Heart Sick

Chapter 2

My family's house was a typical suburban home. With neighbors surrounding us on three sides, you would think our house would blend. For the most part it did, except my mother had the strong urge to paint it yellow. She had said it was her childhood dream to live in a yellow cottage with a brick chimney and a field of flowers. Dad felt guilty that he couldn't give her that, so one day he came home with yellow paint and tulip bulbs. I remember them painting the house together and planting her favorite flowers. When they would come in for lunch, they would be covered in paint and dirt, laughing and kissing.

Now, I brush my fingers over the flourishing tulip petals while I walk to my front door. I walked in and stopped short, taking in the scene before me. From the doorway I could see past the living room into the kitchen. My mother was frantically moving about, going from one end of the room to another, seemingly preparing for something

I approached the kitchen with caution, knowing that when my mom was in there, she was a non-stop whirlwind.

"Mom? Please don't tell me you're cooking." I said with a laugh.

"Oh stop Ella, I'm not that bad," She didn't even pause her work, but continued to make an even bigger mess than she already had. "Your father will be home soon and I want to surprise him."

"He'll be surprised alright," I said indicating the messy kitchen. "I just hope he ate a big lunch." Mom made a swipe at me with her wooden spoon and I escaped to my room.

Mom's cooking was an on-going joke in the family. She could burn anything and ruin the simplest meals. Dad usually did the cooking but when he had to stay late at work, Mom did her best to make dinner. I knew that once Dad got home, my sister and I would join them at the table and choke down the food.

"Ella, I need your help!" My sister ran into my room, not bothering to knock.

Maggie was only fourteen but she already looked like Mom. With long blond curly hair and bright blue eyes, there was no question whose daughter she was. She was incredibly popular at our school and was captain of the gymnastics team. Given her beauty and talent, one would assume Maggie would be vain and mean, but that wasn't the case with her. Everywhere she went she brought a sense of youth and innocence. Her smile was hypotonic and her laugh contagious. I would be lying if I said I didn't envy her.

"What do you need Mags?" I asked her.

"Jhonny Lyn asked me to the movies on Friday, but I don't know what to wear." She sighed dramatically and flopped backwards onto my bed, her petite body taking up little room.

"Wear what you would normally wear on a night out. Something you feel good in."

She nodded and sighed again, "That's what Mom said."

Just then, we heard the front door slam and the sound of our father's laugh filling the house. Maggie and I smiled at each other and went to the living room to greet him.

"Hey Dad! You're home late which means Mom's cooking. Prepare yourself."

Dad laughed at Maggie and gave her hug. He hugged me as well before going into the kitchen to find Mom.

"Richard! The girls are right I the living room," Mom's squeal told us she actually didn't mind what Dad was doing. "Go get cleaned up for dinner."

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Dinner that night was burnt lasagna with burnt garlic bread and soggy salad. The conversation was, as always, cheery and light. When we choked down the last of it, Mom and Dad went into the living room to relax with a glass of wine while Maggie and I did the dishes.

"So how's practice been going?" I asked as I handed her a plate to dry.

"Okay I guess. Samantha twisted her ankle though and I don't know if she'll be healed by Saturday's competition."

"Don't worry Mags, she'll be ready in time."

She smiled and nodded, her worry already leaving her. Another thing I envied in my little sister; she was hardly ever worried, and when she did, it was only for a short time. She just believed everything would work itself out.

"How's Tommy?" She asked me.

"He was good today. I don't know how long he will be like that though. The doctors are starting his treatment tomorrow." I shook my head at how unfair the whole thing was.

"Tommy is one brave boy. He'll be okay." Maggie sounded so sure of this that I almost believed her. Almost.

"I'm probably going to leave work early tomorrow to go see him. You can come if you want."

"Nah he barely knows me, besides, I have practice."

We finished the last of the dishes and went to our separate rooms.

That night I dreamed of needles and a boy with surprisingly light eyes.

A/N: So in this chapter you get a good feel of Ella's family. You can tell how close and happy they are with each other. I promise I'll make the next chapter longer. Please feel free to comment what you think and point out any mistakes. I'll post the next chapter if I see that people are actually reading it.