Abby

by Anthony McGirr

  Eva gave up. She flung herself against her seat and stared out her window, giving the silent treatment. Abby smiled. She didn't exactly want to be at the party, but this was the first time she'd ever witnessed Eva getting put in her place. Abby was beginning to like Martha. She was apparently the glue that held the family together.

  Jim was a nice man. He smiled a lot and worked hard to take care of his family, but he seemed to have checked out of reality. He wasn't all there, living in this carefree bubble while life whizzed by. His only relief from the madness that was his life were times like right now when he was at work and away from it all.

  As the Buick pulled into the mall parking lot, the three of them got out and walked towards the entrance. Not a single word was spoken, every second of which Abby was thankful for. It wouldn't be long before Princess Eva begged for every cute dress or pair of shoes her eyes fell upon. Martha made it very clear that they were only here to grab a few things, then head home. The peace wouldn't last long.

  “So is there some kind of theme for this sleepover you're looking for?” Martha finally asked as they walked through the atrium and into the main part of the mall. There was a store somewhere inside that sold everything you could imagine.

  “Not really. I guess I'll see when I get in there. Just as long as there's plenty of cake and ice cream,” said Eva.

  “Abby, you're oddly quiet,” said Martha. She saw that Abby was hanging back, dragging her feet.

  “That's not the only thing that's odd,” Eva mumbled.

  “EVA!” Martha snapped. “You are this close to having your party canceled young lady! Now apologize to your sister!”

  “She's not my sister! Just because you went and brought her home doesn't mean she's my sister! If you want another daughter because I'm not good enough for you anymore, then that's your choice! But leave me out of it!” Eva screamed. She took off and disappeared through the growing crowd of people. Martha called after her, but stopped once she realized she was only making a scene.

  “I'm so sorry you had to hear that Abby. I'm really sorry.” Abby nodded. She wished she was back home, hiding in her room.

  * * * *

  The food court was the only place where Abby could slip away and be alone. It was a bit too early for lunch so no restaurants were open. Abby sat down at a long table suited for six. A creepy feeling came over her as she was the only one sitting in such a large space. Even though she came here for the peace and quiet, it was just a little too quiet.

  “So what in the world are we going to do about Eva,” said a voice behind her. Abby turned around to see Maxwell sitting at the table behind her. She smiled.

  “Funny seeing you here Max. I didn't take you for a mall kinda guy.” Abby replied, grinning widely. Max smiled back, then took a bite out of his corn dog. He grimaced and spit it out into a napkin. Abby laughed.

  “You're too nice to her, you know. If you don't fight back, she will take advantage of you like she does her parents. Girls like that always end up getting what they want in the end,” he said.

  “Just hope I don't become like her,” Abby said.

  “Impossible. You're too much of a sweetheart. And that's your problem. You let people walk all over you. One of these days, Abby, you will fight back.”

  “That's what I have you for, Max” she said. “Besides, I think I have to find a way to be nice to her. Win her over so my new life here isn't a total miserable hell. If I do that, then I'll have just about everything I've ever wanted.”

  “After everything that has happened, you deserve to be happy, Abby. I truly believe that.”

  “Thanks Max,” she said with a little blush.

  “Do they know that you'll be thirteen in a few weeks?” he asked, stuffing a few fries into his mouth.

  “If they do, they haven't mentioned it. They're probably too focused on Princess Eva's birthday party. It's so weird though. Don't most girls usually want this big, huge bash? She just wants a little gathering. I think something's up her sleeve,” Abby said. She was now sitting at Max's table and dared herself to sneak a fry from his tray.

  “Maybe. But if that's true, at least you'll have something to hold over her head,” said Max.

  “Abby? Who are you talking to honey?” Martha asked, making her way through the maze of empty tables. Abby looked over at her, then back at where Max was sitting and saw that he was gone, tray and all.

  “Um, no one,” she answered. She had no clue how he did that; appear and disappear at will.

  “I told you the little freak talks to herself,” said Eva. She was carrying two large bags stuffed with pink and purple decorations and party favors.

  “Eva! What did I tell you?! One more remark like that and your party is canceled,” Martha snapped. Eva just rolled her eyes.

  * * * *

  Later that evening, Abby decided to go to bed early. She tried to concentrate on the John Grisham novel Jim loaned her. Her mind, though, was too occupied with thoughts of Eva She'd never had a sister before, or any sibling for that matter. The only friend she'd ever had was Max and even he came and went at will. All Abby desperately wanted was a close relationship. Anyone would do, but preferably someone closer to her own age and who wasn't invisible to the rest of the world. She longed for a certain kind of friendship that Maxwell couldn't provide.

  Abby set the book down on her nightstand and climbed out of bed. She then made her way down the hallway to Eva's room, stopping herself just before she made a fatal mistake. What are you doing, Abby?! Do you realize how stupid this is? Eva hates your guts! Why can't you just leave it alone?

  It was driving her crazy. Abby didn't want to be the weird loner anymore, so she decided to take a chance against her better judgment. She put on a smile, grit her teeth and knocked on the door.

  “What the hell do you want?” Eva asked after opening her door a crack.

  “I just wanted to talk to you, if that's okay?”

  “Talk to me about what? I'm busy doing homework. I need to get it done today if I want to have my party tomorrow night.”

  “It will be really quick. I promise.”

  Eva opened her door wider and stepped aside. “It better be quick.” Abby slipped in and didn't know if she should sit on the bed or remain standing, so she stood there awkwardly.

  “I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. For everything. I know you didn't like me coming here and it's been a hard transition for you. I'm not here to cause any trouble. I know your mom wants me to be at the party and I promise you I will stay out of the way. I will hide myself in my room the whole night. Basically, whatever it takes to not cause any trouble for you. And maybe even make a friend if you're willing,” said Abby. Eva raised her eyebrows and gave a half-smile.

  “I know why my mom and dad picked you out of the bunch. Look at you. You're gorgeous, with your dark hair and blue eyes and freckles. I told them if they wanted to adopt, I was okay with it if they brought me home a little brother, but instead they picked you. They said they fell in love with you the moment they saw you. You were sweet and kind...the daughter they never had.

  “So if you have any thoughts in that pretty little head of yours of being my friend, you might as well push them away. It ain't gonna happen. They may think you're a little darling, but I know the truth about you. You're a weird little freak! You're twelve for crying out loud and still have imaginary friends! I don't really care what you do with your spare time. And yes, you will stay out of my way tomorrow night or else things will only get tougher for you around here. Got it?” Eva snapped.

  All Abby could do was nod her head in defeat. She knew she should have listened to her inner voice. Now she regretted it. But she had to try right? There was a huge chance of failure, but even the small chance of success was worth it. Ev
a whipped her bedroom door open and pushed Abby as she walked by. Slamming the door shut, Eva let out a cackle, proving that she was more witch than teenage girl.

  3

  Abigail determined that she would waste the day in her room. Three-day weekends off from school were nice, but they seriously threw off your schedule. She was beginning to run out of things to do. Originally, she had planned to help Martha decorate for the party, but changed her mind after last night. There would be no goodwill to gain from it.

  Staring up at the ceiling, she was startled by a knock on her door. Abby sighed. She didn't want to deal with anymore family garbage and considered yelling at them to go away, but what would that prove? She tossed back the covers and climbed out of bed for the first time that day. Her body felt stiff and sore.

  “Hang on,” she said when the knock came again.

  “Abby, it's Jim. Or dad. Or Jim. Whatever you want to call me.” Abby smiled. When she opened her door, there he stood, holding out to her a purple flower. She gasped.

  “Wow,” she managed to say, dumbfounded.

  “Listen, Abby, I know I've been a little withdrawn lately, but I just want you to know that you are special to me and Martha. I heard Eva has been giving you a hard time. I was wondering if you'd be willing to go out to lunch with me? Just the two of us. I want to get to know you better,” Jim said with a pleading smile.

  “I would love to!” Abby said, taking the flower.

  “Awesome! Go get ready!”

  They decided to eat at Abby's favorite restaurant, The Green Chili. She ordered the same meal every time: Tex-Mex, a dish consisting of enchiladas with Mexican rice. Jim got a plate of nachos with extra jalapenos on the side. He's a beast, Abby thought, stifling in a giggle. She never enjoyed foods that were too spicy. How could anyone enjoy the flavor if their mouth was on fire?

  “This is nothing. You should see me on taco nights. Martha will bring home a bag of habaneros and I'll chuck those puppies down one right after the other! She always joked that I had an iron stomach,” said Jim, laughing.

  “I just can't imagine! One time I ate a spicy pepper on accident and just about puked! I have no tolerance for that kind of thing,” she said.

  “So, Abby, not to change the subject, but tell me a little about yourself. What are some of the things you're passionate about?” he asked.

  Abby looked off into the distance and thought for a second. “To be honest, I've never had much of a chance to figure those things out. Living in that girls dorm, there was no room for creative inspiration or individuality. It was a waste of time to them. Every minute of your day was planned by headmasters who didn't care what you wanted to do or who you were. No one really wanted you to be an individual that I could see anyway. It was all about the popular girls and trying to be like them so you could fit in.”

  “That's life in general. The world is filled with followers. Even those who appear to be leaders on the outside, are just following the trendsetters. On and on it goes. Then there are people like you who are their own person. The reality is, most of those girls were jealous of you,” Jim said. He took a sip of his soda and watched Abby as she took in his words. “You seem to be quite intelligent and sensible for a twelve-year-old.”

  “That state house had its uses. They were strict about the things they found important, like reading and writing. Reading novels was the only escape I had. I found myself reading above the level set for the rest of the class. My imagination was something they couldn't take away from me. Not my parents, not them, no one,” said Abby.

  “I like to read war books and political satire. But I admit that I have a guilty pleasure for some romance,” he said, winking. Abby giggled.

  “I didn't take you for the sappy romantic type. But the political stuff certainly fits,” said Abby.

  “Yeah, well, I was certainly more romantic in my younger days. When you spend every single day with the same woman, things change. People change. Circumstances change. Martha is not the same woman I married. It's hard to keep track of her,” Jim said. He was staring down at his half-eaten plate of nachos. Abby found it a little odd that Jim was sharing these details about his marriage. She'd known that things were a tad off between them. But Abby had always been mistaken for someone much older than twelve. It was the way she spoke and carried herself.

  Always sitting in the dark corner allowed Abby an amazing perspective on life. She learned a valuable lesson: life is better if you just stop and listen. It was how she managed to distinguish herself from the rest of the crowd where folks were always talking above one another.

  “Why don't you go back to the old days when you romanced her and won her heart? Maybe it's true that over time you have drifted apart, but you need to pull her back in. The thing about fire is it can be restarted once it goes out,” she said. Even Abby was amazed at her insight, but Jim was blown away.

  “I know. It's time for some things to change,” he finally said.

  “Well, the two of you are leaving tonight right? I won't be tagging along, even if Eva doesn't want me at the party. This is the perfect chance. Surprise her. I read a book once where a guy tried to win over his girlfriend with flower pedals scattered all over the room and candles and...”

  “Whoa there. I appreciate the help, but I think this conversation is getting a little too racy to be having with my twelve-year-old daughter,” Jim said. Abby wished she could cover her head with a paper sack to hide the intense blushing. “What does a girl your age know about romance anyway?” Jim asked, laughing He twirled his finger in the air as he said romance for emphasis.

  “I read a lot of books, remember? I also admit to being into a little cheesy romance stuff myself, but some of it is still over my head,” Abby said, her cheeks on fire. She's never talked about this sort of thing with anyone, much less a man. That's the thing about growing up as an orphan no one really understood. The things you didn't pick up from school, outside of the ABCs and 123s, you had to learn for yourself. You didn't get taught the things that parents generally teach their kids.

  “Kids these days are growing up way too fast. Eva became boy-crazy about your age and hasn't stopped since. I wish I could just chase away all the boys with a shotgun. You have my permission to just be a kid. I won't force you to grow up too quickly,” he said.

  “Don't worry. I'm not so interested in boys just yet. I can't even make myself a nice friend much less have a boyfriend,” she said.

  “Well, that's different. What attracts a boy and what attracts a friend are two different things. You're beautiful. Boys will fight over you. But girls, they will hate you because of your beauty. To them, you're weird because you don't flaunt it. You try to hide yourself and care less about what's important to them,” he said. Abby glanced down at her plate, a feeling of shyness coming over her.

  “You seem to know me, as if I've always been your daughter.”

  “That's my gift. I see people. I look into your eyes and see the pain you try to hide. You feel this intense guilt and you're afraid to get close to anyone. Why is that?” Abby's mouth hung slightly ajar in a shocked expression. Who was this man that he knew everything about her just from one glance? As the shock began to fade and the pressure to answer became to great, the feeling was replaced with frustration. Abby didn't want to explain herself to him or to anyone. Not yet. She worked painstakingly hard building these titanic-sized walls and he crushed them down in less than a minute.

  He's your dad. Open up to him. He took you out today so he can know more about you.

  No. I can't trust him. I can't trust anyone. This way I won't get hurt.

  Yes you can Abby. He's a good man with a big heart. Can't you see he cares about you?

  Her mind was reeling, going back and forth about how to answer the question. Or even if she sh
ould. There was a reason why she never let herself get too close to anyone. Last night with Eva was the perfect example. She vowed never again. It was just too painful.

  “Can we just not talk about it? Not yet anyway,” Abby said. She was afraid to look at Jim and see if he was hurt. But he wasn't. Jim was wearing a kind smile that told her that he understood.

  “Of course.” Jim waved the waiter over and asked for the bill. “Listen, I understand it can be scary trusting someone new. You don't really know me. But if it's one thing I'm good at, it's listening. Anytime you want to share your story, I'm here for you. No questions asked. We can even make this a regular thing, just you and me. And little by little, I hope to earn your trust and you'll start to think of me as your dad. I understand it will take time and patience and I have a lot of it. So whenever you're ready, I'll be here,” he said.

  “Thank you,” she managed to say, relieved that the pressure was off.

  “Okay. Now let's go pick up Eva's birthday gift.”

  * * * *

  “What in the hell is wrong with you dad?” Eva screamed as she flew down the stairs with all of hell's fury behind her. She was wearing her pink bathrobe and a towel wrapped around her dirty-blonde hair.

  “What do you mean?” Jim asked. Abby stood by the door, her hand gripping the handle. She didn't dare walk any further into the house. Eva had that look in her eyes of being very unstable and ready to snap. All she wanted was to escape to her bedroom and hide the rest of the day.

  “It's my birthday and you take her out? What kind of father are you?” Eva whined, her fists clenched.

  “A pretty damn good father considering what I just bought you for your birthday,” said Jim. He glanced back at Abby and winked. “She helped me pick it out.” Eva looked over at Abby, then back at Jim, not sure what to think.

  “What's going on out here? What's with all the screaming?” Martha called from the kitchen.

  “It's okay mom. I'm just freaking out for nothing,” said Eva. She stuffed her hands into her robe pockets and walked up to her father with a curious grin on her face. “What did you get me?” she asked. Abby wanted to roll her eyes, but didn't want to provoke the beast. Jim reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a set of keys to the brand-new Corvette that sat in the driveway. Eva screamed at the top of her lungs, jumping up and down. She reached out to take the keys, but Jim pulled them away.