Sweet Dreams

Chapter One

"Get out!"

"Mom, please!"

"No! Get... out!" With a rough shove, she throws me to the ground. The door slams not long afterward.

Snow clogs in my hair and sticks to my clothes. I scramble up, trying to stop her as she throws all of my things to the ground.

"Mom! Please! I promise I'll be good!" Tears stream down my cheeks but they freeze nearly as soon as they exits my eyes, "It won't happen again!"

"You always say that!" She spats, throwing my cats cage to the ground with a thud. I wince as Nyla's loud meow is heard from the force of the thud. My mother turns to me, her dark hair and dark eyes, identical to my own, wild and out of control, "You say that and yet something happens again! First my dog died! Then your brother catches cancer! Phillip leaves me! The house is taken by the state! Your brother dies! And now— you're his problem."

"I didn't mean for any of that to happen! It wasn't my fault!" I swear to her, not finding the strength to drag myself up to her level. I know I'm taller than her, much taller than her, but if I make her feel intimidated at all, she'll just lash out.

I still have a cut healing on my left cheek from the last time that happened.

"Mom—" I grab her hand in hopes that she won't leave me here; on the door step of a father I haven't seen since I was six.

"Don't touch me!" She rips her hand from my grasp, "You've always been more his child than mine! And now he can deal with the little monster he's created!"

With those parting words, she gets in to her van and drives off. Leaving me in the freezing cold with only my cat.

•••

My dad wasn't home when I knocked. So I straightened all my luggage out and stacked it by the door. Nyla was definitely cold by the time I found her cage in the snow, and I lifted her out of the cage. I tuck her underneath my jacket and wrap the small thermal blanket I've had since I was three around her bump. Soon enough, she stops shaking.

It doesn't take an unnecessary amount of time for my dad to come home. He pulls up in a SUV with some pretty blonde lady and two kids about my age.

The four of them are all talking as they park.

It takes me a moment to realize what I probably look like. I'm not in the light, so they probably only see a shadow that seems to be holding a bump with a large mass of something.

My dad gets out first, "Can I help you?"

His voice hasn't changed since I was a kid. I'm so surprised that I don't say anything.

His wife, the blonde lady, and the two teenagers get out of the car too.

"I said, can we help you?" Dad's voice is a lot harsher this time.

I lick my chapped lips, "She, uh, she dropped me off... and said I was your monster to deal with."

Dad's face is so stricken as his wife and kids look at him in confusion.

The blonde lady suddenly gasps, her wide blue eyes turning to me, "Don't tell me... Thea? You're Jane's daughter."

I nod, then remember they can't see me well, "Um, yes ma'am. Jane is my mama."

"Thea?" Dad's voice is so broken, that I begin to second guess my mother always telling me that he didn't want me, and that's why we left.

I lick my lips again, "Yes sir."

It suddenly seems to click to all of them that it's below zero outside, and the adults begin to bustle me inside while the two kids automatically begin to grab my bags.