I poured the cereal from the box and got out some milk from the fridge.
My parents went out on a date, and Charlie was watching ICarly on the tv in the living room. It was currently 8:37 pm and my parents said they'd be home by 7:15.
I dialed my moms cellphone number and held the phone to my ear.
You have reached the voicemail of Susan Crae. Please leave a message after the tone. *beee-
I pressed the red button to cancel the call. Where were they?
Okay, it's 10:45 now. Where the hell are they?
"Charlie, you should get to bed." I said, turning my head toward her tired figure.
"hnng..?" She whispered groggily, looking up.
I sighed and picked her up. I carried her now sleeping body down the hall to her bright purple bedroom. I kicked an American Girl shoe out of my path and put her to bed.
I walked out and sat on the sofa. William was sleeping on the arm beside me, so I stroked his fur. He woke up briefly, then fell asleep again.
-brrrrr!-
I glanced quickly at my cellphone sitting on the dining room table. I got up and answered.
"Hello? Mom?"
"This isn't your mother. You're Mr. and Mrs. Crae's daughter, correct"
My.
heart.
stopped.
"Y-Yes... what's the issue?"
"Your parents were seen drunk at a subway station. They were yelling, and your father was shouting racial slurs at one of our Latino officers. We have them contained here. Could you come pick them up?"
Jesus Christ.
"I'm 15, I don't...yes. I'm on my way."
"Thank you, mam."
I put down the phone and picked up a throw pillow from the sofa.
I screamed into it.
I sat up, face red, and reached for my phone again.
"Hmmm... hello? Shay..?"
"Olly, I need your help."
I sat in the back of Olly's brother, Greg's pickup truck. Charlie was sleeping in my lap.
We pulled up to the police station and thanked Greg for driving us. Olly decided to tag along in getting our parents out of custody.
I walked up to the front desk with Olly, Charlie sleeping in her arms.
"Hi, I'm here for Susan and Jeffery Crae?"
The lady typed on her computer, then said: "Okay dear, go to room 4. Our chief will be there with your parents."
I recognized her voice from the phone. I nodded and glanced at Olly, who lazily smiled and went to go sit down.
I walked into 'room 4'. There stood a tan woman with a deputy badge and a name tag that said Janice, and my parents were sitting on a bench, handcuffed together.
Talk about anti-climactic.
I walked toward the woman.
"Ah, you must be Shayden. Your parents may go home now, but they will be given a citation. Okay?"
I nodded. She head to Mom and Dad and de-cuffed them.
"Damn immigrant." My Dad muttered under his breath.
My mother rolled her eyes.
I glanced at Janice and mouthed 'Sorry.'
She gave me a look which looked like it was a mix of, 'It's ok', and 'I'm used to it.'
I walked out of the room, my parents trailing behind me. Olly looked up from her book.
"Did you know that there's a teddy bear in every Dutch police car, in case something troubling happens to a child?" Olly asked me, gesturing to the police magazine she was reading.
I smiled and rolled my eyes as Olly woke Charlie up and carried her outside.
Greg's truck was no where to be found.
"...shit."
