Volleyball

Chapter Seven

   “Dinner is ready, Kimberly,” I called from the kitchen with a loud voice.

   I heard her footsteps tapping on the floor and she showed up with a big smile on her face. “And Kimberly is ready for dinner,” she chirped cheerfully.

   Kim climbed up the tall stool and I placed her potato in front of her. We started eating.

   “Listen,” I said. “Tomorrow, I’ll be coming home late so I want you to go home by your school bus but I will drop you off in the morning.” She nodded, listening. “I have the spare keys so you can come in the house without any problem. Okay?” She nodded. “Lock the house after you get in and don’t come out or open the door for anyone. Answer the phone when it rings around five. That would be me. Okay?” She nodded and kept eating.

   “I’m sorry for this life, Kim,” I said quietly and Kim looked up to me.

   “What do you mean, Ben?”

   I shook my head and ate my potato then I felt a hand on my arm. “This is a good life with you, Ben,” she said quietly and I nodded.

   Somehow, I needed an adult here to talk to. But, who? No one was here. No one. Just Kim and I. Grandma Mags was overwhelming me and a little driving me crazy. She didn’t get what I felt.

   After I gave Kim the spare keys of the house, I helped her with her Math problems, and then she continued with her English homework while I tried to find the answers of my History homework in my textbook. This teacher was driving me crazy. The answers weren’t in the textbook! Damn it.

   At nine, Kim came out of her room and asked if she could go to bed and I said yes. I tucked her in and kissed her forehead. I came out from her room and sat on the couch. Grabbing my phone from the table, I decided to text Valerie:

Good night, Valerie. –Ben

   I was nervous when my phone vibrated again and I got a new message from her. Her reply was:

Good night, Captain Ben :)

   I fell asleep with the thought of her smiling to me like that. That enchanting and lovely smile she always had.

***

   I wake up to a smell of something burnt. I quickly threw off the covers from my body and rushed out to the kitchen where I found Kim holding a pan with a goofy smile on her face. In the pan was a burnt black pancake.

   “Good morning,” she said, grinning. “How did you sleep last night? Well?” I nodded. “I intentionally made you a pancake but it looks like I burnt it. Sorry.” She grinned even widely.

   I let out a laugh escape my mouth. “Oh, Kim. You should’ve just waken me up,” I said, taking the pan from her hand and throwing the burnt pancake into the bin.

   “Well, I want to make you something because you have done everything for me,” she said softly.

   “Oh, it’s my job to do that for you.”

   “But, I’m your sister. I have to help you, however,” she said, looking up at me.

   I squatted down to be the same height as her and said, “Yes, you have helped me so much, Kim. Now, go take a bath. I will make you the pancake.”

   But she took the pan back from my hand. “No, you go take a bath,” she said, pointing her index finger to the bathroom. “I’ll make you a toast with peanut jam and a glass of milk. What do you say?” she said, mimicking my action and I laughed hard.