Behind Closed Doors

Behind closed doors (p.2)

"Can I walk with you?" I had been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't noticed Owen leaning against the school fence until he spoke to me.

"I guess..." We walk in silence until we get to Jamie's school. When he sees us he runs over.

"Pen, is this your boyfriend?" Owen laughs, and I look at Jamie.

"No he isn't, he's just walking us home."

"Oh, hi, what's your name?" Owen goes to answer him but Jamie just continues, "I'm Jamie and I am eight. I want a dog."

"Hi Jamie, I am Owen and I am 17 and I have two dogs, called Kipper and Finn."

"You have two dogs? That is so cool!" Jamie looks up at Owen with awestruck eyes.

"Yeah, if it's alright with your big sister then you can come and see them." Owen turns to me, "Would that be okay with you Penni?"

Would it be okay with me? If I didn't have the house cleaned and the dinner cooked then she would probably be really mad at me, she would probably use the rolling pin again, or the vacuum pole. Could I stand another beating so close to the last one, which I was still recovering from? No, I couldn't but then again, she wasn't going to be home till late tonight. "Yes, I think it will be alright."

"Yay, Thanks Pen." Jamie is bouncing ecstatically, he turns to Owen, "What do your dogs look like? Are they big? How old are they? Are they fluffy?" Jamie shoots questions off at Owen, all of which he answers patiently.

What if she finds out, what will she do to me? I won't be able to let Jamie stay too long at Owen's, we will need to get home so I can clean the house and get Jamie dinner and put him in bed. But what if she gets home early? What will she think if we aren't there when she gets home? Will she even care that I'm not there? I know that she will be worried about Jamie. She would notice that I'm not there when she goes to hit someone and there isn't anyone there for her to hit, I think bitterly.

"Penni...?" I don't hear Owen calling my name so I don't notice when he and Jamie stop outside a gate until I feel him tap me on the shoulder. "This is my house. Are you coming in?"

"Huh, what...? Sorry, I was just out of it for a second." I shake my head to clear out the worried thoughts.

Rose bushes line the edge of the pathway leading up to the front door. It is a large house. When Owen opens the door the sound of running feet greet us.

Two big dogs come bounding down the hall, followed by two boys about Jamie's age. "Owen, come and look at what I made." Say one of the boys.

"What we made." The other corrects.

"Hey guys, this is Jamie and his big sister Penni." Turning to us he adds, "And these two are Scott and Chris, my cousins."

"Hi." The twins greet us, "Jamie you want to come and see our trains?" The one I think is Chris says.

"Why don't you two introduce him to Kipper and Finn?" Owen suggests.

"Okay. Let's go Jamie." The twins lead Jamie down the hall out to the backyard, dragging the dogs with them.

"Owen is that you?" A lady who looks no older than 30 comes walking toward us with a baby in her arms.

"Hey Aunt Pam," He says leaning down to give his aunt a peck on the cheek, "Hey Princess." He picks the baby out of Pam's arms and squeezes her to his chest.

"Me pincess." She coos.

Laughing he gestures at me, "This is Penni, her younger brother wanted to meet Kipper and Finn. Penni this is my aunt Pam and my little cousin Kelly."