Mama had been pregnant for several months now, and it was truly unfortunate that Auntie Clara had fallen fatally ill, for it meant that Papa would have to travel up to Seattle to be with her until she went to Heaven.
While Papa was away, Mama and I were to stay with Grandpa. The three of them figured it wouldn't be safe to leave me and Mama home alone with her so far into her pregnancy.
At 7:45 this morning, we climbed into the family Buick Skylark and began the three hour drive to Granpa's farmhouse. I enjoyed having
Grandpa around because he loved me more than Mama and Papa. I liked the way he acted, too. He never lit those smelly sticks in his mouth or drank that red bitter liquid that Mama liked before she got pregnant.
When we pulled up in front of the old victorian farmhouse, I immediately launched myself from the backseat and rolled around in the dirt. Mama hollered at me about how I was going to get my dress dirty and how my knees were going to get more scraped up.
Papa pulled me up roughly by my arm and dragged me along to the front door. As Mama rang the doorbell, Papa leaned down and warned me through bared teeth.
"You better behave for mama and grandpa, you hear me?" he hissed. I nodded.
The door opened up, the small lion knocker on it swinging slightly. In front of us stood a commanding man with a kind face and an english mustache. I squealed in excitement and launched myself at the tall man.
"Grandpa!" I shrieked, my missing front teeth causing me to sport a lisp. He wrapped me up in his warm arms and swung me around. Grandpa's hugs were always my favorite. Papa never gave me hugs.
He set me down on the ground and I teethed on my thumb. He turned to address his daughter and son-in-law and an obvious tension grew.
"Liam, Diane." he greeted.
"Father." Mama replied.
Silence.
I played with my dress.
"Ruth, sweetie," Mama spoke. "why don't you go explore Grandpa's house? The grownups need to talk."
I knew Mama was dismissing me again and I wanted to argue, but then I remembered this would be my first time at Grandpa's house. He only ever came to visit us.
I entered the house and wandered the ancient halls. The windows had diamond-shaped panes and the walls had floral patterns on them. There was a window seat that had a burgundy theme and a view of Grandpa's ocean of fields. Lying on the pillow was a fat black cat.
"Kitty!" I cheered, bouncing towards it. Immediately, the kitty launched up and rocketed down the dark hallways. My lip trembled as I watched it run away, as I had just wanted to hold it.
I continued on my march until I found a group of eyes. Up on the wall I looked and saw a collection of photos who all seemed to have a great interest in me.
The photos and I had a staring contest, and I lost. Though, as I blinked my eyes, I could've sworn I saw the pictures doing the same.
I decided I liked Grandpa's house.
