OLD VERSION!!!

Chapter 4 Like My Mother Does...

:) i took the advice i was given, and this is just a filler chapter, explaining what happened to Jeny's parents

More Than Words

Chapter 4 Like My Mother Does...

10 years earlier

"Mommy?" I asked, slightly hovering my hand above my mother's shoulders. Her brown hair was stuck to her cheek, the dried sorrow-filled tears holding it there. Her green eyes looked into mine and she sobbed louder and pushed her head into my shoulder. "Mommy, what's wrong?" I wrapped my small chubby hands around her small frame.

I have to admit, I wasn't the skinniest 7 year old out there. I was only a little chubby though. My dark hair was put up in a neat pony tail, as I learned first hand what it was like to take care of someone.

"It's Mikey, sweetie," she cooed, pulling away from me and pushing a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. "He... he said he didn't want to see us again."

At hearing those words, my 7 year old body turned angry. Ever since Mike moved out 2 years ago, he'd been causing mom and dad stress. Even at 5, when he left, I understood it all. Mike was old enough to make his own decisions. So he dropped out of college and went to work for some stupid rich company. Now, since he's pretty wealthy, he figured he didn't need us anymore. On his last day home, he had promised me. He promised me he'd never give up on me, and would help me no matter what. But he hadn't kept his promise. Where was he when I broke my arm last year? Or when mom and dad were too busy to teach me to fly a kite, trying to pay our bills so we could get by? If helping mommy and daddy would help me, then why wouldn't he help them? What was so wrong with us that he couldn't stand to be around us.

"Why mommy?" I whispered, hating how my voice came out all quiet and broken. I didn't want her to know how upset and angry I was. I didn't want her to know how much I disliked Mike. I didn't hate him, no I could never hate him. He was my brother. I would always love him, no matter how much I didn't want to. And as a kid, it was pretty hard to hate someone. To pretend to hate someone was no problem for a kid. I swear, 7 year olds could win oscars with our performances of fake friendship, fake hate, fake tears, and fake tantrums.

"I don't know, sweetie." she told me gently. "But he wants us to come to his apartment for a bit. The babysitter can't get in. Will you be okay by yourself for a while?"

I nodded. I would be fine. Granted, it was my first time alone, but I was sure nothing would go wrong.

"Good." she kissed my forehead.

Her and daddy grabbed their coats, and before leaving, mommy turned to me and said, "I love you Jeny, no matter what happens. I'll always be with you." as if she knew what would happen that night.

As they left, I didn't make any mess, like a normal kid would. I didn't want to upset my parents. But I did call Caden.

"Caddy?" I asked into the phone, after it stopped ringing.

"Jeny?' he asked.

"Yeah." I bit my lip.

"What's wrong?'

"Mikey." I said. "He told mommy and daddy he didn't want to see them, only one last time. So i'm all alone now."

"No, Jen, you're not. I'll always be with you. Just stay on the phone with me  until they get back, okay?"

And we did. He kept me up all night, talking. Until the phone said someone else was calling. "Bye Caddy." I said, then hung up and answered.

"Hello?" my little voice asked.

"Hello. We're calling for what your relationship is with Sara Jennifer Daniels and James Zack Daniels?" the lady on the phone said.

"I'm only seven." I giggled.

"Sweetie, is your name Jeny Daniels?" she asked in a quieter tone, with sympathy lacing her voice.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Yes."

"Honey, your parents have died in an accident. Is there any older person we could talk to? A relative?"

I felt my blood run cold. "No, no. My mommy and daddy aren't dead. They went to see Mike! They'll be back!" I cried.

"Sweetie, sweetie, calm down. Where can we reach this Mike? Is he there with you?"

"No, no. He's at his apartment."

"Where is that at?"

"I don't know! Where are mom and dad?" I could feel the tears streaming down my face. They couldn't be dead.

"Sweetie, we will get Mike to come get you, okay?"

"Okay." I sniffled. Mikey would clear this up. He would prove they weren't dead.

I soon fell asleep, on the couch, by the phone, waiting for Mike to tell me mommy and daddy were alive.

.......................

I was awoken hours later, by Mike and some unfamiliar woman.

"Jen." Mike said, pulling me into a hug. At first, I resisted, remembering all the stress he caused mommy and daddy. But I slowly wound my arms around him.

"Jen, it'll be okay. I'll sell my apartment, and I'll move in here and take care of you, like I promised."

I furrowed my eyebrows and pulled away from him. "You don't have to. Mom and dad to." I told him.

"Jeny, they... they died tonight." his voice broke on the word 'died'.

"Nuh uh. They were going to see you."

Then I realized that Mike and the lady couldn't both lie to me. Did they... did they really die?

"No." I cried. "They can't! They loved me! Why does everyone leave me? First you, now them!"

They couldn't be dead. My parents, always so full of life. No, it couldn't be. But yet, it was. It was like a sack of bricks head been dropped on my poor heart. I couldn't breathe. I could feel my lungs closing up, remembering my parents. The time they had taken me for ice cream after winning the spelling bee. The time where mom helped me with my feelings of Caden. The time where dad placed baseball with me and Caddy and when we broke the window he only grinned and started laughing. The time when we went to the park and they pushed me on the swing. All the times where Mommy kissed my booboos. The time where they told me boys had cooties and dad couldn't keep a straight face. Where dad taught me how to tie my shoes. It was all real once.

It's funny, how a life takes a long time to be given, but only a second to be taken away.

And then, I realized, that Mike wasn't in any of those good memories. I was with them, everyday. And he was gone, being a rich jerk. I didn't want Mike to take care of me. I wanted mommy and daddy.

And, even as a 7 year old, I knew then that I would try to do everything like my mother does.

Nawww! that was saddd! Not too interesting, not a lot of Caddy, but a filler. some of you said i should have some filler chapters. So there's one. the next will be a full blown chappie.

Want to know the title of it?

The Beat of My Heart

it will feauture a very cheesy, but very heart warming corny line from our favorite lad himself, Caden.

The chappie after that will be called

I Love You This Big

Thanks for reading, and please comment and vote!

Also, you know what's pathetic? I already have the sequel planned out.

I won't tell you the title, in fear of it being stolen, but I have written the summary. No, I won't show it to you.

But

SPOILER ALERT

the sequel will be written in Caden's POV.

Shocking, I know, I haven't written a lot of guy povs, but they're interesting, lol. I fell like a guy when i do that ;)

P.S. LISTEN TO THE SONG!!!

For iPod readers, it's called Like My Mother Does by Lauren Alaina, the girl from American Idol season 10