A Rose from Mindoir
Chapter 1
I love this part of Mindoir, the moss covered rocky edge, the soft bed of grass I always lay on, the endless blue water so far down below. It's quiet, a place for me to be alone, to get away; ever since the accident three years ago everyone seems to be afraid of the cliffs. This is my place, my escape from the world.
"Eveline!" with a quick look behind me it's obvious that my mother found out about my latest incident, and she's angry, I can feel that scowl of hers burning a hole through me; I'm definitely catching hell later. Luckily my dad is the one to walk over to me; he's always easier to talk to.
"Ugh why does she always use my full name?" My distaste for my name makes the statement sound more than a little hostile. Why can't she just call me Eve like everyone else does? He throws his arm around me sitting down by the cliff watching the water.
"Your mother loves the name she picked out for you sweetie". My dad has always been more calm and patient with me and its apparent in his playful tone. I toss him a glance trying to fake innocence, and fail at it.
"She picked out?" He sees right through me, he's very used to the sarcasm by now.
"Hey I was ready to call you coat hanger, but your mom's idea was better." He chokes out with a partial laugh. I can't help but chuckle at that, Dad's quirky humor always gets a smile out of me and today is no different.
"Oh ha ha very funny daddy!" With that I stick my tongue out at him and lay back down on the grass staring into the cloudless sky.
"I try. Now you want to tell me what happened?" There's the serious voice I had been expecting; they had heard about the fight at school. Lately my parents have been accustomed to getting these types of calls, but this one was more violent than usual. As I turn over to my right side away from my father the days events race through my mind. Lost in my thoughts I trace the wounds Kevin's teeth left in my fist all the while shifting my position so that my head is in my dad's lap.
"He got in my way." Lying wasn't going to accomplish anything but I wasn't sure what they heard about what I did to Kevin.
"Don't you lie to me Ms. Shepard, you know you'r terrible at it". He's trying really hard to sound stern but I know him too well, he's secretly happy I am such a capable fighter; somehow he always knows when I'm lying though. It's those damned eyes of his I couldn't lie to him if I tried. Everything about my father is fairly typical, average height and weight, dirty blond hair angular face and nose, well built from construction jobs he's been working since he was 15, but his eyes stood out, I've heard the women around town claim they're like blue sapphires, they look like an ocean of crystal blue; I've caught mom getting lost in them on more than one occasion. He passed that trait on to me, everything else came from my mother. Other than my eyes I don't look anything like my father; a year ago some smart ass thought it would be funny to make a crack about my mother sleeping around, his nose never set properly. "Um hello, earth to Eveline? Do you have a proper explanation for today?"
"He told me girls have no place in sports, that I should be some nobody's trophy wife like my mom". Just repeating the insult to my family makes me want to beat the crap out of something.
"So you figured you would relieve him of his teeth?" there was an anger to his voice, but also fear, for all the trouble I get into I'm still his little girl and I know he worries one day I'll get into a fight I can't handle.
"It was only two hits! Plus I left him his molars". My dad let out a loud laugh; he never was any good at being mad at me especially when I always know how to make him laugh.
"You know you're lucky Kevin isn't pressing charges." I'm not sure my dad knows how impossible it is for him to sound like a serious parent when he's trying to scold me inbetween his laughs.
"Kevin's a pussy". The retort comes out angrier than I had intended. There's a flash of concern on Dad's face, I'm sure my parents think I'm losing control of my temper. I'm really not looking forward to the lecture I'll get at home.
"Eveline Rose Shepard! Language!" I don't know why he even pretends to be shocked he knows full well that I learned this language from him.
"Do you want to be the pot or the kettle daddy?" That got another boisterous laugh out of him.
"Smart ass". He chuckles to himself, he would have gotten hit for that had mom heard.
"I try". With a smile and a kiss it's time for me to get up and face my mother's punishment. "Now let me go see mom before she has an aneurism". Here goes nothing, I take a quick look back at my father flashing look of dread.
"Be nice to your mother she loves you and is just looking out for you". I roll my eyes and start walking towards my mother standing with her arms crossed in disapproval; her gaze still burning a hole through me. Even though she's pissed its easy to see why everyone finds her beautiful; five foot eight with wavy jet black hair down to her lower back. Very fit, she won't tell me how much she weighs but I'd guess around one thirty. She has a soft face and fair skin with a slender nose. She's also well endowed, all of these things were passed to me, however no one seems to know where I get the freckles from. Her eyes are colder though, a deep dark brown almost black; it makes that scowl almost unbearable. As I approach my mother I can't help but notice a hint of fear in her expression.
"We have a lot to talk about. Your behavior lately is not acceptable." I know better than to argue with her right now so instead I simply nod and hang my head.
"Can we go home? I'm tired and need a shower". The last thing I need right now is an argument so I try my best to be polite. Despite how angry she is with me my mother can't help but smile, I remind her of herself when she was my age. She loves to tell me stories of the hell she raised and how she used to drive her parents insane; I think that's why no matter what I do or how many lectures I get she can't stay mad at me for long.
"Of course sweetheart, but we need to talk later. This behavior of yours concerns me; but we can talk about that later. Let's get my little Rose home". My mothers nickname for me, it always seems to sooth me and I never really understood how. Her demeanor softened considerably and with a gentle tug she pulls my wounded hand to her lips and kisses the injury. With that the three of us start back to the house.
When we get back home I head to the bathroom and get in the shower. The hot water feels good after today, it's soothing. I close my eyes and just let the water cover me like a warm blanket.
Your smile lights up the dark parts of my heart
And your heart brings a smile to my face
Your smile makes me love you more and more
While I lose myself in your eyes.
I always end up singing in the shower. It's a simple song mom used to sing to me when I had bad nightmares. Those damned woods; I still have the nightmare from time to time, in it I get lost in the dense woods outside of Riverbend. When I was little that dream would terrify me and I would make my way to my parents bed and mom would sing that to me until I fell asleep.
With the day effectively washed away I get out of the shower and stand in front of the floor length mirror. I just turned thirteen but according to my mother I look more like I'm fifteen or sixteen. The boys in my school have already begun to notice and were it not for my frightening reputation their advances would likely be maddening. Still, I've seen the way men seem to drool over my mother. "I swear the first guy I see gawking at my backside is going to get my boot shoved so far up his ass he'll think his tongue is leather". My statement to myself had been said louder than I expected.
"I heard that Eveline!" She hates it when I swear but that doesn't stop me from doing it around her. When I get downstairs dinner is just being served. Mom is a brilliant cook and tonight is no different she's made a roast with steamed carrots and mashed potatoes.
"Smells great mom". Please let her forget about needing to talk to me. I really don't need to hear the same old lecture. I sit down and grab for the mashed potatoes but my hand gets smacked away before I can get any.
"You know better than to grab any food before grace". I give my mother the best fake pout I can muster and she passes me a warm smile before reciting the short prayer. "Now, while we eat its time to talk about today". Damnit, here comes the same lecture I always hear.
"I know mom, I should use my words first actions second, you're concerned that my temper is no longer under my control and I will end up in more trouble than I can handle. Did I miss anything?" I know my impatient tone only makes her angry but I hate these lectures.
"Well at least I know you have the ability to memorize our usual talks though I'm beginning to doubt their effectiveness". There is an obvious annoyance in mom's voice. "Sweetheart your father and I are concerned, Kevin is nearly twice your size you could have been seriously hurt. The last thing we want to see is you getting hurt badly due to your rash actions". This was unexpected they know I can fight, and well, but then again this was the first time I had attacked someone that much bigger and older.
"That didn't stop him from getting his ass kicked. It's not my fault Kevin is too fat and slow to land a hit". My father nearly choked on the potatoes he was eating before letting out the laugh he failed to hold in.
"I swear Richard how are we ever going to get her to stop using language like that if you act like a hyena everytime she does?" My father always looks like a deer in headlights when mom is scolding him.
"Oh come on Hannah show me one thirteen year old that doesn't know and use that language liberally". Dad is usually the one to defend me when the language argument comes up. He finds my foul language to be hysterical; my mother however does not.
"I'll have you know I survived just fine through my teens without feeling the need to use such language". There's pride in her voice but some sarcasm as well. There's no way she refrained from ever swearing at all.
"Well that's because you were a saint. Well, at least until I got my hands on you". Dad's sly grin was not as subtle as he'd like to think. What followed was a big kiss right on her lips in front of me. Sometimes I think he forgets I'm sitting across from them when he gets like this.
"Um, dad Ew! Can you two get a room or something? I really don't need to watch your make out sessions with mom". Dad is still grinning like a kid that just got away with stealing candy; mom pretends to be her usual horrified self, the same act she puts on whenever I see my parents engaged in any sort of pda.
"Richard control yourself! Our daughter is sitting right across from us!" My mother is not nearly as convincing as she thinks with that line delivered half giggling. I do my best to look grossed out and stand up from the table.
"Oh by all means don't let me interrupt you, please you have my blessing I've always kind of wanted a little brother". It is way too easy and amusing to make my mother blush and by now she is turning cherry red.
"See we have permission honey, what do you want to name the baby Hannah?" Now its my turn to nearly choke on my own laughter; as my poor mother turns a shade of red I didn't know humans could turn.
"What am I going to do with you two? My daughter swears like a sailor and simulates a Krogan bloodrage at the slightest provocation, while my husband attempts seduce me in front of her and they laugh about it". The image of me as a Krogan has my sides splitting with laughter as my dad gasps for air. "Now if you are quite finished laughing at inappropriate jokes the dishes need cleaning then you need to wash up and go to bed you have school tomorrow. Oh and in case you thought your antics had gone forgotten you are grounded for three weeks because of today's fight". As the laughter vanishes from my face replaced by annoyance I reluctantly clean up the dishes and head to my room.
Back in my room and under my covers all that's left is to reflect on the day. "Am I really out of control? It was only one fight". As sleep slowly creeps across me all my conscious thoughts leave me and all that remains is one phrase uttered as I slip into the dream. "Not the damned woods again".