Singing Robin (Part 2)

Chapter Seven Mistakes

Dedicated to MajenBeos02, Babyalex34, Cvstina
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Eleven years and three months ago, Mason, age 8

January 21, 2008, 7:45 pm, Mason's POV

    'All your questions will be answered if you look around the room—math books on top of astronautical engineering books. A Library pass is hanging on top of a Western Expansion history book and one hundred years of fashion magazines. Spinning round and round books stacked up and down, every corner, falling off bookshelves into baskets of books—Subjects so far apart that they have few things in common. Complimented by diverse awards on every wall, but not a single degree.'

    I trip over a 'The Emotions of Psychology' book on my way to the kitchen. Then I close my mouth so I do not scream out when the pointed book corner scratches my bare foot. The books sit everywhere, but I am not allowed to move them or wear shoes because I might ruin them. With large rocket science books blocking the washing machine, I couldn't wash my things, so going barefoot was my only option.

    I scramble on top of a stack of books to sit on the only empty spot, the kitchen island. I lift the opened cold can of soup, use the spoon I quietly washed in the bathroom, and spoon it into my mouth. The thuds hit the wall, but I try to ignore it. Then the loud moans and screams come, and I shake my head, 'She told me never to interrupt when she is with someone. Said I would only ruin her fun.' I finish the soup and add the can to my bag of trash. With the books everywhere, I can't let trash build up because it would be hard to find when she moves it out of the way instead of taking it outside. When it gets hard to find, we get creepy crawlies that run on her books, and she starts screaming her head off until I catch them. They scare me too, but her screaming is piercing.'

    I look around the kitchen, sigh, and begin cleaning the kitchen. I must not move the books, but I can clean around them. I've dropped three trash bags outside the door filled with take-out boxes, my canned meals, and all the expired drinks and dairy products in the fridge. After throwing it all away, the only things in the cabinets and the refrigerator are beer and the strong alcohol that I am forbidden from touching. They were gifts, always from the same guy. She talks about him the most, 'he is tall, dark, and handsome. He has a rich Spanish accent and is strong enough to hold her up as they play until she begins screaming his name, Tiago.' He has never seen me, she told me he must never see me because he will be very unhappy.

    'So, when he shows up, I put my things in a fabric sack and stay in my fort, hidden amongst the tall book stacks, until they are done. Sometimes, he stays the night, but never more than two. I always wait until they are in her bedroom to come out and get food. They can go at it in her room for hours, so it is the only time to clean. If I don't clean, he eventually comes into the kitchen, notices the mess, they argue, and then he leaves. She doesn't get mad at me. She cries for days and then finds something else to occupy the next few weeks. Usually, it comes along with more books, craft supplies, and long hours telling me to be quiet so she can focus.'

    'Those days, they turn the gas or the lights off. It doesn't matter because there is scarcely any food in the house, so the stove isn't a problem. But without water, it is hard to flush the toilets. Then she snaps out of it and holds me for hours as she cries and then cleans the house. She puts all the new books in a basket and then creates makeshift pathways for us to get through the books as she and I clean her new mess. She dials, sends me to my fort, and Tiago comes back. I like it when Tiago is here. I get to read the books because she is so attached to him that she doesn't notice what I'm doing.'