Finding Maisie

Finding Maisie: Chapter 8

Finding Maisie

Chapter 8

'Poppy, Maisie!' My mum called to me and my bestest friend.

We walked out of my play room and to the hallway where my mummy was waiting for us. She looked a little stressed with small creases on her forehead.

'Mummy, I want to go and colour!' I demanded. She just rolled her eyes at me and sighed.

'All you ever want to do is colour!' My mum huffed. 'You can later, but I told you earlier that your dad's relatives will be coming over for a family barbecue.'

I immediately began to jump from excitement. That meant my favourite cousins would be coming over. Adam, Heather and Emilie. I preferred them way more than other cousins, the ones that hardly ever came over but when they did, all they would do is play with my toys alone. The majority of the time, one of my precious toys always ended up breaking. But Adam, Heather and Emilie always liked to play group games in the garden - except Emilie of course, she was only a baby. Adam was nine, four years older than me, and Heather was six. I always had so much fun when they came round.

Then there were my Nan and granddad. I liked them; they always brought sweets with them and let me get away with being naughty. They always came with my youngest Uncle. Uncle Colin. He was my dad's brother but a lot younger. He was only a teenager so knew how to have fun with me.

And of course my Aunt Melonie and Uncle Samuel were coming; Adam, Heather and Emilie's mummy and daddy. My aunt was my dad's actual sister but I loved them both the same. Although sometimes my dad and my uncle would get into rows and that would make me upset. I didn't like it when someone was mean to my daddy.

And, finally, all my dad's cousins. I didn't know the names of them because they never bothered to speak to me, but also because there were quite a few. They were all adults and scared me a little – they were so big.

'Yay,' I screeched. 'Is it raining because I want us all to play in the garden?'

My mum chuckled at my excitement. 'No, it's not. You two go outside and play and I'll send the others out when they get here.'

I clapped my hands with joy and pulled Maisie out to the garden with me. I found it strange how her whole family were at my father's family's get together, but who was I to question it? I liked having my best friend to play with.

We went outside and began playing in my sand box. About ten minutes later, I heard a ring on the doorbell. There was a bustling of people inside and then Heather came out to join us, her face covered in a smile.

She ran over and began playing in the sand too, but there was no sign of my male cousin. I craned my neck to look behind her and Adam was nowhere to be seen.

'Where Adam?' I asked, curiously.

'Oh, he's turned grumpy. All he does is be angry. He's sitting inside with the adults.'

That was strange. Adam was the most fun loving person I knew. He always loved coming over and teasing Maisie and me.

For the rest of the day I played with Heather and Maisie, not getting to speak to Adam once. Even when we all went inside Adam was sitting by himself on the sofa, talking to no-one. I would've gone over to him but, truth be told, he looked scary. He didn't look like the Adam I knew and loved.

What was up with him?

***

I woke from my dream in the same place I went to sleep. On the sofa, resting on Callum. After what had happened yesterday, I didn't expect to have dreamt about my family's meetings. That was a happy memory and I was at least expecting to have a night full of terrors and guilt. All that happened in my dream was true. Adam did, all of a sudden, stop talking to me. I lost contact with him a long time ago.