Welcome To Westover

13 Years ago

This was a very crucial point in the manipulation of her current mission. Piercing blue eyes seared into her work as she focused intently. Each move was critical to the outcome.

But, the square block didn't seem to fit in the triangle hole.

Frustration built up in her pudgy cheeks as she thrashed the blocks across the room, sitting back in defeat. Her anger was short lived as she rose her head to look at her mother, who had briefly entered to see the commotion.

"Oh dear, couldn't you finish the puzzle?" She tutted, scooping up her infant and snuggling her close. "Well, I'll help you with it in a bit. You'll be alone with daddy for a minute whilst I pop out."

Something happened. A light switched. It all changed.

"No!" She screeched, grasping her mother's hair between her fingers. She was taken aback and looked down at her child, trying to understand what the problem was.

"What's wrong, baby? You're not normally this clingy."

"No, mama, don't go. Don't go." She cried, holding her mother tightly as she wept.

"Sweetheart, I'll only be a minute. I'll even get you a chocolate. How does that sound?"

"No! No! Mama don't go!" The fit of a tantrum caused her mother to look at her daughter with worry, and hugging her tightly, placed her gently on the floor.

"I don't know what's up with you, Maddie. I can't take you with me, the car seat is broken." She knelt down and wiped the tears off of her child's face, planting a soft kiss on her nose. "I won't be five minutes. We can play when I get back. I love you, baby."

Maddie stared at her mother through the blur of tears and sobbed repeatedly.

"I love oo mama. Please st.. Sta... Don't go. Mama please."

Her mother shook her head and quickly turned to leave, looking back at her daughter once more.

"This is so unlike you. Love you, Maddie. Save some blocks for me to help you with."

And she was gone.

She didn't move. She didn't try to finish her puzzle. She sat, staring at the door. Time ticked slowly, and the little girl sitting on the floor refused to budge. At one point, her father entered but assumed she was in a little trance, so ignored the abnormal behavior. To be perfectly honest, little Maddie didn't know why she was so worried.

She woke with a start. There was a disturbance at the door. She opened her eyes in fear as she watched her father unlock and open the door. A tall man in a big green coat walked in, looking painfully at Maddie before turning to her father.

"Mama? Where's mama?" She murmured, tottling over to the tall man and her father.

Her father began to cry. She began to cry. She didn't know why, she just knew that if daddy was crying she should be crying too. The tall man patted reassuringly on her head and muttered an apology, before abruptly leaving. Her father broke down to his knees, sobbing in pain. He grabbed his child and cried into her hair, and she knew. She knew why her daddy was crying.

Mama was gone.

Mama wasn't coming back.