Rough Draft

Take These Chains From My Heart

"Okay. Okay." Tina sighed, her head falling back against the wall too forcefully. "Ow." She whispered as her head bounced off the wallpaper

"Good job, Tina." Louise laughed.

"I did that yesterday too." Rudy spoke slow into his pancakes.

"Well I sampled it!" Gene announced proudly, pressing a button.

Sure enough the thud echoed in a musical tone. Tina moaned, rubbing her head and moving into the living room.

"Do you have another series planned?" Her agent pestered. "Those last couple books flew off the shelves. I don't know what you're doing, but it's in your writing and it's single soccer mom crack!"

Tina sighed, "I don't have a new series yet. But I will have one soon."

"Dont rush," her agent back tracked. "You have a few months. I know your dad is sick. Take some time. We don't need a new book for a while. Just don't forget to think about it."

"I won't." Tina promised, peeking out the window, then quickly ducking behind the curtain with a gasp.

Zeke! She frowned, "No, I'm okay." She spoke quietly into the phone, dropping to her knees and peeking over the window sill. She found herself annoyed and relieved to find he had turned back to the tables and chairs he was setting up outside. "I'll think on it. Bye."

"What are you doing?" Linda laughed low, crawling down with her daughter and looking out the window. She gave a soft, sympathetic noise. "Is it still Jimmy Junior, Tina?"

Tina pulled away from the window, angry and frustrated suddenly. "No, Mom!"

Linda sat back, hands on her knees, "Okay. Dont get snappy, geez."

Tina sighed, turning so her back was against the wall. "Sorry, Mom. It's a boy. That I think I like, but I don't feel like I should like him."

Linda's brows furrowed. Tina noted they needed to be plucked.

"Why do you think you shouldn't like someone, Tina?"

She braced herself, already feeling the tears brimming. "Because Dad's sick." She whispered, burying her face between her knees, "what kind of daughter goes on dates when their dad has cancer, Mom? What kind of daughter-"

Linda chuckled anxiously, "Tina-"

"- flirts and feels these things when something so awful is happening to her family?!"

"Tina!" Linda scooted closer, wrapping an arm around her oldest child's shoulders as she sobbed. She couldn't keep her own tears from her eyes.

"I'm a terrible daughter."

"T-Tina!" Linda's voice cracked. "You're alive. You're human. Your father wants to see you experiencing life, no matter what happens." She cleared her throat, rubbing Tina's arm. "Its okay. We experience so many emotions - you can't feel guilty or sad all the time. You'll go mad, Tina."

Louise walked into the room, her eyes scanning the scene. Immediately her guard went up.

"Wha-" she chuckled, eyes darting nervously, "What's going on sad sacks?"

"C'mere." Linda motioned.

Louise shook her head violently even as her feet moved her forward.

"C'mere, c'mere." Linda grasped Loise's wrist and pulled her to the floor.

"Fine!" Louise screeched, "but only because you guys need me!" Her voice was thick with sorrow, tears spilling down her face. "I'm not crying, you're crying."