Some People Change (Currently Editing)

Chapter Four

The hardest part was telling Joanne. But how in the world was I supposed to tell her that Billy and the gang had gone to rob a store and that one of Billy’s friends had pulled a gun and tried to shoot a few police officers inside. And how the hell was I supposed to tell her that the police officers had fired back, and that they hit Billy. And how was I supposed to tell her that Billy was dead. I wasn’t even sure that she understood what dead meant.

With tears streaming down my face, I stumbled up to her room. She was already awake. 

“Sissy?” she asked.

I knew she was asking if I was all right. I shook my head, and Joanne just continued staring at me with her big, blue eyes, silently asking what was wrong.

“Joanne,” I said softly. She nodded once. “Billy’s dead, honey. We can’t see him anymore.”

Joanne stuck out her bottom lip and then she began to wail. I  picked her up and pulled her into me, stroking her hair softly as I held her. Then I began to cry, too and I felt my sister wrap her arms around my neck.

We held each other for a little while longer, and then suddenly, I heard a car screech into the driveway. My first thought of course was Tom. And it was. 

Before he got out of his car, I set Joanne back into her bed and told her stay in her room no matter what. She just sat there, confused and nodding her head. Then I raced downstairs.

Tom was there, standing in the living room. He had an angry expression on his face, and my breath caught in my throat because even if I didn’t want to admit it, I was scared of Tom. He was so much stronger than I was, and he could do whatever he wanted to me and I was the only one who could protect myself.

“Where’s your mother?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I answered, my voice quavering.

I wasn’t prepared for what happened next, but I don’t think I could’ve done anything different even if I was ready for it.

Tom suddenly put both of his hands around my throat and pushed me up against the wall roughly. I tried to scream, but it just wouldn’t come out. Then I tried to kick him, but Tom just slammed me against the wall harder.

“Where is she?!” he spat.

“I don’t know!” I yelled back.

Tom threw me on the floor and this time I screamed. He kicked my stomach, and then picked me up again and threw me against the wall again.

Fight back, you idiot, I thought to myself. Why wasn’t I fighting?!

Suddenly, before I even had time to fight, Tom dropped me on the floor and raced out of the house. I couldn’t figure out why until I heard sirens coming up my street. Tom’s car sped out of the driveway, and then just a few seconds later, another car screeched into it.

I took an opportunity to look at myself in the mirror in the bathroom quickly. Surprisingly, I wasn’t bleeding.

I heard a knock on the door and, very cautiously, I opened it. A police officer stood there. I could only imagine why he was here.

“Are you Kayla Robinson?” the officer asked.

“Yes,” I answered. “What’s this about?”

“Um, your mother was caught driving under the influence and she also had a substantial amount of drugs in her system.”

“So, where is she now?”

“At the police station.”

“What?” I asked, again not wanting to believe what I was hearing.

“Yes, Miss. I’m so sorry. I’m here to pick you and your sister up. And also, where is your stepdad?”

“You just missed him.”

I guess they were after Tom, too. 

“Please, Miss. You need to come now.”

I knew if my mom was found unfit to parent me, then Joanne and I would be taken away from here. We would go to foster homes, and we might even be separated. And I’m sure with my luck, we would be.

“I’ll go get my sister,” I said.