Mute || ✔️

Chapter 2- Tara and Christian

Chapter 2: Tara and Christian

*Tara*

            Today was the day. Today was the day I would be shipped off to live with yet another family for how knows how long. As I finished making sure I had everything packed, I faintly wondered how long they would keep me for and where I would end up next when they decided I was too much for them to handle. I had no other family members to be relocated to.

“Tara,” called Uncle Neil, “The Reeds’ are here.”

After banging gently on the wall to let them know I’d be down in minute, I glanced one more time around ‘my’ room. Then I grasped the handle of my only suitcase and made my way down the steps.

            “Wow, little Tara Webster is all grown up.” A voice said while I was making my way down the steps. Looking up, I saw my Uncle Neil standing beside an Asian guy that looked to be about twenty-three and beside him stood a younger version of him about my age. The twenty-three year old smiled widely at me, when our eyes met. Not a creepy smile like my Uncle Ian from my mother’s side, but a happy, pleasant smile. I smiled back weakly in return. But that voice in the back of my mind was still taunting me. Who knows how long you’ll be with them?

            I felt another pair of eyes on me. Tightening my hold my suitcase, my eyes glanced back down at the foyer, the guy about my age was gazing at me; his intense brown eyes seemed to be burning holes in my body. Then a thought struck me. That’s Christian. His eyes were curious and thoughtful as the watched me.

Suddenly I felt nervous. My palms began to sweat and my heart lurched out of my chest. Why was he looking at me like that?

Calm down Tara. I told myself as I stepped off the last step and looked down at the hard wood floor. Take deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out.

But again, there was that awful voice. He’s staring at you like that because he knows you’re worthless and good for nothing.

            “You probably don’t remember us do you?” At the sound of his voice, I looked up at Christian’s older brother. (Whose name, I couldn’t remember. But I remembered his face. It hadn’t changed much.) Nodding my head, I held out my hand with my thumb and index finger a little ways apart.

            Suddenly, a woman’s laugh boomed off the walls; making me jump. It seemed to be moving closer. Tightening my grip on my suitcase, my eyes snapped shut and I flinched back out of instinct. No one seem to notice me though, I saw when I opened my eyes. But standing in front of me, was my aunt and a reddish brown haired woman about Christian’s brother’s age. She beamed when she saw me; her baby blue eyes lighting up.

“Hi,” She chimed bubbly, “I’m Molly, Drew’s wife and I am so excited to have another girl in the house! You don’t know what it’s like living with two males without any back up!”

*Christian*

            While Drew and I stood in the foyer with Tara’s uncle, Molly and Tara’s aunt went in the kitchen for coffee. Because they had decided it was best if Tara saw some familiar faces before meeting a new one  

Huffing out a breath of air, I leaned my back against the back wall in front of stairs.

Why did we have to come and get her? Why couldn’t they have just put her on a train or bus to us? But as soon as those thoughts entered my mind, I immediately regretted them. Mom would’ve scolded if I had said them aloud. She had always believed in helping people. In whatever they needed. Then my mind drifted to Aunt Maryanne and my heart constricted painfully. After all she had done for Drew and me, here I was complaining about having to come get her daughter? The woman who was like a second mom? The woman

“Tara,” Neil called up the stairs, “The Reeds’ are here!”

In response a light banging came from the side of the wall. Drew looked at Neil, “What was that?”

Crossing his arms, the older man leaned against the railing of the stairs. “There is something I haven’t told you yet about Tara. She hasn’t spoken since…” he trailed off pausing to sigh. Then he continued in a whisper, “She hasn’t spoken since the incident with her parents…”

Wait, what?

“You mean she’s mute?” I was surprised to hear my voice asking the question. Tara’s uncle nodded as he glanced down, after he had looked at me. He also seemed surprised that I spoke.

“Why didn’t you tell us this before?” Asked Drew. His voice held no anger, but I could tell he was a little hurt. It was as if the tone held the message of deceit. Neil sighed back, “There are some things that shouldn’t be told over the phone. I believed that this is one of them.”

            While nodding, my brother glanced at me before asking, “So um, how does she- I mean- Does she-”

“He’s trying to ask how she talks without actually speaking,” I stated bluntly with a roll of my eyes.

“You don’t have to be so nervous about it Drew. It’s not like its bad thing. I mean sure we would all like for her to speak, but its okay if she doesn’t for right now. All that matters is that she gets better in time.” The older man said to my brother. Drew nodded his head. After a beat of silence, Drew asked another question. “When did she exactly become mute?”

Neil’s response was a sigh, “Her social worker said she hasn’t spoken since the day it happened…”

            Before either Drew or I could say anything, footsteps descended upon the stairs and a tall brunette girl emerged from the top of the staircase. I immediately felt a pang of sadness hit me in my heart. That girl was Tara Webster. The girl who was my best friend for as long as I could remember growing up, and to see her like this…looking so small and vulnerable, it made me feel sick to my stomach. But what really caught my attention was the frail burn that ran down the side length of her face.

            “Wow, little Tara Webster is all grown up.” Drew said in awe. He had a right to be in awe to. This girl…this girl was beautiful; with soft brown hair and deep chocolate brown eyes to go with her pale skin color. Tara smiled back weakly in response to my brother’s comment.

“You probably don’t remember me do you?” Drew asked as Tara stepped off the last step. After nodding, she held up her hand she made a made a little gesture with her hand. Suddenly I could hear Molly’s laugh as it boomed off the walls. Tara jumped and another wave of sadness washed over me. I didn’t like that she was so jumpy. Why was she so jumpy?

            When Molly saw Tara you could practically see the happiness oozing off of her. She beamed, running right up to her.

“Hi,” my sister-in-law chimed bubbly, “I’m Molly, Drew’s wife and I am so excited to have another girl in the house! You don’t know what it’s like living with two males without any back up!”

The brunette’s eyes widened in fear, as she flinched back. Molly recoiled immediately. Her voice was now soft when she spoke, “I’m sorry sweetie, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

But Tara still looked petrified. And suddenly, I found myself speaking-reassuring her.

“Don’t worry Training Bra,” The old nick-name rolled off my lips like I said it every day for the past five years, “Molly won’t hurt you. She wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Tara’s eyes still held the look of fear in them, but her tense stance was now relaxed…It wasn’t much. But it was a start. It was a start and I couldn’t have been happier…