Broken Flower (Early Spring 1)

"Is Mama coming back now?"

"Oh, she's coming back, all right," he said. "I'd better get dressed and put on my bulletproof vest," he added, and headed quickly for the stairway.

I started to clean up after Daddy and myself, but left Ian's sandwich and lemonade on the table. He came out of the bathroom and hurried to the refrigerator to get some ice cubes. I watched him wrap them in a cloth and then press them to his lip first. Then he turned and glared at me.

"I found her and she denied everything, but I told her she was lying. She put her brother on me like a guard dog. He punched me before I knew what he was going to do. Their mother came out and I shouted at them all. Of course, Flora continued to deny it all. She claimed you made it up."

"I didn't make it up, Ian."

"I know that. You wouldn't have known what to say, but I told you not to go there!" he screamed.

I started to cry. He sat at the table and shifted his ice pack to his right eye.

"I'd call the police but you would be in a mess," he said. "What did you tell Father?"

"Nothing," I said through my sobs. "He didn't ask why you had a fight about a butterfly."

"Good. Where is he?"

"Someone called him and he ran upstairs to get dressed. I think Mama's on her way back."

"Let me think of a story," he said. "Maybe I will stick to the butterfly story. I know she would be very, very upset if she knew what you let that girl do to you."

"I didn't let her, Ian."

"You should have run right out and not waited."

I started to cry again.

"Okay, okay," he said. "Stop crying. Just don't tell her anything about it. I'll handle it," he said. "Did you clean up that scratch and put a new bandage on it like I told you to do?"

"Yes."

"And you put your clothes in the washer?"

"Yes," I said, sucking in my tears.

"All right I'll get right on that."

He tried to eat but moaned with pain when he chewed. Finally, he pushed the sandwich away, got up, and went to the washing machine. I finished cleaning up the kitchen for Mama and then went to my room. I had other books to read and games I had brought along, but nothing kept me interested. I kept going to my window and looking out for our car and Mama's return. I heard Daddy come down the stairs and go into the living room to turn on the television set and watch a ball game.

Mama would be upset when she saw Ian, but maybe he would make it good again with his explanation. She always believed whatever he said. Tomorrow we would go horseback riding and everything would return to the way it was. I wouldn't set foot in the woods again unless Ian asked me to go somewhere with him.

I lowered myself onto my bed and closed my eyes. I felt terrible about disappointing Ian. He was only trying to protect me and even got into a fight because of me. All of this was happening because of my precocious puberty. I couldn't wait for the medicine to work. I wanted to return to the girl I was and not have to think about tadpoles and eggs and new feelings. I was never very worried about boys. If anything, they were just annoying. Now I would be afraid to be in the same room alone with any boy.

My sadness made my fatigue deepen. I couldn't open my eyes. My legs were aching, too. Before I knew it. I fell asleep and I didn't wake up until I heard the sound of something smash against the living room wall.

I sat up and listened.

It was strangely quiet. Had I imagined it? I slipped off the bed and opened my door to peer out.

Mama was standing in the living room. She had that bag in her hands and suddenly turned it upside down. A gold cosmetic case fell out, along with a locket.

Daddy sat there looking at her.

"Don't bother to make up any stories. Christopher," she said. "Either you pack and leave or I will get the kids together and leave."

She turned and walked toward the stairway. Ian was standing in his bedroom doorway, too. She didn't look at either of us. If she had, she surely would have stopped to ask Ian what had happened to him. Instead, she went up the stairs, her feet pounding on the steps.