Chapter 8: Thunder and Lightning
Author's Note: Thank you for all the positive feedback on the last chapter. I'm pleased to know many of you appreciated it. Also, I'm very close to making my decision regarding the name of Trish's gallery. Anyone who wants to weigh in, or offer any additional suggestions, please do so soon. Thank you all again!
Monday, October 27, 2007
Trish checks the pork roast in the crockpot and listens to Laura's end of a phone call with moderate concern.
"Umm okay. Do I have to?" The child asks sounding small and worried. She is quiet for a moment while she listens to whatever her mother is saying on the other end of the line. "No, not really… But Mom… I don't want to. Judge Wayne said I could stay here." Laura chews on the inside of her bottom lip as she listens.
Trish retrieves a stick of butter from the refrigerator so it will soften before dinner and eyes the girl with apprehension as she puts a pot of tea on to brew.
Suddenly, worry becomes fear, and fear gives way to anger that boils out of the small girl. "Mom, don't call me that. I hate it when you call me that… And it's not fair." Frightened tears start to flow as she screams into the phone before abruptly ending the call. "It's not my fault! I didn't do anything bad! You did!"
Laura drops the small receiver for the household's cordless phone on the floor, grabs her walker and is off like a shot before Trish can cross the short space between them. She chases after the girl and stops abruptly; rocking on the balls of her feet when Laura's bedroom door slams a mere inch from her face.
Stunned for a beat, she mutters to herself. "Well… it's been a few years since that's happened! She steadies herself mentally, counts to three, and knocks lightly. She waits.
Laura's dog, Candy, comes to stand beside her. The dog sniffs at the bottom of the door, whimpers mournfully, and turns her mellow brown eyes to Trish expectantly. When there is no answer to her knock, Trish pats the dog's head affectionately and turns the knob.
She peeks in, expecting to see Laura curled up on her bed, but the girl is not there. The dog paws at the door which is not yet open wide enough for her to squeeze through. Stepping in, Trish doesn't have to search the room because the Labrador goes straight to the closed closet door and whines. She half rises on her hind legs and uses a paw to push down the spring-loaded doorknob. Then the dog grabs the short length of rope secured to the doorknob with a tennis ball attached to the end, and tugs the door open. She lets herself in three steps ahead of Trish, who stands at the now open door and peers around the jam as the big dog lays down, placing her forepaws and her large head across the little girl's slender lap.
Laura wraps her arms around the dog and buries her face in Candy's fur as Trish taps lightly on the door frame.
Although her words are muffled, Trish hears. "Go away, please." As Laura sobs miserably. I don't wanna talk to nobody right now."
Trish stays in the doorway; tilting her head to one side and answers softly. "I don't think that would be very nice of me."
Laura lifts her angry tear-streaked face and it's clear that she's also puzzled; curious, in spite of her present mood. She wipes her eyes against the arm of her long sleeve tee shirt and asks pitifully, "Why not?"
"Because I don't think it's very kind to let somebody you love sit in a dark closet and cry all by themselves. That's not how family works."
Laura raises an eyebrow skeptically.
"Well, that's not how my family works." She offers the girl a smile. "Can you please come out here so we can talk?"
Laura thinks about this request seriously for a moment and then asks tearfully, "Do I have to? I wanna stay here."
Trish briefly considers enforcing the request and then thinks better of it. Instead, she sighs and steps into the closet. Joining the girl on the floor, she slowly and carefully folds herself into a corner. Obviously perplexed; Laura watches her. When Trish is as comfortable as she knows she's going to get in the cramped space, she reaches out for the girl and Laura scoots into her lap somewhat tentatively.
Trish lifts her slightly and settles her again in a position more comfortable for both of them, then wraps her arms around the small girl, and kisses the top of her head. "There now. Is that better?" She asks as Candy moves closer too; making sure she's still close enough to pet.
With obvious confusion in her eyes, Laura rubs the dog's ear and twists her neck awkwardly to be able to look up at the woman. She whispers; sounding slightly in awe."Nobody besides Candy ever got in the closet with me before."
Trish chuckles lightly and hugs the girl closer. "Yes well, somebody has now. It's not good to sit by yourself in closets crying too often. With the rare exception, that's usually an unhealthy thing to do."
Laura squints. "I'm not sure what you mean. Is there some time when it is healthy?" She sniffles; still sounding small and confused.
"Only when you just really need a good cry, and you don't want to scare the kid asleep down the hall."
"Miss Trish, I don't understand. No kids live in your house." Laura's confused frown deepens.
"Not now darling, but one used to, a long time ago. Six-year-old little boys don't like it when Mom cries. It scares them."
Laura thinks this over for a long moment. "I used to hide so people couldn't scare me. My mom doesn't cry. She just yells; a lot!" She nods meekly; with only a fraction of her usual enthusiasm. "Hiding so you don't scare somebody else; 'specially a little kid. That's better. Wish my mom would do that." Laura sniffles again.
Trish searches the pockets of her slacks and comes up with a rumpled but clean tissue and holds it to the girl's nose. After a few seconds of wiping away tears and snot, she asks gently, "Suppose you tell me what this is all about?"
Laura grimaces. "I like it here. I don't wanna go live with Mom." She folds her arms over her small chest.
"Laura, say that again." Trish queries; certain she misunderstood something.
Laura's exasperated breath comes out in a huff. "I said, I like it here. I don't wanna go live in jail with Mom. I didn't do nothing bad. I didn't hurt that police man. She did. And anyways, Derek's been to jail. He said that place smells bad and the food tastes really yucky. I don't wanna live there. I'll starve Miss Trish! Can you call Judge Wayne? He'll fix it. He won't make me go live there!"
Trish can't help but chuckle, so she hugs the girl a little tighter. When she can, she says "Laura, darling, I'm not sure how exactly, but you've misunderstood something."
"Na uh… Mom says she got… vas-tation…" Laura tries hard to get the word right; scowling with the effort. "Privileges and now she wants me to come be with her. I don't wanna go! Can she make me?"
"Ahh… Now I see the problem. Laura, you mean visitation privileges. That means, your mother is allowed to have people come visit her… Not live with her. You'll go there, you'll visit, and when the visit is over, you'll come home; back here, safe and sound with Aunt Mac and Uncle Harm."
"Oh… Really?"
"Yes, darling; really."
"I still don't wanna go!" Laura shakes her head vehemently; feeling a lot better and sounding more like her usual self. "Not even to visit… What if she tries to keep me? Do I have to?"
"Aunt Mac and Uncle Harm are in charge, so it's up to them if you do or don't go. She can't keep you. She's not even allowed to try. If you do go visit, nothing bad is going to happen to you. Because, if anything did, your aunt Mac and your uncle Harm would cloud up in rain all over whoever was responsible, and I personally would get God to supply the thunder and lightning!"
Laura giggles and sounds a bit mystified when she asks, "You can do that?"
"Let anybody even try to mess with my girl and they'll find out!"
"When's Aunt Mac and Uncle Harm coming back from the doctor?"
Trish squints at her wristwatch in the dark closet.
Laura notices this and puts a bit of authority in her small voice. "Candy." She waits for the dog to pick up her head and make eye contact, then she points and says, "Lightswitch!" The big black dog hesitates only for a second then crosses the small closet, stands on her hind legs, and pushes the closet's light switch up with her nose.
Trish shakes her head. "Laura, your dog gets more impressive every day I spend with her." She glances at the watch again and answers, "They should be back any time now." She doesn't tell the girl that they are later than she expected. There's no need to alarm her… And perhaps Harm and Mac needed some time to themselves after the appointment she reasons silently.
"Are we waiting for them… Cuz, I'm hungry now."
She hugs the girl one last time and then sets her on her feet. "I bet you are." She says; getting to her own feet again. "A good cry will do that to a girl."
As they cross the closet's threshold, Trish can hear the front door opening and her son's voice calls out. "Anybody home?"
