Falling in Love with our Memories (On Hold & Under Editing)

Growing Friendship/Falling Family

Ever since the mud incident a friendship had started between Fredrick and I. Often times my parents would drop me of at the Wisely's cabin sometimes to take a stroll alone, sometimes even when they were going to have a bad argument and they didn't want me to hear it. Fredrick would take me outside and he'd teach me many new things about the world. I learned how to fish, play marbles, throw a ball and even how to swim and skip stones. I loved to have a friend it was something new and it was something I didn't want to be taken away from me. Fredrick's birthday rolled around exactly two weeks before mine. He was turning 7 on July 10th Mama and I went and celebrated with his family, my father didn't come as he wasn't keen on their family ever since Mr. Wisely showed him up. Mama tried her best with Mrs. Wisely, she was so desperate for a friend, someone to talk to. These last few weeks have seemed to take a toll on her. She was trying her best to take care of me, please father, keep a clean house, it was catching up to her. Fredrick's birthday was nice, he got good presents and a beautiful cake yet ma seemed so distressed which worried me.

13 days later my birthday came but it was only father and mother because father refused to let the Wisely's in our home. My mother had baked me a cake, wrapped my present, and did her best to make sure I was happy.  The day was so nice, ma took me for a walk into town and she let me pick out candy for a nickel. I was enjoying myself just as my mother hoped when a knock came at the door. My father jumped up from his chair and placed down the newspaper he had been reading to greet one of his friends Mark Rogers.  He grabbed his gun from the corner, his hat off the top of the fireplace shelf and went for the door. "Happy Birthday Pumpkin" he said giving me a pat on the back. "I'll see you later Julia."

"Where are you going John?"

"Where do you think, I'm going shooting with mark."

Mother plastered on a fake smile. "You can go hunting any day of the year but your daughters birthday only comes once a year don't you think you should stay home and celebrate with her at least just a little bit longer.  Until she eats her cake and opens her present." there was a sharp look in her eye.

"Nope, I've witnessed this before there's no entertainment I'd much rather shoot with Mark.  If we shoot something I'll skin the fur and give it to Cynthia as another present.  Consider it gift hunting for her."

"Please say you're joking John." She waited for a response but father just glared at her until she broke the silence that settled uncomfortably in the room. "Fine, leave like you always do.  Your gone so often I wouldn't be surprised if she thought you were just a guest instead of her father."

"You're so overdramatic God sometimes I wonder why I married you." with that he left.

A couple minutes after father left, I continued eating and ma sat defeated in a chair next to me head in her hands shaking. A few seconds later she stood up and grabbed my hand without commentary. I watched a few tears roll down her cheeks.  We went out the door away from my birthday dinner and uncut cake and headed towards the Wisely's house. I stayed silent but deep down I wanted to cry and tell her to take me back home, that I wanted just to eat my cake and open my presents. About half way to the Wisely's she started full on crying, perhaps the stress was overwhelming her. She tried to hold it back the best she could but she just couldn't. It didn't take much longer until we we arrived at the Wisely's door step. She knocked tears falling even harder then before. Mr. Wisely answered the door and became shocked when he saw my mom an emotional wreck. Mrs. Wisely was right behind him and when she saw my mother she brushed Nathan away from the door and hugged mother. Ma pushed away slightly. "Take...Cynthia I just need...a couple minutes...alone...it's just..."Ma couldn't spit the rest of her sentence out,  she just kept crying."

"No need Julia, I understand. Go and tend to yourself we'll take care of her." as Mrs. Wisely finished talking mother ran off.

"Come in Cynthia how's our little six year old friend doing. I heard it was your birthday." I was still looking towards the direction where my mother had run off. I turned towards Mrs. Wisely, emotions started brewing inside and tears pricked my eyes threatening to fall.

"It's ok I guess." I said

She grabbed my hand and lead me inside closing the door behind her. Mr. Wisely gave me a small unsure smile. She called for Fredrick. "Hey Fredrick, We have company." Fredrick came out with curious eyes and smiled once he saw my familiar face. "Why don't you two run along and play while I talk to your father. I followed Fredrick into his room and he closed the door behind him trying to mute his parents. When he tried to distract me from having my ear to the door I shut him up. "Johnathan hasn't been treating Julia good lately he's been really mean to her and they've been arguing a lot, and I want so desperately to help her. I heard he's been running off trying to avoid her as much he can."

Mr. Wisely brought his wife into his arms hugging her. "I can't imagine what she's going through that's awful.  There's nothing we can do to help them but Marie we can't ever let our son do that to anyone."

I turned towards Fredrick trying desperately to blink away my tears when it didn't work he pulled me giving me a hug. He understood why, he overheard the conversation himself and even though he didn't fully understand what it all meant he still stroked my hair and comforted me as my tears fell. For the next couple hours Fredrick helped distract me by playing cards then we went and watched Mr. Wisely begin to carve things out of wood. It made me feel better being surrounded by people who cared for me in a nice warm home. While watching Mr. Wisely carve a wolf out of a small block of sturdy wood I fell asleep at the table.  All my crying had worn me out.
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I woke up the next morning in my own bed. Mr. Wisely must have carried me home, or maybe it was my father but I doubted that.  The next couple weeks remained the same at home, tense and quiet.  My mom began dumping me on the Wisely's door step a lot.  I didn't mind but I felt like a burden to them.  Mrs. Wisely helped prepare Fredrick and I for the upcoming school year.  My first year of school would start up soon and I'd join Fredrick in the one room school house. When we weren't learning or playing new games outside we talked about everything and anything while playing with toys.  While my friendship with Fredrick began to grow I found that my family was falling apart. 

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Next chapter will be the last chapter as Fredrick and Cynthia as children.  

As always

Happy Reading Everyone!!