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The Garden of Eden

Chapter Four

I get off my bed and jogged to Valerie's room. She's playing with her Barbie dolls. Valerie told me that they have the dream life with trips to Disney World every two weeks, trips to their private island in the Bahamas, own a mansion that's three stories high with a dolphin aquarium , an elevator, theater room, and everyone's truly happy and enjoying life to the fullest. I scoop her up in my arms. Valerie is the lightest 5 year old ever. I treat her like she my daughter because someone can't do that *cough cough my mother.

"Hey Plum, what you doing?" I said in sign language.

When Valerie was 3 years old, a month after That Day, she got sick with Meningitis and lost her hearing. It was a hard time for all of us. But then we got help by learning sign language and now we can communicate. By "we" I mean my sister and I. My mother did go with Valerie and I to learn sign language; she was just there, not really learning. Valerie also takes speech therapy so she can talk and now she's getting better at reading lips. But you'll have to talk slow for her to understand.

"Nothing, playing with my perfect Barbie family." She signed back giggling.

"Oh that good, so...umm dinner ready, Plum."

Valerie looked confused, I know what's she's thinking.

"I know right we already ate 'dinner'. Let's go downstairs before we get yelled at."

I grabbed her hearing aids slipped them on her ears and held her hand as we made our way downstairs.

"Well well, it's awesome that you girls decided to join us." boyfriend #7 announced. All I really know of boyfriend #7 is that his name is Fred, he established a company that costs billions, every nation is buying what he sells, and almost everyone loves him. When I mean 'almost everyone' I mean my dad, Valerie, and I. I know that my dad would have been pissed to see this man sitting in his chair and forces Emma to call him 'Big Daddy'. He always wants to be in charge, like he's the alpha dog and he wants the other dogs smell his ass. Anyway, Fred is best friends with Obama and the First Lady, he says, has a lovely wife, well behave kids, and a well organized household that kisses his ass every night of his perfect life with a world full with money.

The only thing that I'm confused about is why boyfriend #7 is here with my mom. Is it because of his wife and kids? Is it because he wants someone to depend on him? Or my mom? Emma is manipulating and mostly gets what she want. That's why my dad didn't leave her. If he was going to leave her he would have taken us with him, riding off into the sunset.

"Hi." I respond blankly while putting Valerie in the chair the closet to me and far away from the boyfriend as always.

"Oh Melanie, Valerie,  I made mac and cheese, chicken, broccoli, and there punch in that carton if you girls want any." Emma mentioned. I piled food on Valerie's and my plate. I think ever since Valerie became deaf and That Day she doesn't want to do anything with our lives. "Okay, thanks." I reply continuing added food on my plate."THAT'S IT, I HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR TEENAGE ATTITUDE! You are supposed to respond to your MOTHER with proper language and tone " boyfriend #7 barked.

"Okay? I'm sorry that you think that I'm disrespectful to my mother and that I always have a 'teenage attitude', but all I did was thank my mom for the food she cook and for the info. But I have been in a bad mood ever since you showed up with your 'long day at work' mood and you yelling at me and accusing me of not having 'proper language'. Is saying, 'Okay, thanks', to my MOTHER, WITHOUT a rude or sarcastic tone disrespectful?! If I have to respect you then you need to respect me, got it?" That speech that I have presented to the table was how I truly felt deep down inside about him around. Boyfriend #7 was speechless, he was empty of words, expressions, and emotions; he couldn't believe that I said what I said to him.