Ten Years Old
I do not know the reason for the mid-afternoon bath, but Mom has surely threw in the bubble bath to entice me.
The bathroom was creams and dark browns. There was a large cupboard built into the wall. Inside the cupboard was nail polish writing I had done when I was 7. The nail polish was red and came from my Cinderella beauty set.
I am laying back in the tub; Mom had said I could take my time. The dark brown window blind is drawn down, but it moves in the breeze. Thwack, thwack against the window sill. Bursts of sunshine and green pour through every time the blind draws itself from the wall. The breeze is nice on my wet body.
I hear Mom on the phone and know she is running next door to Grandma's house before she pokes her head in the door to let me know. Her hair is starting to grey again.
"I will close up the big door," she says.
I shrug my shoulders.
"Okay."
I hear my little brother's running footsteps coming into the house. It has been five minutes since Mom has left.
He bangs on the door.
"Gotta pee," he yells.
I draw the shower curtain.
"Okay," I say, peeking out.
He comes in. He is a curly-haired mess.
Then he starts to laugh. His stupid half big, half little teeth grin is all I can see.
It happens so fast. The shower curtain yanking open. The blind going up. Albino staring through the window at me.
"You fucking assholes," I scream, throwing back the curtain, as Mikey runs from the bathroom. I hear the big door close and I jump out of the tub, grabbing a towel.
I pick up the black phone hanging on the kitchen wall and I spin the phone number to Grandma's house.
"Hello," she picks on the third ring.
"Grandmaaaaaa," I wail, water dripping, forming a small puddle around my feet.
I am standing behind my mother in the dusty driveway of Albino's red house. Albino's father is dirty and in a yellow shirt, un-buttoned all the way.
He was sweating to begin with.
It gets worse as his face gets redder. His shoulders hunch in anger. He points his thick finger.
Then he turns, marching his squat body towards the front door. He is taking off his belt.
Albino and I secretly held hands for the rest of the summer.
I do not know the reason for the mid-afternoon bath, but Mom has surely threw in the bubble bath to entice me.
The bathroom was creams and dark browns. There was a large cupboard built into the wall. Inside the cupboard was nail polish writing I had done when I was 7. The nail polish was red and came from my Cinderella beauty set.
I am laying back in the tub; Mom had said I could take my time. The dark brown window blind is drawn down, but it moves in the breeze. Thwack, thwack against the window sill. Bursts of sunshine and green pour through every time the blind draws itself from the wall. The breeze is nice on my wet body.
I hear Mom on the phone and know she is running next door to Grandma's house before she pokes her head in the door to let me know. Her hair is starting to grey again.
"I will close up the big door," she says.
I shrug my shoulders.
"Okay."
I hear my little brother's running footsteps coming into the house. It has been five minutes since Mom has left.
He bangs on the door.
"Gotta pee," he yells.
I draw the shower curtain.
"Okay," I say, peeking out.
He comes in. He is a curly-haired mess.
Then he starts to laugh. His stupid half big, half little teeth grin is all I can see.
It happens so fast. The shower curtain yanking open. The blind going up. Albino staring through the window at me.
"You fucking assholes," I scream, throwing back the curtain, as Mikey runs from the bathroom. I hear the big door close and I jump out of the tub, grabbing a towel.
I pick up the black phone hanging on the kitchen wall and I spin the phone number to Grandma's house.
"Hello," she picks on the third ring.
"Grandmaaaaaa," I wail, water dripping, forming a small puddle around my feet.
I am standing behind my mother in the dusty driveway of Albino's red house. Albino's father is dirty and in a yellow shirt, un-buttoned all the way.
He was sweating to begin with.
It gets worse as his face gets redder. His shoulders hunch in anger. He points his thick finger.
Then he turns, marching his squat body towards the front door. He is taking off his belt.
Albino and I secretly held hands for the rest of the summer.
Comments
Great story Q. My what a vocabulary you had for just a little girl...
Q