Almost Isolated

Chapter 13 - Distraction

Margot woke up with her younger sister tugging her sheet. She pulled it back over her head.

"Mommy! Margot, wouldn't wake up!"

She groaned and touched her temples. Her head ached with Maddie's shrilly voice. Her sister was calling from her room in the third floor and their mother was in the ground floor, preparing breakfast in the kitchen.

"I told you, she wouldn't listen to me. MOMMMYY! What should I do? Should I tell him some boy is waiting for her downstairs?"

"What boy -?" Margot was up, her short hair standing in disarray like she was some crazy scientist.

"Fooled you!"

Her younger sister was also still in pajamas, the same pink color and floral print like hers. Only instead of the long sleeved pajama tops, Margot was wearing a white sando.

She pulled her sheet to under her chin when Maddie's watchful eyes fell on her chest. "Really Margot, you're not a lady or a grown up."

Maddie frowned. "Your breasts aren't like the other older girls... so flat."

Margot felt her face burn. "The f*uck. Get out, you twerp."

"I don't think he likes you." Maddie went on staring at her without really looking. The younger girl's thoughts, focused with the issue.

It sank to Margot, who she was talking about and gave her a murderous look.

"Guys like him like matured women because they have boobs. I think he didn't mean it when he gave you those roses. Your friend... I guess the only one, got angry with you for that, didn't she? She doesn't call you anymore. Mommy was telling me, you were lying about sneaking to Fiona's house when you two aren't friends anymore -"

"GET OUT, TWERP... OR I'LL THROW YOUR DOLLS INTO THE GARBAGE!"

Maddie gaped at her then she was out of her room. "So evil!"

"What was that Margot...? Maddie?!" Dianna's voice thundered from downstairs.

"She's going to throw my dolls -!"

"She said my breasts were flat!"

"OMG!" Their mother cried, irritated. "Could you two have your breakfast now? Somebody needs to go to work!"

Margot fell right back to her bed. She went down to the kitchen later after Maddie finished her breakfast and got up to her room to wash. Her sister will later watch cartoons then play with her dolls.

She would have to babysit for her younger sister while their mother spend the whole day working in the bank. So far, the task had been easy. Maddie had so many dolls, big and small. Her sibling could stay for hours in her room - chatting endless with her toys, making stories. Margot would tend to sneak out, returning for a while to prepare Maddie food.

Maddie can be a darling but Margot was still irritated with her that morning. She didn't want to hear her sister talking nonsense... at least for a while and their mother siding with the little twerp.

"And where are you going later?" Dianna was already in her navy blue jacket and white pencil cut dress, ready for her work in the bank when she came in the kitchen; checking her out.

She was chewing on her hotdog; she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Probably with Neri's or Fiona's."

Margot watched her mother's expression if she really 'knew' like Maddie told her... that she was lying about Fiona still being her friend. Dianna only nodded and gave her a reassuring smile like it was going to be alright. F*uck!

Why is her mother so nice? No! Not nice... but a martyr!

"I do like it when you go to your cousin. Neri could use a company -"

"When is Daddy going home?"

Dianna paled with the question. Her struggle for words was evident but her mother had managed to turn for the door before answering her. "Soon... He told me that you two should be good... And be back before the curfew... please, Margot?"

She was out of the house before Margot can say, "F*uck that, Dianna!"

Her mother knew that she was lying about Fiona. Well, news flash!   Margot thought. She knew as well that their mother was lying about their father.

It was illegal for a minor to wander in the streets because of the virus. And despite the fact that Margot got caught and was detained in the basketball court for one now night as punishment, she remained insistent; Dianna gave up and had let her off, giving her a warning that she'll let her live in prison if she was arrested again.

Margot had not taken her mom seriously. Dianna was too softhearted. A saint and a martyr.

She left Maddie after lunchtime, walking cautiously in the street. The town was very quiet. She saw no one outside despite of the beautiful weather.

It sucks, she thought.

It was April. Kids like herself should be enjoying their summer vacation but they'd been locked up in their homes because of the virus. She had heard in the news, the corona virus spread was still rising in the cities. San Isidro was still lucky to have two to five cases since the town's lock-down and there hadn't any deaths yet.

Margot moved from their house going east, avoiding checkpoints and mobile cars. She saw few people along her path and stayed away. As she scanned for more walkways, she saw the public market and thought of Fiona and then Philip. The parents of the siblings owned a meat store at the place.

She found herself missing Fiona... and Philip, Fiona's brother.

'Guys like him like matured women because they have boobs...' Maddie's voice suddenly echoed in her head. Twerp!

There were no vehicles on spot but from a distant, she heard a motor running, probably from a car on patrol. Margot continued forward.

Her sister was talking about Philip earlier and it hurt her. She really liked the guy... It also sucked that Fiona hated her for liking the older brother.

Thankfully, there were other issues to distract Margot. As she reached her destination at the Mirage Village where her cousin reside at the moment, thoughts about her last phone conversation with Neri plagued her mind. Her cousin was acting weird. She thought Neri wasn't telling her the truth. And she intend to find out why and what. For one thing: Is there really a Robbie?

But first...

Instead of going directly to Neri's, she went to a big house, a few blocks away from their grandparents' house. She circled the house, peeking carefully at the open windows. From a picture window to the living room of the house, she saw Erwin Sy, her father playing with a kid about four.

Apparently, her dad was already home... but not with them.

Margot had to stifle her own tears as anger, sadness and confusion took over her emotions. She wanted to hit the window and shout at him, 'why?'; she managed to run away before she could hurt herself even more.

She loves her father and she knew he loves them too. But why... Oh, why?

Margot found herself in her grandparents' block and at the same time saw Neri half-walking, half-running across the street towards the Jones' house; her carrot-shade hair fixed in a bun.

In an instant, she forgot about her aches. What is Neri up to?