She started up at his words, her tears and despair retracting back into her Soul to be locked away, as if they never had been. Glancing at her bloody fingers, she quickly thrust her hand into the loose hemn of her oversized t-shirt and wrapped it thrice to conceal the blood from David, then stooped up on one knee to cover the blood that had lined the carpet. Wiping her other hand across her face to obliterate the feint teartrails, she instantly donned the air of emotionlessness she so often carried in front of David. Her words were hesitant, surprised - in a rather displeased way.
"Wh... What do you want? Didn't I tell you to go play??"
David appeared not the least bit phased by her distress, and he simply dismissed it as a young boy most likely would. His smile remained eerily uninhibited as his soft, blue eyes seemed to stare right into her.
"Teddy and I finished our game, Mommy. We want to know if you would.."
"NO! Get out of here!"
Monica snapped, and threw her arm out towards him threateningly, causing David to take a step backwards in confusion, holding Teddy tightly in his arms. As she watched the corners of David's little mouth slowly begin to descend, she was instantly awash in regret - why did she feel compelled to be so mean to him? She shook her head, and reached her arm out again, this time more cautiously and softly.
"I'm... sorry, David. I .. just.."
But David simply responded in his eternally jovial and forgiving manner, the smile returning to his face in full force. He took a step forward, coming towards Monica.
"It's okay, Mommy. You're busy cleaning, and Teddy and I shouldn't bother you and all, but we just wanted you to play cards with us before we leave for our day together!"
His voice filled with delighted emphasis on the last words, and it was obvious that he was eager to spend his day alone with Mommy, without Henry, without Martin... just David, Mommy, and Teddy. All together. Monica's eyes widened at his words, and she swallowed hard against the lump of mutiny she felt creeping dangeroulsy up her throat.
"Oh, David, I.."
She paused, trying to choose her words carefully, for both of their sake.
"There's not enough time, David. We need to leave soon. Just.. you and Teddy.."
For some reason, her brain became very heavy - she could barely hold her head up to keep eye contact with David. 'So this is what true shame and treachery feels like', a voice clouded her thoughts. Her eyes closed. Her lacerated fingers throbbed beneath the bloodsoaked cloth of her t-shirt. She could no longer bear the pain, and her voice fell into obscurity.
"Go and get dressed, and ready to leave. You and Teddy."
************
David obediently obliged his mother's wishes, as he always did with grace, and ran into his room, toting Teddy by his right paw. Dangling at his companion's side, the supertoy couldn't help but smile as they both disappeared into his room. They both emerged a rather fast minute later, David fully dressed and carrying a dark green and navy blue plaid jacquard blanket across his shoulder. Teddy chased after him eagerly as he ran down the steps, the two of them leaping two at a time in classic childish fashion. After launching himself from the bottom step, David slid to a halt in the middle of the living room, his eyes momentarily caught by the sight of a freshly sprouted sunflower out in the garden, blooming brightly beside the ornamental pond. With excited and curious eyes, David looked around for Monica.
"Mommy - we're ready! Where are you?"
Monica gasped in surprise at David's sudden outburst at the bottom of the stairs - his voice always managed to catch her off-guard somehow, no matter how much she had been expecting it. Her hand trembled momentarily as she stood over the bathroom sink. The trails of tears had returned, and her stormy grey eyes stared solemnly at the reflection of herself in the mirror. She absently squeezed her freshly bandaged hand.
"I should have waited."
Taking a deep breath, Monica forced herself to turn away from her deadstare, collected her bag, and headed for the foot of the stairs. Straightening her yellow blouse (she had changed after her shirt had collected a substantial amount of blood), she pulled the fingers of her other hand through her slightly entangled hair and donned her emotional chainmail once again as best she could. Leaning over the brass banister, she called down.
"Coming David. Why don't you meet me at the car?"
She fell silent and awaited David's response, which naturally, was a polite return follwed by the scuffling of feet as David and Teddy trampled out the front door. As she heard the door close and the house vacate itself of all sound, she sighed quietly as she slowly made her way down the staircase.
"Wh... What do you want? Didn't I tell you to go play??"
David appeared not the least bit phased by her distress, and he simply dismissed it as a young boy most likely would. His smile remained eerily uninhibited as his soft, blue eyes seemed to stare right into her.
"Teddy and I finished our game, Mommy. We want to know if you would.."
"NO! Get out of here!"
Monica snapped, and threw her arm out towards him threateningly, causing David to take a step backwards in confusion, holding Teddy tightly in his arms. As she watched the corners of David's little mouth slowly begin to descend, she was instantly awash in regret - why did she feel compelled to be so mean to him? She shook her head, and reached her arm out again, this time more cautiously and softly.
"I'm... sorry, David. I .. just.."
But David simply responded in his eternally jovial and forgiving manner, the smile returning to his face in full force. He took a step forward, coming towards Monica.
"It's okay, Mommy. You're busy cleaning, and Teddy and I shouldn't bother you and all, but we just wanted you to play cards with us before we leave for our day together!"
His voice filled with delighted emphasis on the last words, and it was obvious that he was eager to spend his day alone with Mommy, without Henry, without Martin... just David, Mommy, and Teddy. All together. Monica's eyes widened at his words, and she swallowed hard against the lump of mutiny she felt creeping dangeroulsy up her throat.
"Oh, David, I.."
She paused, trying to choose her words carefully, for both of their sake.
"There's not enough time, David. We need to leave soon. Just.. you and Teddy.."
For some reason, her brain became very heavy - she could barely hold her head up to keep eye contact with David. 'So this is what true shame and treachery feels like', a voice clouded her thoughts. Her eyes closed. Her lacerated fingers throbbed beneath the bloodsoaked cloth of her t-shirt. She could no longer bear the pain, and her voice fell into obscurity.
"Go and get dressed, and ready to leave. You and Teddy."
************
David obediently obliged his mother's wishes, as he always did with grace, and ran into his room, toting Teddy by his right paw. Dangling at his companion's side, the supertoy couldn't help but smile as they both disappeared into his room. They both emerged a rather fast minute later, David fully dressed and carrying a dark green and navy blue plaid jacquard blanket across his shoulder. Teddy chased after him eagerly as he ran down the steps, the two of them leaping two at a time in classic childish fashion. After launching himself from the bottom step, David slid to a halt in the middle of the living room, his eyes momentarily caught by the sight of a freshly sprouted sunflower out in the garden, blooming brightly beside the ornamental pond. With excited and curious eyes, David looked around for Monica.
"Mommy - we're ready! Where are you?"
Monica gasped in surprise at David's sudden outburst at the bottom of the stairs - his voice always managed to catch her off-guard somehow, no matter how much she had been expecting it. Her hand trembled momentarily as she stood over the bathroom sink. The trails of tears had returned, and her stormy grey eyes stared solemnly at the reflection of herself in the mirror. She absently squeezed her freshly bandaged hand.
"I should have waited."
Taking a deep breath, Monica forced herself to turn away from her deadstare, collected her bag, and headed for the foot of the stairs. Straightening her yellow blouse (she had changed after her shirt had collected a substantial amount of blood), she pulled the fingers of her other hand through her slightly entangled hair and donned her emotional chainmail once again as best she could. Leaning over the brass banister, she called down.
"Coming David. Why don't you meet me at the car?"
She fell silent and awaited David's response, which naturally, was a polite return follwed by the scuffling of feet as David and Teddy trampled out the front door. As she heard the door close and the house vacate itself of all sound, she sighed quietly as she slowly made her way down the staircase.