What We Create

Chapter 19, 20 & 21

Chapter 19

Jessie

'It's coming down to nothing more than apathy' – 'Cable Car' by The Fray

I woke up to a gentle, soft hand smoothing my hair back and my grandmother's voice.

"Honey, do you want to get up now and eat something for dinner?" Grandma asked while she hovered over me. "I didn't want to wake you, but then I thought you should have some dinner."

"I am hungry, so I'm glad you woke me." I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. "Did everybody else already eat?"

"Yes. Come in the kitchen and I'll explain while I heat up your dinner."

"Explain?" That doesn't sound good.

Shivering, I put on Grandma's soft terrycloth robe over my clothes and shuffled into the kitchen. I sat down at the table while Grandma put my plate together.

"Where are Mom and Dad?" I looked around surprised they weren't in the kitchen as well.

"I asked them to go home." She paused for a few minutes. "I found out your dad hit Brian."

I stood up. "Where is Brian?"

"He's okay. He's asleep on the couch. You two are exhausted, which makes perfect sense in light of what's going on in your lives."

My heart started to slow again. I asked, "Did you see Dad hit Brian?"

"No, but I noticed Brian's swollen bottom lip, so I asked him what happened. When he didn't answer right away I knew."

"Wow, I can't believe this happened and I missed it."

"It didn't go down well with your mom or dad, but that's their problem. I said this to Brian as well: I'm sorry I didn't act sooner." Grandma's eyes started to tear, and overflow onto her soft wrinkled cheeks.

I became a hopeless mess as soon as Grandma started to cry. This woman bought me every piece of candy I had ever asked for, and then would help me hide it, knowing Mom didn't want me to eat candy. It was our little secret. She would make me absolutely anything to eat, even though she knew I couldn't consume that much food. One morning I asked for French toast, oatmeal, bacon and hot chocolate. When she put it in front of me, Grandpa looked at her with his brows raised.

"Oh hush," she said as she waved him off.

Grandpa sat at the table, looked at me with a smile and shook his head. "You're hungry, huh?" His voice low and smooth.

"Yep, breakfast is the most important meal of the day." I smiled back at him with a mouth full of French toast, and syrup smeared across my lips.

He sipped his coffee, and watched me go to work. I missed Grandpa, with his brown weathered skin, and his cool Indian jewelry. You only had to be near him, to trust him. He just gave off that vibe. Of course, I couldn't finish my breakfast.

"I wanted to tell you at times. I wish I would have," I said as I picked at my nails.

"I will never let him hurt you or Brian again. I will protect you until the last breath leaves my body."

An enormous weight lifted from my shoulders. Finally, an adult I could depend on; someone would save us. I lifted my arms for Grandma to give me a hug. The sobs and tears came in waves. Grandma cried along with me.

"We better stop crying or we won't be able to see with our swollen eyes." We looked at each other and chuckled, our faces were already swollen from crying.