Volleyball

Chapter Five

  “So, I didn’t let myself and Kim live in that house again if it brought bad benefits for us, especially Kim. He hit her own daughter for his own selfishness. I couldn’t forgive him,” I said. Silence. She waited me to continue but I needed a break to think. “I don’t know whether us leaving is right or not. I don’t know.” I bit my lower lip. It was six past thirty-four minutes and I did finally tell Grandma Mags my story and she was a good listener.

   “Ben,” she said. “If you think that he’s wrong, all he did to you and your sister was wrong, then you should tell the police.” My head bowed down, looking at the floor while she held my hand.

   I brought my head up and looked at her. She was over 70s, specifically she was 74 that year. She lived longer in this world than me. She probably knew what right was and what wrong was in this life. But…

   “If I tell the police, they’ll find out that I had no parents anymore and they would probably throw me and Kim into an orphanage. No kids in this world wants that.”

   “That is true,” she said. “But, can’t you see how you are now? You did run away from him and you did buy a house-“

   “Rent,” I corrected her.

   “You did rent a house on your own. You have money. All you have to do is to convince them that you are doing okay,” she said, stressing her voice at the word okay. “Orphanage is just for those who don’t have parents and can’t live on their own. But, you are not like them. Tell them, Ben.”

   I slipped my hand away from her hold. “Easier said than done,” I said, getting up from the couch to wake Kim up.

   She followed me from behind and watched my every move. Shook Kim’s body to wake up, brushed over the curtains and opened the window.

   “Good morning, Ben,” said Kim, sitting up straight and rubbing her eyes.

   “Morning,” I answered. I looked at Grandma Mags, leaning against the door frame. “Hey, Kim. I want you to meet our neighbor.” Kim stood up. “This is Grandma Mags.” I introduced Kim to her and they started chatting while I walked to the kitchen, making breakfast for Kim and I.

   While I did that, I thought for what Grandma Mags said, Should I tell the police? It would reveal his unrevealed crime and he would get thrown into somewhere behind the bars. But I still worried about me and Kim being thrown into an orphanage, where our activities would be limited, we couldn’t see the world outside, we couldn’t learn super-extraordinary because everything was super limited. I rubbed my temples because, suddenly, my head hurt.

   “Ben?” called Kim from the living room. I came to the living room.

   “Yeah?” I said.

   “Grandma Mags is going home,” said Kim.

   “Oh,” I smiled to Grandma Mags and she smiled back. “Thank you, Gran,” I said.

   “I’m down the road if you need anything,” she offered. “I’m stronger than I look.” I smiled.

   We walked her out to the front porch and she went out of our front yard to her house. Kim stood in front of me, resting her body on mine.

   From behind, I pulled her up, lifting her off the ground and she giggled and laughed.

   “Get ready for school!” I exclaimed, putting her down on the couch in the living room. “Go take a bath then come back for breakfast. Go, go, go!” And she ran, giggling to the bathroom.