Broken Home

VI

Ashton

I awkwardly walked beside her, down streets and streets of identical houses. No one was outside, but lights were on inside. I coughed into her scarf, my throat itching. The cold, autumn wind hit my face. Connor walked ahead, starting to whisper things.

"What's dad gonna say?" She whispered to herself as I walked up.

"You alright?" I asked, startling her.

"Y-Yeah. I'm just worried of what my father would say." She sighed.

"I'm sorry. I just have nowhere else to go." I said, feeling guilty for everything.

"No, it's okay. I'm not leaving you here alone. It's cold." She pulled her long, purple hair over her left shoulder.

"Thanks so much." I thanked her.

She didn't respond. I watched as she pulled open the white gate door of the biggest house in the neighborhood. I followed her as she pulled out keys from her pocket and unlocked the door.

"Hold on. Wait here." She said, slowly walking in.

I stayed outside, like she said. The wind got colder. I shivered. Connor came out and signaled for me to come in.

I entered and the warmth inside made me instantly feel better. I could smell fresh brewed coffee, and I could hear the TV somewhere in the house. The halls were painted cream, beautiful pictures hung everywhere. Connor took a deep breath in, smiling deeply.

"This way." She said, still smiling.

She lead me down a hall, and up stairs.

"Stay in the third room to the left. I'll be back, just gotta check something." She told me.

"Alright." I pulled off her scarf and walked down the hall.

I counted the doors on the left until I reached the third. I opened the door and walked inside.

The walls were painted burgundy, cream and grey, the same colored furniture all around, and painting hung on the walls. I set the scarf on the cream bed and walked toward the huge painting on the wall before me. It was an abstract painting, paint splatters and brush strokes all over it, not leaving a single space of blank canvas anywhere. The colors, red, brown and grey, perfectly matched the theme of the room. I scanned the painting for a signature, trying to find out who painted it.

I found it. It was on the lower right corner, written in black.

"Connor Jafleck / 2013"

I backed up and scanned the other paintings. All of them were created by Connor. All of them beautiful abstract paintings, the theme of the room. None of them looked alike, the paint splatters and brush strokes unique in each individual painting, but they had the same colors. I felt serene looking at the paintings. A sense of calmness overwhelmed my body, making me feel a ton better than how I felt before.

I turned on my heel and faced the bed. I wanted to lay down and sleep, but it would feel wrong since this wasn't my house. I just awkwardly sat on the bed, still admiring the paintings.

After a while, I heard loud shouting downstairs. I couldn't really hear what they were saying, it sounded like a different language. I silently exited the room and went downstairs, stopping at the last step. It was a different language.

"Ma, papà, piangeva per il ponte solo! Non volevo lasciarlo lì!" I heard Connor yell.

"Non mi interessa! L'hai meglio uscire da questa casa, o lo farò!" A familiar voice shouted back.

"No! Non ha nessun altro posto dove andare!" Connor shouted.

"Non mi interessa! Portatelo fuori di casa mia, ora!" The voice sounded like Mr. Jafleck's.

"Papà, per favore!" Connor said, her voice cracking.

"No." Mr. Jafleck said.

I heard footsteps. I ran back up the stairs and into the room. I sat on the bed, hearing footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Ashton, you can't stay." Connor came in the room, starting to cry.

"Bu-"

"I'm sorry." She grabbed my arm and pulled me out the room.

I started to protest, but she covered my mouth with her hand. I stayed silent as she pulled me down the stairs and to the front door. She gently pushed me outside, Mr. Jafleck appearing behind her.

"Don't come back." Mr. Jafleck boomed.

He slammed the door in my face, and I could hear Connor crying from the inside. I started feeling cold, and guilty. I shouldn't have asked to come. I should've stayed at the bridge, hoping someone would come find me before I jumped like I had planned.

I walked out their front yard, closing the white gates behind me. I sighed, and sat on the curb. The cold wind blew my hair in my face, but I let it be.

Just as I was about to stand up and head back home to the boys, I heard footsteps and crunching leaves. I turned around and saw Connor running up to me, coats and hats in her hands. She passed me a brown coat and a red hat without saying a thing.

I watched as she put her coat and hat on, her nose getting red.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm not gonna leave you alone out in this cold."