 |
|
|
“I’m so glad I could come over today!” Lisa chattered to Grace as the two fifth grade girls skipped down the steps of the yellow school bus and out onto the sidewalk. “We’re gonna have lottsa fun. But first, I’m kinda hungry. Can we have snack when we get to your house?”
Grace stopped at the end of a driveway, staring at the red Ford Mustang parked there.
But Lisa focused her attention on the house. “Hey, this it? It’s just like you described it. Nice and big. And yellow. My favorite color.” Lisa turned her head to look at her friend. “Gracie?” Frowning slightly, she walked over to the car and studied it, wondering why Grace found it so interesting. “Whatcha doing?”
“Oh, um…nothing, I…just, it’s just…” Grace cleared her throat and tried to smile. “My step-dad’s here. Mom was supposed to be home by now, but her van isn’t here…so he’s gonna have to watch us…” Her voice faded and she shook her head. Taking a deep breath, she forced the corners of her sagging mouth to curve up again. “C’mon, let’s go inside.”
“And get something to eat?”
“Well, uh, yeah…sure. But let’s be quiet, OK? He—uh…my step-dad, might be…sleeping.”
The girls set their book-bags near the front door and then quietly made their way to the kitchen. Grace opened the pantry, with Lisa following close behind her. “See anything ya like?”
“Ooooh, yeah! Mac n’ cheese, I love mac n’ cheese!” Lisa squealed eagerly.
Grace grabbed a box of microwave macaroni and cheese and whirled around to face her friend. “Shhh!”
Lisa clapped a hand over her mouth. “Oops. Sorry.” A small giggle escaped through her fingers.
Together, the girls set about making their snack as quietly as they could. Grace winced every time the utensils accidentally clanked against each other. She was careful to keep the kitchen meticulously clean, washing every utensil as she went along. When the mac n’ cheese was done, they both carefully carried their bowls, towards the table.
Laughing at something Lisa said, Grace bumped the table. A kitchen towel, dirty from their cheesy mouths, slipped to the floor. She bent over to pick it up, but a dark, rough voice made her freeze.
“Grace.”
Lisa could feel her blood go cold and her mouth run dry. This must be Gracie’s step-dad, she thought to herself as she shivered in her seat. He stood so very tall, looking down at the girls with eyes as sharp, blue points of ice. His intense gaze swept from Grace to Lisa. “I must ask you to wait in Grace’s room, downstairs, little girl.”
Lisa fled.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jesus, Lisa prayed as she sat on the floor of Grace’s dark basement bedroom. She shut her eyes and hugged her knees, but she couldn’t close her ears to the sound of her friend’s cries as she was tossed about the room directly overhead. Oh, Jesus. Why? All we wanted was some mac n’ cheese. All she did was drop a towel…
Grace screamed.
It was all Lisa could do not to cry out as well. She bit her lip and tasted her salty tears.
Suddenly, all commotion stopped. Lisa drew in a shaky breath when she heard the basement door open. Was he coming to beat her too?
The bedroom door swung open. He glided in, with Gracie, all bloodied and bruised, following right behind him. Crossing his arms across his chest severely, he spoke in a voice that was surprisingly calm and soothing. “You must understand, little girl. Grace must learn to respect property. I will not tolerate careless misuse of another’s belongings.” He paused. “Look at me.”
Lisa nervously met his gaze.
“You understand, don’t you?”
Lisa nodded her head.
But it was a lie.
She didn’t understand. At all.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lisa slept fitfully that night. She awoke the next morning wanting desperately to tell someone what she knew. But she was afraid. Would Grace still be her friend if she told? But, then again, how long would Grace live at the hands of her step-dad if she didn’t tell? Would he really kill Grace’s mom, like he threatened, if the truth leaked out?
Tell them, my daughter.
She found her mother doing laundry. “Mom? Can I talk to you right now?”
“Of course, dear. What is it?”
She began to cry. “All we wanted was a little mac n’ cheese…”
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
|
|
|
