[torrid mind]

part 3

When ever I went away like that I always worried about Brooke. No one would take care of her but me. I was practically the adult in the house. I cooked dinner for her I cleaned up after her and I brought her to daycare. With all these things to do I had no time for school. But that was fine with me because school was a living hell anyways. I had no friends at that school. All my friends came from the highschool, they seemed to like me more. The kids at my school were always making fun of me. Prolly because I read a lot and I didn’t have the latest designer clothes and I wasn’t so petty like them. Oh well...
The next few days, I took a little pride in the fact that John had a cut on his head where I had hit him. He left me alone for awhile but as son as the cut faded so did that and he was back to his yelling and hitting and throwing and I just kept reading and taking care of Brooke.
My parents were always locked up in their room. I never asked questions but they gave me answers anyways. They said the shots were for mommies hurt knee and that she needed rest and John had to be there to help her.
Brooke’s birthday was coming up soon. In just a few days she would be 3. My grandma and grandpa Stam (from Johns side) were coming so john was yelling at me even more to get the house cleaned up.
When they finally came mommy and John seemed a little different, usually they were complete zombies but now they were just a little more attentive. I guess I was because his parents were in town.
That night was pretty nice. We had cake and Brooke opened her presents. Later that night grandma Stam was going to take us over to aunt Beth’s house. When we got in the car she put her hand over her hart and said
“What is wrong with my son?”
She kept asking me but I thought she knew. I thought she knew we had been in foster care and all that. I thought she could tell what was going on even if I wanted to tell myself a lie.
But she kept asking so I told her about mommy’s hurt knee and us going to foster care and everything that had happened. She looked so shocked but I didn’t know why.
We went to aunt Beth’s house and stayed there for a while then went back home.
The next day my grandma made me go to school. I said I had to stay home and take care of Brooke but she said she would do that so I went.
School wasn’t so bad that day. No one talked to me so I just sat and read. I didn’t hear giggling whispers behind me and no one made fun of me that day. It was okay.
After school I went over to Rickie’s house not knowing what would happen when I left.
When I went home my mommy was waiting for me in my room and told me I had to start packing because I was moving to Las Vegas to live with my grandparents. I asked what about Brooke and she said she was going to Gallup to live with grandma and grandpa stam. I didn’t understand why I had to leave. Mommy said it was because her and john were very sick. I cried and said I could work harder. I felt like all of this was my fault. If I had tried harder. If I hadn’t hit john if I had helped mommy more I wouldn’t have had to leave. That was what I thought.
I packed all my things and got a little bag of things to give to Rickie and Kendra. Mommy said that my grandma would be here the next day.