Checkmate

Mother Knows Best

"But mom I'm hungry!" Eleven, out in the woods for twenty five hours.

"You need to withstand the limitation of hunger" she says eating in front of her student.

"Mom!" I shriek looking away "please! I can't do this!"

"Madeline you will do as you are told!" She yells at me "Now sit quietly!"

"Mother knows best" she says.

I watch her settle down to sleep, a knife in her hand. I watch the campsite and listen to the birds chirping their last song for the day. They created a peaceful atmosphere, distracting me from my hunger.

In the morning, I woke to cool water splashed on my face, breakfast waiting for me.

"Where are we?" I ask mom, finding myself inside the house again. "How did we get back home?"

She shakes her head "you were so close" she sighs "eat up and we'll start again next week"

I gulp and watch dad walk into the room. I begged him so many times but he fed my mothers fear, making her even more paranoid about my training.

"Come on Madeline, your mother made breakfast" he says gesturing to a chair next to him. "We must be grateful Madeline"

He clears his throat "grateful for our Purpose Execution Ability Candor and Excellence..PEACE"

*************************************
"No!" I scream jolting awake "no no no"

"Madeline?" Alessandro turns on the lamp sitting on the night stand "what is it?"

I open my mouth to tell him everything was alright but a sharp pain in my right side replaced my words with a scream.

"Somethings wrong Alessandro" I cry fear itching into my body.

We had been away from the mafia for two months now. Six months along and I was still scared of sharp corners, weird fruit and mosquitos.

"Alessandro!" I urge him for the third time this week "We have to go!"

He groans and gets up slowly grabbing his keys "alright Madeline! Lets go!"

I follow him out the door and into the car. We make our way to the hospital and soon the doctor is examining me once again.

"The pains are a bit strange" the doctor says prepping me for an ultrasound then nods "I would prepare myself if I were you Madeline"

I look at her with fear "what do you mean?"

She sighs "from what I see here, it looks like you may be having this baby a bit early..probably in the next month or so"

My heart beats faster and my palms start to sweat "what do you mean? My baby's is going to be premature?! How is that possible! Why?"

The doctor takes my hand in hers "breathe honey" she smiles "you will be pretty close to the 32 week mark and that is not that early..the pains could be hunger or nausea so let's start you on a supplement and see how everything looks from there"

She smiles "don't worry Madeline everything is fine! Your baby is healthy, she just wants to see her mommy a bit early" she stands and leaves the room.

"See everything is just fine Madeline" Alessandro says taking my hand "please take a breathe"

I gulp and rest my hand against my belly "she says the baby could be early, how is that being just fine?!"

He sighs "you are just too stressed love, you need to relax or you will have the baby too early" he smiles "rest and food is all a pregnant woman needs..or so Abigail has been telling me"