Mama

Washing Up

“Ouch!” Sean exclaims as I miss the splinter and pinch the surrounding skin of his back. I’ve gotten all the big ones out easily, it’s the small ones we’re left with.

“Oh, don’t be a baby.” I pluck it out and wipe it on the napkin on the table.

The spacious kitchen is now only half of what it was before. It has become more like slight imprints of bloody handprints from stumbling in with panic, toppled over bottles of pills and liquid medicine from sweeping out the medicine cabinet, chairs moved around to make more space or reach higher places for long unneeded medical attention, the table covered in left over bandages and aid that does not reside on Sean.

“To think Henrik did all this…” the tweezers hover above Sean’s back as I remember, I’m the one who brought this whole situation upon us.

Now Jay, Broden, and I are dead.

Jade’ll be a single mother.

Sean and Mattie are running away from a psychopath 25 years in their past.

“What’s going on?” Jay asks quizzically, walking through the door-less kitchen’s opening.

“Jay?” What’s he doing here? He’s not supposed be here until tomorrow at 10, like usual. He and Jade always come over on Saturdays… and every other day. Hah.

“Umm, I’m actually late?” I look at the clock, it’s 11.

“Oh my gosh, we’ve been up all night? How long have I been at Jade’s?”

“Sorry, it took a while to get Mattie to sleep.” Sean apologizes sheepishly.

“What happened to Sean? Brett! You’re all bloody!”

“Broden, calm down.” I begin to roll my eyes, “I just- Broden!” my eyes stop mid-roll and widen considerably instead. I drop my tweezers and stand up, turning over all that was on my lap, but that’s all forgotten.

“Yes?”

“You’re alive!” I pounce on him and squeeze his torso.

“Am I not supposed to be?”

I start bawling, snot coming out of my nose, straining my voice with low sobs.

“What? What’s wrong, baby sis?” he rubs my back, I can feel his head shift and look around for an answer.

“I-I gotta go an-and gib Maddie a bas.” I say through embarrassing tears and hiccups.

“What?” Jay asks with a highly alarmed tone.

“Mattie needs a bath. I’ll clean up around here and ask… Uncle B? Could you get the remaining splinters out?” he asks hopefully of Broden for this peculiar and unpleasant task.

“Yeah, sure…” I can hear his answer follow me down the hall as he watches me go into my room to fetch my baby.

I stumble into my room and look over at Mattie, memories of the future flood back as I look at the little girl, blood crusted shirt and a red face from screaming, no doubt.

“Poor girl.” I smile at her and jiggle her awake.

“Mattie? Matiiilllda!” I sing in her ear, tickling her earlobe.

“Mama, mama stop!” she giggles and protects herself from my grasp by pulling the blanket over her head.

“We gotta give you a bath!”

“No!” she shrieks as I scoop her up, blanket and all.

“Off to the tub!” I march down with her in my arms.