Blue Boy Neighborhood

Chapter Two: Hello "Mother"

The car ride was especially horrible. It smelled like old Mc Donalds and sweat from a scared teen. I turn my head and sniff the seat; and I gagged. I put the back of my hand over my mouth to keep me from gagging again. I turn my head to the other side and look out the window. Night drives were always my favorite. I press my head against the window, trying to feel normal again. Like my whole world isn't spinning into the oblivion and I can regain control once more. Like I'm just on my way to some other party with my best friend. Like I'm not on my way home.

Not to mention, I definitely wasn't going to lead them back to Markus' house. All my belongings are there. At least they weren't anything real important to me. Just clothes and some cash. I'll admit, I got a little nervous when they were going to take me home. I thought they'd ask where I've been living all this time. But they didn't. They gave me a sweatshirt, shoved me into a car, and we drove off.

Further along in this tedious drive, the smell grows stronger. I start to hold my breath and hope it stops. "You doing okay back there princess?" asks the officer with a mouthful of Mc Donalds. "That's where that smell comes from.." I mumble, "Huh?" asks the officer; dumbfounded. "I'm doing fine." I grate with a louder voice. I stifle another gag and hope this ride will be over soon.

I wake up to the officer shaking my shoulder, "Hey kid." He calls. I sit up from the slouching position I was in and rub my neck. Perfect. I have a sore neck, I'm stuck in the back of a rotten car, driving home to the people who barley care about me.

I look around and see that it's daytime; people are driving all around and hustling about to get their kids to school, or even get to work.

"We're about two hours away. I'm bettin' your starving huh?" He jokes. Now that he mentions food, I haven't had any since before the party; forty-eight hours ago. I stomach rumbles and that's all he needs to hear. "Look, you seem like a pretty nice kid. You haven't given me any trouble, you haven't smart mouthed me, you haven't complained. I know this car isn't the nicest either..." He trails off. "Try sitting back here." I roll my eyes and mutter under my breath, "The least I can do for you is buy you some food." He says.

I shrug my shoulders, "Yeah, I guess that's okay with me." I state. His eyes light up, happy that I let him help. "I was thinking about some Mc Donalds.." He rambles silently rubbing his stomach with a content look on his face. "Yeah, Let's get some Mc Donalds." I laugh.

Once The officer gets me what I want off the menu; now having a full stomach, we are about an hour away from home. I start to notice the trees, the way they look when you drive by. The way the sun rises high into the sky during the late hours of the morning. The way you can smell the breeze. My sweet daffodils.The way the winds gently whip your hair so it tangles around your face; just enough to make you laugh and pull it off.

I missed this. Summer in Washington.

Tears well up behind my eyes. I look into the rear view mirror and see the officer looking at me. I hold eye contact with him; a longing behind my eyes, as those tears I've held in for so long, gently spill down my cheek. He slightly tips his chin up, and rolls down the window.

I close my eyes and lean my face in towards the wind blowing my hair in the perfect way; tangling around my face.

I chuckle to no one but myself, acknowledging how much I've missed this. How much I've missed them. "Little princess was home sick huh?" The officer asks. I open my eyes and look back toward his direction. He turns around with a smile on his face. "What's your name?" I ask. "Dan." He says with a shrug. "Dan.." I say and I close my eyes once more and drift away to the smell of my sweet daffodils and the wind in my face.

I forgot what it feels like to be alive. I was wrong about that night at the party. This is truly living.

Soon were pulling in to my rocky driveway, slowly running over every pot hole there is because my dad refuses to fill them. I remember my mom and dad always fighting about it. I silently laugh. Bump-one. Bump- two. Bump- three. Bump- four. As I brace myself for the fifth and last one it never comes. A big smile crosses my face. Dad actually filled one of them in.

We reach the end of my driveway, as we slow to a stop in front of my house. The house with too many windows and not enough room and that all to familiar brown siding with the dark brown roof. I feel tears track their way down my cheek as Dan steps out of the car and walks over to my side.

He opens the door and I look at the ground. The chalky white residue I always got on my shoes from kicking the rocks. My mother scolded me for that one too many times to count. I slowly and cautiously place my foot onto the gravel driveway. Dan grabs my arm and assists me out of the car. The wind blows my face and a wave of nausea hits me.

My gut twists in knots with anxiety, sadness, anger, guilt; all in one. But this time, I take a deep breath and hold my own.

Officer Dan walks me to the front door. As we pass my house I peak into the backyard. I see all of Nathan's toys spread all across the back yard. Yet another wave of guilt turns my blood cold. Officer Dan knocks on the door.

A little boy screams with laughter from somewhere inside the house. I hear a few banging and crashing around, then the door flies open. A little boy about eighteen months; no older, swings open the door. Hes wearing a red polo shirt and khaki, knee length shorts with black buckle up dress shoes. He looks so similar to me. He has clear blue eyes and long blonde eye lashes. His too long blonde curly hair gets in the way of his eye sight.

He tilts his head to the side; with a puzzled look spread across his face. He's so easy to read. I begin to laugh as tears overflow once more.

I kneel to the floor so I'm on his level, "Hi Nathan." I say; my voice cracking. The confusion spreads across his face even more, "How do you know my name?" He slurs. I put my hand to my mouth and choke back a sob from escaping. "Are you Mavie? Mommy and D-Daddy have been looking all around for you. I don't know M-Mavie, Mommy said she left us when I was a smaller baby. But I really do miss my older sister." He chuckles.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, "Yes Nathan, I am Mavie. And I'm your sister." Nathan's face drops ad then he starts shrieking. He jumps up and down and runs in circles. "MAVIE LOVES ME. MAVIE LOVES MOMMY AND DADDY." I hear my mother reprimanding my brother and who hes talking to and why hes shouting.

Nathan runs into my arms and I fall back on my butt. He squeezes me tight and squints his eyes shut. I sit there in shock for a moment and then I hug him back. He curls up in my lap like a little puppy. His big blue puppy eyes and his long blonde hair. He scrunches his nose up and then starts to laugh. I chuckle a little too.

I look up to Dan, "Thank you.." I whisper. All he does is close his eyes and give a curt nod.

My mother comes storming in with a food plate for Nathan. Probably his lunch. My mother looks up; sees me, and drops the plate. She immediately starts to cry. She shouts for my dad and she runs to me. The next thing I know my whole family and I are on the ground. Crying and hugging, just like the sappy stories on T.V.