Mei smiles softly at me
as we share our lunch
on the cold concrete stairs
I sit silently and let her eat
My eyes are downcast
and glazed over
because I'm thinking
about the new baby
about our broken family
"Haru-chan,"
She puts her plastic fork down
but I don't look up
"Haru-chan, do you have mobile?"
I snap my head up
and frown
my heart beats frantically
and I know I'm being dumb
I know I'm over reacting
There's no way she'd know
about Aunt Eevie's gift
"No," I breathe, "I don't."
"Oh, okay. I have mobile.
I wanted to give my number."
She goes through a mime
and I understand that she wants
to call me
to check up on me
and I think,
with a steady dread,
how Father would react
if he found out.
I remember back to
one evening
when we were eating together,
watching TV.
The news that a certain country
banned young girls
from owning mobile phones
blared on the tiny screen
And I remember
like it was yesterday
the way he laughed,
"Yeah, that's how it should be.
Mobiles just distract women
from important things.
Like cooking
Like taking care of family.
Women don't need mobiles."
I would never tell him
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Savor The Moonlight - Book 1 | ✔
Short Story[completed] Harmony is empty. She doesn't speak out, nor does she do anything that could possibly spark her father and step mother's rage. Besides, isn't it better to stay quiet than to deal with the fall-out caused by expressing h...
