Strings of the Heart (Gilbert Blythe)

Liking a Ballad

Ballad = a softer song about stories like heartbreak, longing, or love. ENJOY, hope yall understand the reference at the end ;) 

My mother was fired from her job that day.

It was finally spring, and the world was new and happy. I was running around in our yard with Adam, smelling the soft breeze and watching the trees sway around us. I saw mother coming home early and smiled.

A lovely day indeed.

It was a peaceful moment until mother slammed the door behind her.

The sound rang through the yard, I couldn't tell you how Adam didn't hear it, but I sure did. Snapping my head to look to the house before putting together that she had made the noise.

I looked to Adam, telling him some lie about going inside to get something before rushing in after her. Hoping it wasn't as terrible as fathers death.

Praying that this time I would be stronger, for the both of us, for all of us.

She looked furious, frusterated almost, tossing a box onto the kitchen counter before leaning against it and rubbing her face.

"Mutter? What happened?" I asked, approaching her carefully while catching my breath, like she was a ticking time bomb about to lash out on me. She wasn't, of course, she would never.

Father would have, the tensity of the moment reminded me of him as I shook the thought away.

"They relieved me from my position, said people could tell a woman was taking the notes for the newspaper and not buying. What interesting is there to write about in this small town! Farming and church!?"

Seeing the look on her face, the pure annoyance covering exhaustion, I sighed. "So... we don't have an income?"

"No. But don't worry, I'm sure I'll get another job within the month. I promise we will be okay."

***

Safe to say I was furious too. Why wouldn't I be? Some egotistical men had ruined my mother's and my future because of idealist ideas! They were searching for a reason to get rid of her the moment they saw her enter the room. Just the thought of those men talking to my mother, an undoubtibly intelligent woman, like she was a lowlife wife! A divorced maid!

Screw men. Screw boys. They all end out the same. Angry and willing the break every woman they come across because if their life was bad and hard, then ours had to be just as horrid.

I skipped school that day, spending my time out in town looking for a job. I am no mother, I am no bride, I am no man, but I am also no child. Out of all of those options, I would choose to be a man anyday.

They had it too easy.

Case in my hand, I enter building after building, hoping to find somewhere that will let me preform. In Germany I did the same thing about summer time, every turn down being more of a reason to keep going instead of reason to give up. Somewhere I could be valuable.

So, when I finally got a 'yes', I spent the daytime playing there. Getting about 3 dollars for the day, since the owner of the bakery that had allowed me to play said I 'attracted more customers and interest than their best pasteries'. The older man, no longer burdened by evil thoughts of young men and grown to be wise, told me to come back the next day.

So I did.

I did that for a few months too. Walking Adam to school before rushing out into the town and playing. Making sure to come back for Adam before acting like nothing happened. Even in the summer, I would make excuses or hurry him off to a friends house before rushing out myself.