Mute || ✔️

Chapter 4-Christian

Chapter 4-Christian

            I hated this. I hated that her own family had abandoned her so many times to the point where she felt like she couldn’t feel safe enough to put her clothes away, before she was moved again. It made me sick to my stomach. Sure I didn’t want her here at first, but then I saw her…I saw how fragile she was now and all of a sudden the protectiveness that I felt for Tara when we were kids, came rushing back like a ton of bricks had been dropped on me. I knew I had to find Drew and let him know what she thought what he and Molly were going to do in a few months, but when I walked into the kitchen; I only saw Molly chopping vegetables for dinner. With my brother know where to be found.

“Where’s Drew?” I asked my sister-in-law as I walked up to the counter. After she had thrown the greens into a sizzling pan and placed a lid over it, Molly turned to me.

            “He had to go up to the court house to meet with Tara’s social worker to sign some paper work, so he and I can officially take over custody of Tara.” She explained. My eyebrows rose on my head, “Wait. That would make it perment right? Like you couldn’t ship her off if you wanted to?”

“Yes,” Molly said while she regarded me with a thoughtful expression; her eyes narrowing, “I believe so. Why? What’s going on Christian?”

            Now Molly wasn’t at all scary with her 5’5 height, but when she gave you her thoughtful look…Looking into her eyes was like looking into two very dark brown ember fires. Most of all, they could make you talk about anything. As much as I tried to say strong, I ended up cracking within minutes. I explained about what Tara had told me and concerns both mine and hers. By the end of my conclusion, my sister-in-law was looking at me with an amused expression on her face.

“Why are you looking at me like that? This isn’t funny Molly,” It feels strange to tell her this. I mean she knows. She saw Tara and how fragile she is. Yet, here stood my sister-in-law grinning at me with her sides quaking with laughter. Her voice broke through my thoughts, “I know it’s not funny Chris. I’m not laughing at that. I’m laughing at how protective you are over this girl. What happened to the boy who didn’t want her here in the first place?”

I sighed; I knew that question was bound to come up. “I know I didn’t want her here at first Molly. But then I saw her and how fragile and quiet she seemed to be…Molly, she doesn’t feel safe enough to put her clothes in the dresser! She’d rather keep them in her suitcase in case she gets moved again! Molly, this girl…This girl is not the same Tara Webster I grew up with when we were kids. Nothing remotely like her and that…That worries me.”

“Okay, Mr. Protective. Go get Tara, dinner is almost ready. It’ll just be me, you and her tonight. Drew is going to stay overnight since the courthouse he is going to is in Melbrone.” Explained Molly as she lifted the lid of the pan and began to stir the greens.

            “Is he going to be back in time to take me to the academy? Even though school isn’t for another few months admissions wants us to do it this week and I know I have all week, but the guys are doing it tomorrow and I want to do it with them.” I said as I leaped over the counter.

“You might need to get Sammy’s parents to give you a ride. Drew is staying overnight just so he can be there in time for the court meeting tomorrow. So I don’t believe he’ll be here in time.” Molly said. After nodding, I glanced back to my shut door; an idea starting to form in my head. “Do you think it would be okay if I took Tara with me tomorrow Mol? I want to see if she still interested in dancing like she used to be.”

“I guess that’d be okay, but only if she wants to Christian. We want her to comfortable around us first. Then we will on getting her to be more outgoing.” Molly told me walking to the pantry. I nodded, then I went to go wake Tara.

            When I walked into our now shared room, I found myself smiling softly at the sight of her snuggled delicately into a blanket. Her brown hair was falling loosely into her closed eyes. She seemed so innocent in this state, as most people usually were. But she seemed even more so. She didn’t seem like the girl I had now come to know in such a short period of time…She seemed like the girl I had grown up with and as much as I hated to work to wake her; I knew I had to.

            “Tara,” I leaned down to shake her shoulder gently. Tara batted me away while she readjusted her position-this time on her stomach. I chuckled again, before shaking her again, a little harder than before.

“Training Bra, come on. Molly has dinner ready.” I said. I watched as she raised her hands to rub her eyes then she slowly sat up. Pulling the blanket back, Tara stood up and began to wobble out of the room. But at the last moment, she walked into a wall. Not able to contain the small laugh that left my mouth, I walked over to the brunette girl.

“Are you okay?” I asked. She shook her head. Turning her to face me, I saw a small bump beginning to form on top of her head. Raising my hand to the bump, my fingertips tenderly grazed it. Her face immediately twisted into a mask of pain.

“Still as coordinated as ever I see,” I joke lightly while I grab her notepad and pencil, which earned me a small smile. Gripping her shoulders, I turn her back around and led her out to the kitchen.  Then after I had sat her in a seat, I made my way over to the freezer and started to fill a small baggie with ice. After I had wrapped it in a towel, I walked back to Tara and placed it delicately on the bump that had grown slightly larger.

            “What’s with the ice?” Molly asked as she set the food on the table. Leaning over to grab two plates, I stifled a laugh. “Tara ran into a wall.”

After that, we enjoyed a fairly nice quiet dinner. Well, except for the part where I filled Tara’s plate for her since she wasn’t taking enough portions. She was as skinny as a stick enough to the point where she looked almost sickly.

            During dessert was when I brought up her coming to the academy with me. “So Training Bra, I have to go and register for third year at my school tomorrow. I was wondering if you might want to go with me.”

I looked up at her and waited for her answer…