Okay, so this is Part 1 of Ch. 4. I thought it was getting really long, so I decided to break it up a bit. And just a heads up, the next part is when the 'fun' really starts.
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I exited the facility as quickly as I could while remaining somewhat dignified. I say "dignified" because I knew that my parents would yell at me for running, jogging, or even speed-walking out of this place. And I wanted to limit the noise as much as I could.
I still couldn't believe I was actually out of that place. I had been there for so long, it just seemed surreal that I could finally be heading home. It was even more surreal that I saw my parents, let alone have them speak to me...
"Get in the car, Madeline," My father very nearly growled. Yup. This ride was going to be awesome, don't you think? The chauffeur opened the door and I slid in. My mother was next and was quickly followed by my father. I went to the corner near the driver's partition, trying to get as far away from them as possible when they finally blew up. The chauffeur gently closed the door and walked around the limo, heading to the front. We waited in silence until he got the car moving. I fumbled with the hem of my shirt, refusing to even glance in my parents' direction. Nothing good would come out of this ride, other than me getting as far away from that dreaded place as possible. Sure enough, the yelling began.
"Well, are you happy now?" My mother yelled at me.
My head shot up immediately. "What the HELL is that supposed to mean?! If you recall, Mother," I sneered at the word. "I never asked to be put in that place to begin with!"
"Madeline, you will not raise your voice at your mother so." My father growled, for real this time, his face growing bright read.
"Oh, don't you even start! I didn't see you stopping me from going in there! No! As soon as the hospital told you I could be moved, you sent me straight down here. Two hundred miles away from my house, my friends, my LIFE!" I was fuming. How dare they?! I never asked for this and of course they were going to blame it all on me.
"Well, if you hadn't have killed your little sister, then NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN NECESSARY!" He shouted.
My face instantly paled. That was a cheap shot, and he knew it. "No, it wouldn't. Because if I hadn't had been such a failure, such a disappointment...if I hadn't been trying so hard to make her birthday a fun one, one she could remember in the next few years, then she would still be alive." My voice was dangerously even. I whispered the next part. "And maybe, if the birth order had been switched, and it was me in that seat then I would be dead right now and you would be happier."
My mother shrieked. "You UNGRATEFUL little WRETCH! Do you know how much your father and I have been through since the accident? Do you know how many letters we've had to reply to? IT'S BEEN ABSOLUTE HELL! And you DARE to say something like THAT!"
My father stayed silent, but I noticed the color changes his face was going through. "You know, daddy. You're going to want to breathe soon. That shade of purple doesn't really look too hot on you..."
"We will not hear another peep out of your mouth until we get home. Do you understand me, Madeline?" He glared at me. I looked at him blankly. "I said, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!!"
"Sheesh! Yes! But you said not another peep so I couldn't very well answer you!"
I scowled and turned my head to look out the window. I was done with this conversation. And now it looked like they were done with it too.
The rest of the ride continued in silence. I tapped on the divider between me and Mr. Smith, the chauffeur. It lowered and I spoke. "Hey, Smithee! How much longer do I have to be cooped up in this car?"
