someone like sirius

{one}

{ONE}
NOVEMBER 23, 1969
HOWELL HOUSEHOLD

☆☆☆

"I got an A- on my exam today! It would have been an A+, but I still can't spot the differences between a plant cell and an animal cell. Arthur David called me ugly today, but I told him I get your genes, and you're the most beautiful woman in the entire world, mum." Camellia Howell told her mother. She was still in bed, but that was only because she was tired. She spent all these years getting angry and worked up  over everything, she deserved some time to rest herself.

"You should really do something about all these bugs." She said, as she swatted another fly that had landed on her mothers hair, causing Jezebel's head to roll back in an uncomfortable position. "Don't give me that look, I'm not the one who should be cleaning the house." She pointed out teasingly.

Her mothers room was starting to smell really bad, probably because her mother hadn't taken a shower in a while. Camellia had been sleeping in her mothers room for a few days, but ever since the bugs started swarming the place, she had to return to her princess bed in the other room. "You still haven't eaten anything?" The child questioned as she saw the untouched plate of a microwave dinner on the table. "Mother, you have to eat so you can get strong like me!" She flexed her arms, showing the tiniest bit of muscle on them.

"Aunt Hope called yesterday, but I told her you were sleeping. She seemed surprised that I answered the call. She said you hadn't spoken to her in years. I don't know why though, she was very kind." Camellia was used to the silence she got from her mother, she had been used to it for years. This was different; her mother actually listened to her! She had been waiting years for her mother to be a mother again. To love her again, and care for her again.

A knock was heard at the door, frightening Camellia. Her mother didn't react, so she didn't get up from the seat next to the woman. She knew better than to answer the door, because it might be a stranger. The person knocked again, this time louder, and heavier. The child tentatively walked to the door, and peeked through the peep hole to see Mrs. Park from downstairs dressed in her nightgown.

Since she was a child, Mrs. Park babysat her whenever her mother was gone, doing who knows what. She unlocked the door and opened the door to greet the elderly woman, but as soon as the door opened, her face turned up in disgust.

"Please keep it down, my mother is sleeping." She told the woman kindly.

"Hello dear." She said with a forced smile on her cracked lips. "I've been smelling the most awful smell coming from your apartment. If you don't get your mother to fix the issue, I'm going to have to call the landlord."

Camellia frowned. "There's nothing wrong with our apartment, thank you for stopping by." She tried to shut the door, but Mrs. Park stuck her foot in the door, effectively stopping her.

"Do you mind if I take a look around?" She asked, though it didn't sound like she had a choice to say no. She reluctantly opened the door so the woman could pass through. She was holding her nose as she walked through the entryway of the small and cluttered flat.

"Don't go in there. Mother is sleeping and doesn't like being disturbed." Camellia told the woman as she placed her hand on the doorknob to Jezebel's room. Mrs. Park ignored her, and walked through the door. Her screech was so loud, Camellia had to cover her ears to stop it.

Mrs. Park slammed the door closed and grabbed her, pulling the child out of the flat. "Let go of me! I have to watch over mother!" She screamed. Mrs. Park forcibly pulled Camellia into her flat downstairs, much to her dismay. She fought the entire way there, begging her mother to get up and tell Mrs. Park off.