"My child, I want what is best for you. We are both going away from this place, away from that mean woman." An older man's voice said in the darkness.
"Where are we going papa?" A sweet voice of a little girl replied.
"We are going somewhere far away."
"My friend is here, can't he come too?" The small voice started quivering.
"No, but don't worry, you will see him again someday."
All three of them stood next to the grave, one dressed in a black dress, the other two in matching suits. They were in mourning. Their father, a notorious writer, has passed away. Life was cruel taking away such a wonderful father and man from this world.
When it started to rain the eldest of the three, Andrew, motioned his younger siblings that it was time to leave. Escorting his younger brother and sister to the car, he gave one last look towards their fathers' burial. Closing the door to the car, he walked around to the other side to get into the driver's side.
Andrew himself was eighteen. He lived on his own legally, but his siblings, they were too young to live on their own. Kyle was thirteen and Rachel was ten. Unfortunately he was too young to afford care for both his siblings. It pained him to know he had to take them to the one place they all dread. He had to take them too their mothers.
Rachel hugged a book against her, her head bowed. They were going back to mothers. Their mother wasn't exactly kind, well to her anyway. Kyle and Andrew was treated nicely when they all used to live together and she didn't understand why. Kyle just sat back looking out the window watching the guardrails pass by. He's been quiet since the funeral.
Andrew looked into the rear view mirror at his siblings. He was thinking of striking up conversation, but he couldn't think of a topic that they would actually reply to. Right now wasn't the time to talk, so the car ride was silent.
It was an hour ride, but they finally made it to their destination. Pulling in the driveway, Andrew parked and went to get the bags from the back. Most of the big stuff was already delivered, he only had the things Kyle and Rachel didn't trust to be taken by the movers. Their valuables.
Rachel and Kyle climbed out of the car, Rachel looked at the house with a saddened frown. She was really young when she left this home, but she still remembered what she had to go through inside. She didn't want to be here, but Andrew said there was no other options. He told her that their mother has changed since then, he came to visit her nearly every week.
Andrew put an arm around her shoulders. "I know you don't want to go here, but bear with me. Once I make enough money to get a bigger home and able to support you and Kyle, I will take you guys away."
"By that time, I will be eighteen and be able to get out on my own." She hugged the book to her even tighter.
The look on Andrews face was hard to look at. He held a smile but deep down, she knew the smile hid the sadness he was feeling inside.
The door to the house opened and out stepped a rather thin and sickly woman. A cigarette in hand, she eyed the two that were still unloading their belongings. Placing the cigarette between her lips, she rolled her eyes. "I can't believe I am going through this all over again." She said to what she would swear, to herself, but they all heard her.
When they walked into the house, it felt like a prison, with furniture. It looked better than what it looked like when they left. The living room looked different, now it had a lounge chair and Television set. The couch no longer held cigarette burns.
Their mother blew smoke from her lips which caused both Kyle and Rachel to cough, Andrew covered his face with his jacket sleeve.
"Well? Go upstairs and put away your stuff. I'm not going to do it for you." She seemed to make the mother of the year seem like a fete.
The two were escorted by Andrew to their new rooms upstairs. First Kyle, a medium sized room and a bed and dresser. He seemed to take to the room nearly in an instant.
Andrew then took Rachel to her room, which was much smaller in size. It only held a small bed, big enough for her to fit. The room was a plain dull brown, much different from Kyle's newer looking room. The only thing in her room that looked the most new was the bed spread that was neatly made atop of her bed. A beautiful Lilac colored bedspread with only one pillow.
"I figured you liked purple. You needed a blanket and something to lighten this room up. There is a closet, not big but most of your things will fit. Everything else you can leave in your luggage and fit it under your bed until I can get you a dresser." Andrew said motioning to the door on the far end of the room as it was the closet.
Rachel's face looked even sadder. Her room was much different compared to Kyles. Her mother got those things for him, but not as much things for her. She looked at Andrew. He was not a parent, he didn't live there, but he was trying to take care of her knowing mother wont.
Andrew smiled some to his young sister. He turned his eyes to the only window in her room. "I know it may be small and you don't have much to do in here, but..." He put the box he was carrying down by the door and began opening it up like it was a gift. When the top finally slipped free, he reached in and pulled out a couple of books. Books in which their father himself wrote. "I brought these for you. I know you like reading and since, you know." He didn't want to voice that the fact their father was dead. "It will make you feel like he's here reading to you."
Rachel smiled. Putting the book she was clinging to, down on the bed, she reached up and took the books he had and she sat down on the bed. Rubbing her hands across the covers, she was smiling down at them like they were given to her by the heavens. "Thank you...Andrew."