirt, she went towards a water spout on the corner and washed the dirt off her hands. Maggie dried her hands in her dress and left bouncing to play with her imaginary friend, while Amanda ran through parts of the yard searching for new flower seeds. Right next to the grove she finds under a beautiful oaktree a nest on the ground with three little eggs inside, Maggie took them home thinking that maybe she could save the cubs.
Maggie told Sarah she was going away to her grandparents’ house.
_If you leave here, we won’t ever see each other again.
_But why can’t you come with me? Asked Maggie gesticulating with her hands.
_ Because I’m not real. I exist only in your imagination, and cannot leave here. As soon as you leave I will cease to exist. Maggie thought that was very strange, and couldn’t digest everything she had just heard from Sarah. In a single gesture of affection she hugged Sarah saying that no matter what happened; they would never be apart. _ Not even Sarah knew, but she was the spirit of a child who had passed after getting pneumonia, a long time ago in Maggie’s very residence. In a certain way Maggie was the only one who could see her, for having high sensitivity. In sequence Maggie grabbed a stick and draw a line on the floor in the shape of large squares and picked up a rock to throw in between the squares. Maggie told Sarah that she would be the first to jump. She tossed the rock on the second square. Jumping on a single foot, she jumped to the first square and picked up the rock in front of her. And then continued on to the finish line. When it was Sarah’s turn to play, a man in a yellow shirt and a bag hanging on his shoulder approached. Maggie had never seen that man before. Upon getting closer, the man asked Maggie if her mother was home. She frowned and just moved her head pointing her finger towards the house.
_ She lives there? Maggie moved her head as a yes.
_ Thank you beautiful little girl. Said the man looking at the house, and proceeded towards the residence. Upon arriving at the front door he clapped and Elena soon came to answer it. _ it was the postman who was coming to bring her mother’s mail. During her time there, Elena had never gotten a letter from her family, and hadn’t heard from them ever since Maggie was one year old. Elena’s family had never came to visit not even a single time during the time she was away. When Elena got a letter from her father she rarely responded, for it was up to John to post the letter. _ She didn’t know it, but many times John opened the letter to read what Elena had written and when he didn’t like what he read he tore the letter. Maybe that was the reason behind Arthur’s estrangement. About the letters he got from the father-in-law, when John liked the content he kept them or else he simply burned them.
7
Elena received the letter and felt ecstatic upon seeing that the sender was her dad. She almost kissed the mailman on the cheek, but she held back and just gave him a hug. Amanda and Maggie were curious to know what the man brought to their mother. Both sisters ran to the house. Entering the residence, it was possible to see that their mother held a notebook sheet on her hand. The tears fell and ran down her face like crystal water. Maggie neared her mother and sat on her lap.
_ What’s written on that paper? Says Maggie with a sad smile.
_ It’s your grandpa who finally sent me news! I missed them so much I couldn’t handle it!
_ The last letter I sent them, I never got an answer.
_ It says here that everything’s okay with him, with your grandma and my brothers.
_ And he says that my sister Evelyn is getting married on September 24th with a boy that works as a firefighter.
_ Wow!
_ How time flew by!
_ I remember that when I married your father, Evelyn was still just a girl and now’s she’s getting married already. Feels like it was just yesterday.
_ He sends kisses to you and coincidentally ele even highlights that he’s coming to visit us this week, on Friday with his son-in-law in his car.
_ I can barely cointain my excitement. Says Elena while wiping the tears that run down her face with a diaper.
_ But the address is different. _ They must’ve moved recently.
_ Now they’re living in the countryside in Wisconsin.
_ This envelope I’ll hide well hidden so that John won’t find it. Elena tells Amanda.
After Elena got married, h
er parents had changed addresses a few times, and because John misplaced most of the letters that Arthur sent; she never had access to the address where her family lived.
Everytime that a strong storm hit with thunders, lightnings and even granite the river that ran near Elena’s house filled and overflowed inundating all the streets in the neighborhood, however the water didn’t make it into the house for it was built on a more elevated part of the terrain.
On Friday, the day Arthur was expected to arrive, a heavy rain poured ever since morning. The hours of the day went by and the rain didn’t cease, it continued to fall stronger and stronger together with the wind and thunders. Maggie kept quiet in the room, sitting on the floor, by the bed _ she was afraid of thunders, lightnings and thunderbolts which emitted a loud bang upon hitting the ground that was heavily atrouding. Elena was concerned, because of the rain the streets were flooded, inside the house it wouldn’t stop dripping by the corners and her father was still to arrive. _ But how was he going to make it to her house with all that water on the streets. Thought Elena while looking out the door the picture of the rain pouring and her street completely flooded. Many things went by Elena’s head; like when her parents arrived, where would they sleep, her house wasn’t going to offer them any kind of comfort.
It was already past two in the afternoon when Elena and their daughters heard a voice calling by the door. Elena opened it and saw her neighbor who lived down her street, and he was soaked. The boy told Elena that her father was waiting for her in his house, for he couldn’t make it to her residence due to a large flood. Elena rapidly grabbed a pair of boots that were behind the kitchen door. And told Amanda to look after Maggie while she went over to her neighbor’s to see their grandpa. And she also told her to lock the door as soon as she left and opened it only when she heard her voice calling. Maggie was crying and Elena told her that she couldn’t take them because of the rain that was still coming down, but that she’d be back soon and left.
_ Let’s wait for mommy’s return in the room, come. Says Amanda to Maggie while locking the door. Both lied on the bed and covered themselves with the blanket.
Elena didn’t take long to return, when she arrived she knocked on the door calling for Amanda. Amanda ran to open the door. Maggie also jumped off the bed hurriedly and slipped into her little white shoes, for she was eager to finally meet her grandparents. But when their mother came in she was alone and all wet – with the rush to get out she had forgotten to take an umbrella. Amanda quickly asked her mother:
_ Mother were are grandma and grandpa? She says and puts her hands on her waist.
_ They couldn’t come with me Amanda.
_ They came by car with my brother-in-law and couldn’t make it all the way here with this weather, but they left a big kiss for you both. Said Elena lightly sliding her hand by Amanda’s face.
_ I told your grandpa that it was a big coincidence him coming here, after what happened to us. _ I told him that something terrible had happened and we need to move in with him, but didn’t go into details. He did want to know what happened, but I said that I’d tell them everything when we arrived on the farm. He agreed and said that he’d be expecting us in his house.
Maggie merely observed, without saying a single word to her mother. In her mind she wondered how they’d be like, and her aunts would they like to meet her? Could her grandparents not like them?
Arthur went back home, troubled for knowing that his daughter was going through serious problems. He even wanted to take Elena and his granddaughters away, however she elected to wait for John’s arrival.
Elena had already made the decision to go away with her daughters to her parents’ house, but she was concerned about John’s delay. He had left by the morning saying that he was going to buy the tickets and would be right back. It was already evening and no signs of John. A few minutes more and John finally arrives. Elena is caught by surprise in the room.
_ Where were you?
_ I was worried.
_ You left early and only came back now. Says Elena gazing at John.
_ I was buying a few clothes for you and the children. And I also booked the bus tickets for the 2nd in the afternoon. I bought for this day so there’ll be time to pack your things with more ease. John answers to Elena.
Elena wasn’t very fond of that, for there was still nearly a week left to the day of the trip. And having to spent two more days in that house would be difficult, but, however after all those years living away from her family; facing the few days that were still left to being close to her parents wouldn’t be so hard to bear. Elena rooted for the days to go by fast. As it was quite late, Maggie and Amanda slept on the bed. John was tired and lied down on the couch. Elena also rested her body on the bed..
The week went by very fast in a certain way. There was only one day and a half left before the trip and it was time to start packing. A few small clothes Elena had managed to organize, but only after se went through the closet she saw that there was a lot of things stored, both of incalculable important and of no value at all.
Elena decided to take only what was of the utmost necessity to her and her daughters such as clothes, shoes and underwear. There was also a large amount of junk stored in boxes that were on top of the wardrobe. Elena gathered everything she got from church donations. It was a lot of stuff that not even she remembered she had.
Particularly fond of everything she kept, Elena felt that each piece represented a significant moment in her life. Such as the valuable Jesus Christ picture that Elena gained from the Archbishop from the Archdiocese of Allegan; as a wedding gift that she kept with much affection.
Going through another part of the wardrobe she found the portrait with her wedding picture, she hadn’t seen that photo in a long time. For a few seconds Elena got caught up in the reminiscence of the past, how she was young and beautiful. The captivating smile showed her absolute happiness.
With time the boxes weren’t enough to store so many items. Elena didn’t want to get rid of her things and wished she could take them with her, but there was no way to carry all of that in the road bus therefore she asked John to take care of the what she couldn’t take when she departed.
She finished organizing everything by the end of the day and was already eager for the next day to come quickly.
While Maggie and Amanda were sleeping, Elena put a kettle to boil some water so she could take a bath. Certainly Elena didn’t have the habit of bathing daily, she only took baths every fifteen days or when the heat was too extreme. Maybe it was because of the conditions offered to her in her house. Elena had to bath on an aluminium bowl inside the kitchen, for the house didn’t have a bathroom. And everytime the bowl was full of water, she spilled the water slowly through the gap between the floor and the door very carefully so it wouldn’t get the whole kitchen wet, and repeated this process several times until finishing the bath. After finishing the bath, Elena took a towel and dried herself and wrapped her body in it. And she went to the room, slipped into an old pajamas that she always wore to sleep, then she turned off the light and went to bed.
By dawn a couple of birds sang in front of the kitchen window and the sun already presented itself between the mountains. Elena looked at the clock that was on a headboard next to the bed, and the clockhands marked six in the morning. She got up to prepare some coffee _ Elena couldn’t drink coffee due to her gastritis, however that day was an exception; the joy and anxiety she felt were something indescribable.
When Elena took the mug with the coffee and opened the kitchen door, an imposing cock was standing in front of the door. Upon seeing her, it flapped its wings and clucked loudly. Elena took a small bag of corn by the table and threw it for him, simultaneously two country chickens also came by with their three cubs and joined the cock eating the corn.
Later on Amanda woke up and was famished. Elena gave her bread and milked coffee. Then she went to wake Maggie up, _Maggie had the habit of waking after ten in the morning_ sh
e had to have her breakfast quick and then put on some appropriate clothes to leave.
Even if she left everything ready on the previous night, Elena and her daughters ended up being late. John awaited them in a taxi cab with the bags already in the truck to take them to the bus station.
Maggie had never entered a taxi before, she was in awe and like a good blabbermouth she asked her mom many questions.
When they arrived in the bus station’s lobby the speakers were already announcing the bus they were going to board, and they had to rush towards the boarding area. The bus was already nearly full and there were few seats left to be filled. The bus driver took the documents presented by John and after checking them he let them in. John had his eyes filled with tears, he hugged his daughters and wife strongly. Maggie had never received even a kiss from her dad and in that moment of goodbye he seemed to be propelled to the change.
The bus driver said it was time to leave, Maggie looked at Amanda and she was crying for knowing that their dad wasn’t coming with them, maybe that’d be the last time she’d see her father.
_ Don’t be sad daughter ‘cause I’ll visit you as soon as I can.
_ In December I’ll take some vacation time and I’ll travel to be with you. Said John holding Amanda’s hand.
_ But why don’t you come with us?
_ Sweetheart I can’t come because of my job, we’ll see each other soon I promise. Amanda was very attached to her father even if he wasn’t very kind with her.
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