Cannabis

Chapter 16

I was finishing my breakfast one fine morning when I heard a delighted squeal from mama. She came out of her room and began jumping in front of me like a toddler, as I watched on with a gladdened air. It'd always been a pleasure to see my mama so exultant.

It's been a little more than a year since that incident. I was relieved beyond reason when neither Evan nor Daniel Miller came to celebrate my fifteenth birthday, which was roughly a month ago. Mama made me a cake on that day and the two of us celebrated quietly within our house, minus the ridiculous pomp and grandeur of last year, minus the ghastly 'birthday present' that I received from that bastard.

I invited my best buddy Noah to come and cut the cake with me, but he simply rebuffed the offer. I wasn't nonplussed at all. He would constantly badger me about my cuts and bruises, about me behaving 'strangely' but I would never open up about my happenings.

"Don't be such a stranger! You don't really think of me as your best friend....", Noah had  moaned to get my attention.

"Whatever you think. But you're really overdoing it. Stop pecking at me all the time like a mother hen!" I had snapped at him.

After that, I'd noticed Noah avoiding me at all costs. He refused to sit beside me during the class, ignored my presence studiously during the recess and added the last insult to my injury by refusing my birthday invitation. He took my playful rebuke seriously, some friend he is. My blonde and extremely emaciated best friend with bags underneath his eyes and disappointingly low grades throughout the year.

After Evan had so callously beaten me up when I told him about the vile misdoings of his dear 'daddy', I refused to acknowledge him as my elder brother. I had decided that I had no relations in this house, except my dear mama, who doted upon me like her own child. She loved me so much, she made me forget that I was her adoptive son.

And right now, she was grinning at me, ear to ear.

"What is it, mama?" Her radiant smile made my heart soar.

"It's a surprise!" Mama clapped her hands and giggled like a two-year old.

A surprise? What does she mean by that? 

The last surprise that I got was last year, on my fourteenth birthday, from my father.....

Shit!

I could feel my heart beating frantically at the mere thought of that pedophile coming for a visit. Cold sweat appeared on my forehead and all the memories of that night popped up unwelcome in my head. It appeared as if it was only yesterday that he laid his dirty hands on me, robbed me off my innocence. I felt a cold shiver run down my spine as I could nearly perceive the touch of coarse, rough and big hands all the way down my back.

"What happened, dear? You seem a little sick..."

Mama's voice broke my train of thoughts and I looked up to find perturbation written all over her face.

"What do you mean by 'surprise'?" I asked, somehow regaining my composure. "Is he--"

"Not gonna spill the beans...", she said in a singsong voice and pranced away.

What could possibly make mama so happy?

I pondered  as I climbed upstairs to my room. I shut the door and closing my eyes, I leaned against it.

Maybe it's not what I'm thinking. Maybe it's not about him. Maybe there is something else that made mama so elated.

I relentlessly repeated these words like a mantra in my head, to get rid of the queasy feeling in my stomach.

Maybe I'm worrying needlessly..... maybe he's not coming back....

At exactly six 'o clock in the evening, I heard the doorbell ring. My heart nearly stopped at that simple sound, which sounded very dire to my ears.

"Erose, can you please answer the door for me?" Mama cooed, delirium evident in her shrill voice.

It's not him.... it's not him....

I repeated these words in my mind, even knowing too well who it was behind the door. With utmost difficulty, I led myself to the door and put my trembling hands on the handle. I was sweating profusely and it took me all of my moral strength to just stand there without passing out.

Christ, help me!

With a deep intake of breath, I turned the door knob, opened the door and  calling upon all of my inner strength, I looked up.

And there, I saw, Army Officer Daniel Patrick Miller, peering down at me, hostility emitting from every inch of him.

To be continued...