The Quiet Voice | Complete

Chapter 6

Chelsea's parents noticed the change in her almost immediately. She withdrew from everyone. She was almost always in a robot-like state. Functioning, but just barely. She didn't smile as much as she used to and her infectious personality faded away.

She still went to school each day, but no longer came home bursting with stories to tell about all of her classmates or what she had learnt that day. Her mother usually had to wait for at least thirty minutes before being allowed to get a word in... but not anymore. A silence has fallen over Chelsea.

She diligently did her homework and then retreated quietly to her bedroom, waiting for the day to end so that she and Sir Mittens could go to sleep and shut the world out.

She ate the bare minimum. And didn't beg her mother to bake anymore, something she did on an almost daily basis.

Her parents also noticed a change in Angela's parents. They too had retreated to their own private space.

They barely greeted. And seemed to time their comings and goings, always careful not to bump into any neighbours. Small talk and questions completely avoided.

Chelsea's mother begged her to change her daily routine and spend some time outside in their lovely garden, even if only for one day. It was a beautiful Summer's day and her mother thought that the sunshine would do her some good, hopefully brightening up her spirits a bit.

"Fine Mommy." She answered but only to be polite, not to show any excitement for there wasn't any. There hadn't been for a while now.

She took Sir Mittens and ventured out to the front lawn. There she knew she wouldn't be bothered, as their street wasn't a very busy one and not too many children lived in the surrounding houses.

She sat in a quiet corner, near Angela's house, as if being closer to her home would make her closer to Angela. She looked up at the house every few minutes, hoping to steal a glance of Angela, but then remembering that she was gone.

"Oh, Sir Mittens," she sighed as she closed her eyes and hung her head, "will I ever get over that she's no longer here? Why is it so difficult for me to accept?!"

Sir Mittens just meowed and lazily curled up into a fluffy ball in Chelsea's lap.

A few minutes later Angela's mother arrived home, deep in thought, not even noticing Chelsea sitting quietly on the lawn.

"Hello Mrs. Holmes," she softly greeted, barely able to make eye contact. "How are you doing?"

Angela's mother got such a fright that it took a few seconds for her to register that Chelsea was actually speaking to her.

"Oh! Hello Chelsea," she replied, "I'm doing... well thanks. How are you?"

Chelsea knew that Mrs. Holmes' reply was one of habit, not truth. Who could be fine when you've just lost your little princess?

"I'm not doing very well," answered Chelsea honestly, "I really miss my little sister," she said looking down at Sir Mittens in her arms. And with that admission a lonely tear ran down her cheek.

Mrs. Holmes didn't expect the honest answer and didn't quite know what to do. So she did the only thing that she could think of. She walked over to Chelsea, knelt down next to her, wrapped her arms around her and held her tightly.

She held her for what felt like hours, thinking only of her little angel. Praying that it was Angela in her arms. Praying that it was Angela's freshly shampooed cherry scented hair that she was smelling, not Chelsea's. Praying that it was Angela's beautiful face staring at her.

It became too much for her to bear.

Mrs. Holmes let go of Chelsea and stepped through the front door, not having the strength to look back or even further their conversation, fearing that she too would break down and never stop crying.

Her heart was aching in a way that nothing and no one could fix. It was a dull deep ache that was a constant reminder of her loss, a constant reminder of what was stolen from her. Her Angela was never coming home.

Chelsea turned and ran. She needed to escape to her bedroom. Her safe space where she could cry until she could barely breathe. Cry until she fell asleep. For all of her dreams were filled with Angela. Filled with Angela still being a part of her every day... her every memory.

****

Life continued as usual. Chelsea in her own world with Sir Mittens and Angela's parents avoiding everyone.

Then one day Chelsea heard a truck pulling up outside. Looking through the lounge window she saw that the truck was parked in front of Angela's home. She thought that Angela's parents must have bought a new washing machine or something.

Until she read the name on the truck.

It was a furniture removal truck. Why would it be parked outside Angela's home?

Thinking that they had simply stopped for directions, she went back to her bedroom to play with Sir Mittens. Angela had become the invisible third person in their daily games and conversations. It was the only way that Chelsea could function. The only way to get through each day.

Later that afternoon Chelsea's mother convinced her, again, to play outside. She reluctantly agreed and poor Sir Mittens was scooped up and recruited to join her.

As usual, she perched herself on the same spot near Angela's house, Sir Mittens curling up in her lap, ready for his nap.

Chelsea's eyes instinctively roamed towards Angela's bedroom window, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.

A feeling of dread seeped its way up her body as she noticed that the bedroom curtains were gone.

On closer inspection, she noticed that the bathroom window, next to Angela's bedroom window, also had no curtains.

Maybe Mrs. Holmes was washing them? She tried to convince herself, "everything's fine... nothing's changed," she walked towards the house for a closer inspection.

Her dread however became fact. Angela's home was empty. All the furniture had gone... and Angela with them.

Her heart sank. The last bit of Angela had just been completely erased from her life. Not only had she lost her little sister, she just lost her second family. Why?!

Chelsea fell to her knees begging for her eyes to be deceiving her. "Please gentle Jesus," she begged, "please let my eyes be playing a trick on me."

But they weren't.

Angela's parents had moved. They were gone. No goodbye, no forwarding address, no nothing. Just an empty house reflecting the empty hole in her heart that grew bigger each day.