The letters floated on the Word-Find page as Angela crossed out CIRCLE then MOPOKE and NATURE.
“What a stupid game,” her brother Ronald said.
“It’s better than doing nothing.” Angela said then stood up and stretched.
Ronald kicked a loose stone on the pavement. “Mom’s late again.”
“But she’s never as late as dad,” Angela said, as she sat back down.
“I guess.” A pause. “Let’s not go home today.”
Angela looked up from her puzzle. “They will look for us.”
Ronald shrugged. “Maybe they’ll be glad we’re gone.”
“But what if we want to come back. There might be no place for us anymore.”
Ms. Jocelyn the Science teacher walked down the front staircase with a pile of books and stopped. “Angela, you are still here?”
“My mom told me she was going to be a little late this morning.”
“She is late every day, sweetie. Why don’t you tell her to let you use the school bus?”
“She just prefers to pick me up, that’s all.”
“Okay then. I will tell your class teacher to bring it up to her during their meeting next week.” After a quick look around she said, “Don’t wander out of the school compound, and don’t talk to strangers.”
Angela nodded and then watched the teacher walked to an old car. After she drove off, only the school headmistress’s car was left in the car park.
Ronald hugged his legs and said, “I’m hungry. Why do I always get hungry when we are waiting?
“Because we always wait too long.” Angela put her puzzle into her knapsack and stared at her shoes.
“Let’s go,” Ronald said.
“Where?”
“Anywhere. Neither one of them are coming.”
Angela said, “Let’s wait just a bit more okay.”
Ronald said, “Mom and dad obviously don’t care for me as much as they do you. Do you prefer them more than me too?”
Angela stood up and picked up her knapsack. At that very moment a car screeched round a corner and slowed to a stop in front of the school gate.
When Angela reached the car, her mom unwound the window and said, “I’m sorry, honey, but I couldn’t get away from the meeting.”
Angela opened the door and sat in the back. Her mom said, “How was school, baby?”
Angela shrugged then turned her attention outside while her mom prattled on about her work, her friends and where they should all go for the coming school holidays. Ronald was as silent as Angela, all the while staring at his hands.
They drove to a pizzeria and ordered dinner. By the time the food arrived, Angela had lost her appetite. Ronald was not eating too.
“Honey, I thought you like pizza,” her mom said.
“I had pizza with dad yesterday, and the day before.”
Her mom plunked down the piece she was holding onto the plate with disgust and said, “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I’m sorry. You just look tired and I didn’t want to bother you.”
She glared down at Angela and in an angry low voice said, “Then, eat.”
Angela picked up a slice and struggled to finish it. After dinner, they went to the mall to get a new set of pajamas for Ronald who was always getting his torn. When they reached home, Angela rearranged the soft toys strewn on the living room floor back on the couch. Then she took a shower and changed into the new pajamas. When she came out, her mom was now her dad.
“How was your day, honey?”
“Okay, dad.”
“Did you have to wait too long for mom?”
“She was in a meeting.”
“Ah…busy, busy, busy. Are you busy tonight?”
“I have homework to do.”
“Good. Go do it, baby.”
Angela went up to her bedroom and closed the door behind her. Ronald said, “Do you think they will all come tonight?”
“I don’t know.”
“We should not have waited,” he said, his eyes fixed on the door.
“If they come,” Angela whispered with a tremble in her voice, “it is your turn to be with them.”
Ronald said, “We should have left. Your mom and you should never have moved to this house.”
“I’m sorry. We will leave tomorrow. I promise.”
The door creaked open and Angela became Ronald as she stood up and grasped the hand offered to her.
Read more short stories.
