“What?” Roxi said placing her dirty bowl in the sink,
“I want to invite him over for dinner,” I watched gingerly as she piled more dishes into the sink
“Are you sure? I mean you’ve only been here for a couple days, and spent most of them in bed. Now you want to throw a dinner party?”
“Roxi, I thought you wanted me to get better,” She was starting to irritate me again.
“I do, I just don’t want you to over do yourself,”
“Roxi, if I don’t do something I’m going to go insane!”
Roxi rubbed her head in question, and then looked back up at me, “I guess I can’t stop you if it’s what you want,”
“Does that mean I can, Mother?” I asked sarcastically
Yeah, but you have to cook!” she said picking up her purse and keys that where lying on the back of the couch, “Would you mind if I invited AJ?” she said smiling,
“Sure,”
“Alright then, I’ll see you later. Just try and relax, ok Laura?” she said walking out the door.
I looked over at the sink that was over flowing with dishes, and then at the front room that was also over flowing with junk. “Sure, I’ll relax,” I said rolling my eyes.
I spent what seemed like hours cleaning my sister’s apartment. It had probably never been this clean sense she moved in; I thought as I clasped on the couch. I contemplated getting out and going to the beach, but I figured if my sister came home to find me gone, she’d probably send the National Guard after me. So I decided to read a book. My sister wasn’t one for reading. And you’d probably find more books in a blind man’s house then my sister’s. But while I was cleaning, I found underneath piles of clothes, newspapers and magazines a book. It was Robinson Crusoe; it had been our favorite book as children. When Roxi was a little girl, I used to read it to her over and over again. Robinson Crusoe reminded us of our father, always looking for adventure, but always finding himself shipwrecked on a deserted island. And Roxi and I, his shipmates, following him everywhere, and Finding ourselves shipwrecked along side him.
I opened the cover and on the left side of the page read,
To my dearest Laura and Roxi,
May you always find adventure and excitement in your life;
But always remember your way back home.
With all my love, Mama
It had been the last think our Mother had given us before she died, it was a Christmas present. I remember her telling us not to fight over it, but read it together, to each other.
The day after Christmas, we were driving back home from our grandmothers house, we didn’t want to leave, but our father had to get back to work, “We can come back in a couple weeks, I promise,” I remember my mother saying. We should have left earlier but Roxi and I were staling, Dad had to get to work the next day so he deiced that he’d just drive all night and not stop. I remember it had started to rain; Roxi was terribly frightened of the rain, so Mom leaned over the seat and told Roxi -who was sitting behind her- to scoot next to me, and that I could protect her. Mom never questioned an of our fears, she would always scare away the monsters in our room, keep us safe from the hallowing wind, and hold us tight when the rain would patter on our windowsill. Roxi then scooting next to me and Mom looking over at us smiling, “See, isn’t that better?” She said turning back around in her seat. That was the last thing I remember, two days later I woke up in a hospital room, my dad was sitting in a rocking chair next to my bed crying, I didn’t even have to ask him what was wrong. I already knew, how does an eight year old already know her mothers died I still can’t say, but I knew. I knew from that day on that everything relied on me; Roxi and Dad were my responsibility. That was the day I grew up. I reached my hand out and grabbed my fathers, “Its ok Daddy, you’ll be ok, I’m here” I had said rubbing his hand. But now it was their turn to take care of me, and I don’t know how to let them, they can’t understand. No one can…
A loud knock on the door startled me and I dropped my book, “Who could that be?” I said wiping tears away and walking over to the door, I looked through the peephole and all I could see was a bigheaded blonde. I opened the door.
“Oh,” he said turning around, “I thought maybe you weren’t home, I’ve been knocking for five minutes,” he said showing off his beautiful white teeth.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you,” I said looking him up and down, “It’s Nick, right?”
“Yeah, I came…”
“Well come in, can I get you something?” I said interrupting him
“Oh no, I’m fine thanks, I…”
“Oh god, I’m sorry, I’ve never introduced myself, I’m…”
“Laura,” he said chuckling
“Yes,” I said taking a deep breath, “I’m Laura,”
“I know, I think you must have lost this when you…. Well I think you lost this,” he said handing me my wallet
“Oh, thank you I didn’t even know I lost it,” I said rummaging through it
“I’m sorry I’ve waited so long to bring it back to you, but your sister kinda hovers like a hawk and I wanted to see how you were,” he said sticking his hands in his pockets.
“Thank you, I’m fine. I really appreciate what you did, I mean most people would have thought I was a little crazy,” I said crossing my arms and then uncrossing them.
“I don’t know what I’d call you, put it sure isn’t crazy,” he said watching me with a grin on his face.
“Well, you don’t know me very well then,” I grinned
“Well, I know how it feels sometimes, to just feel…crazy,”
“You’re probably wondering what I was doing?” I said lowering my head,
“I can’t say I’m not curious, but you can tell me in time,” he said smiling. He seemed safe, I hadn’t even known the man, but there was something about him that made me feel safe, and open. I would have told him anything, everything. I needed so badly someone to confide in, someone to just listen, without worry or disbelief; someone to tell me it would be ok, and actually believe it enough to make me believe it. I was tried of being treated like a child. And this complete stranger I had fallen in the arms of once before, seemed like a perfect person to fall into once again.
“Would you like to have dinner tonight?” I said bluntly
“Oh, um….” He said rubbing the back of his head
“Well, I mean, I’d like to thank you, for what you did the other day, but if you have plans, it’s ok…” I started to fidget again, “What are you doing Harris,” I mumbled under my breath
“No, I’d love to have dinner tonight,” he said smiling up at me,
“Oh,” I said a little startled, “Good, I’ll cook,”
“It’s a date then,”
Never Gone by MeG
