Grandma's House

Change

The sun was covered by the dark clouds. The world looked dark and mysterious. The trees blew fiercely to the wind.
He was coming back, he promised. He always kept his promise. But the weather was so bad that warnings interrupted every channel on every television and radio.
I pressed my face on the cool glass in my room and starred. I starred out the window for hours on end. Then came the rain. It flooded the streets and dripped through the damaged where we always kept a big bucket.
I felt my eyes droop but I forced them up. He needs to come home. I need him. Without him I don't know what Mommy will do.
She has a mental disease daddy says. She gets angry really fast and becomes more and more violent. Once she broke my wrist because I didn't clean the house like she wanted. So she dragged my and tugged harshly.
I will wait forever daddy. I love you.
***
That was ten years ago today. He never did return. I remember crying for weeks. Which caused to something worse for my life.
She got angrier after that day. Said it should've been me. I was a clear mistake and deserved to die. She never beat my cousin, Marcus. It was actually her idea for him to move in with us, he was her favorite.
Marcus is about twenty and acts as a partner in the endless doom of killing me. She's broken my bones one at a time for ten years since today. With his help of course.
But that doesn't bother me anymore. Im numb. The streaks that covered my thighs made me frown. She did this to me, made me heel so bad that I actually harmed myself.
"KIMBERLY GET YOUR FAT ASS DOWN HERE!" Great she's home.
I walked down the stairs and.saw a woman deeply intoxicated and smelled like cigarettes. Her lipstick smudged down her chin. She was wearing a sparkly purple cocktail dress that she purchased using our food money for the month
"Kimberley Im going to Richey's house for the night. When I get back everything WILL be put away and cleaned up" I lightly sighed and nodded followed with a yes maim.
I went to the basement to grab the cleaning supplies but couldn't find the mop. I stumbled around.downstairs and looked everywhere.
I turned a corner and tripped over a small box that was just thrown in the corner. I picked it up and it had my name printed on the top.
I sat down and crossed my legs, placing the box in front of me.
The tape that sealed the box was already torn open. Inside was a collection of little things. There were about a hundred sea shells with little markings on each. They were from different places in the world. I placed them aside and found a little necklace with my name printed on beautiful assortments of beads. There was a letter that wasn't opened. She probably didn't look at the bottom under the things.
Kimberley Michelle Davidson,
My dear child. I hope that I will live long enough to give you this in person but the way my heath looks, probably not. I've collected each sea shell from places that i've traveled in my past years. You were so young and I barely had time to see you. So everyday I would pick up a beautiful sea shell that reminded me of you. I wanted you to have a part of me,forever.
Your mother is getting worse everyday and I don't want you to have to live an awful life. I will leave you to your Grandmother. You don't know her bur she's the most wonderful person ever. She doesn't live very far,only a few hours. Everything of mine goes to you honey. My will is attached to this letter. I love you so very much darling.
Love always,
Daddy
My hands trembled and I could feel my tears run down my cheeks. He left and address and phone number of.the woman he called Grandma.
I ran upstairs and packed my things, which could fit into three little bags.
I called the woman and she answered on the first ring.
"Hello?"
"Hi this is um Kimberley Davidson" Heard a gasp.
"Kimmy?"
"Um yeah" No one's called me that other than my dad.
"I've been waiting ten years for this call. I suppose you found the letter?"
"Yes"
"Good. Be ready in a few hours with the will. Pack your bags and lock yourself in your room until you hear me honk the horn. Climb out the window down the tree and meet me there. It's too risky to do otherwise. Id suggest hiding your bags in a bush before so you don't have to jump out with them. Do you understand?" I nodded but quickly remembered she couldn't see me.
"Yes"
"Okay honey I'll see you soon" We hung up and I ran into her room and into the closet. Inside one of the coat pockets was a stash of two thousand dollars.
I ran into my room and grabbed the bags, quickly shoving the money safely in a pouch.
There was a bush outside my window I stored the stuff in. I quickly opened the door and heard the faint sound of giggling coming from the driveway.
She was home.
I locked myself in my room and moved the small dresser to block it so that Marcus couldn't bust it open.
She wasn't suppose to be back tonight. J never cleaned like she demanded. Maybe she forgot.
"KIMBERLEY!" Guess that answered my question.
There was hard pounding on my door and I could tell it was Marcus. He kicked and pounded but didn't get in. Suddenly there was a blare of a car horn and I dove out the window catching myself on a branch.
There was a red car parked out front and a woman ran over. I grabbed my bags and she led me to the car.
She turned on the ignition and stomped her foot on the peddle just in the knick of time. Marcus chased us but slowed down and disappeared behind us.
"Hello dear Im Rosie but you can call me Grandma" she smiled forming little creased beside her eyes.
"Thank you Grandma. Im Kimberley, but you can call me Kimmy" I smiled for the first time and looked at the road in front of us, leading me into another direction.