Erin waved goodbye to her friend a half hour later, as she walked up the
path to her house. Jackie leaned out the window and yelled something about
getting on Instant Messenger later.. Erin shrugged and waved again, then
ran towards her house, went inside, and slammed the door.
Her mother gave her a disapproving look. "Uh uh, Erin Renae Clarkston. You've likely woken your father."
Erin shrugged again and sat down at the table. Her father slept days, worked nights. But who cared if he woke up now? Only a few hours till it was dark out. Her mother gave her a look that sent chills down her spine, and she knew she was in trouble. But for what, she didn't know. She gulped. "Yes, mommy?" She put on her best how-could-you-be-mad-at-this-face looks. It wasn't working.
"Young lady, I want an explanation now!"
"I didn't do anything, mommy.."
"Don't give me that. Who else could've done it?"
"Done what?"
Her mother's eyes turned even colder, if that was possible."You know well what I mean. You let Timmy's kitten outside!"
Erin gulped."No-no I didn't! I wouldn't.."
"You were the only one home. You left the door open, and nows shes gone. Little Timmy will be devastated. You're grounded! Go up to your room."
Erin's eyes stung as she trudged up the stairs to her room. She'd loved the kitten too, so why should she be punished? She hadn't meant to let the kitten out. She'd been in such a hurry that morning when Jack and Jackie arrived to get her, she'd forgotten things, like her glasses and closing the door.
In her room, Erin cried. She hated how her mother got to her like that. She so wanted to say a little something to her mother, but she.. couldn't. Somehow, she couldn't. She sat on her bed, her knees hugged to her chest, and she wept.
It was a few hours later. Erin had cried herself to sleep, and now it was dark out. She wiped away ehr tears and left her room and started down the stairs.
Her mother was sitting and watching TV with her father, and her little brother Timmy was about to knock over a some of their mothers precious china. Erin hurried forward and snatched Timmy back, just as the china shattered across teh floor. The sound alerted her parents who came running in. They looked from the mess to their too small children, and they both wore a look that told Erin she was in trouble. Wait.. not her, Timmy whould be in trouble!
"Erin! What have you done?" Her father asked, his voice a whisper.
"N-n-nothing daddy. It was Timmy. I found him about to break it all, so I grabbed him." She said, unable to meet their cold eyes.
"We both know thats a lie. Now, I want you to clean up this mess, aplogize to your brother for accusing him,and then go back to your room!" Her mother said, and then left the room with her father and Timmy,who turned back once to stick his tongue out at her.
Tears spilled down Erin's cheeks as she picked up the sharp pieces. Twice she cut herself. After she'd swept up, she went up to her room. She couldn't bear to apologize to that little brat who was her brother.
Her mother gave her a disapproving look. "Uh uh, Erin Renae Clarkston. You've likely woken your father."
Erin shrugged again and sat down at the table. Her father slept days, worked nights. But who cared if he woke up now? Only a few hours till it was dark out. Her mother gave her a look that sent chills down her spine, and she knew she was in trouble. But for what, she didn't know. She gulped. "Yes, mommy?" She put on her best how-could-you-be-mad-at-this-face looks. It wasn't working.
"Young lady, I want an explanation now!"
"I didn't do anything, mommy.."
"Don't give me that. Who else could've done it?"
"Done what?"
Her mother's eyes turned even colder, if that was possible."You know well what I mean. You let Timmy's kitten outside!"
Erin gulped."No-no I didn't! I wouldn't.."
"You were the only one home. You left the door open, and nows shes gone. Little Timmy will be devastated. You're grounded! Go up to your room."
Erin's eyes stung as she trudged up the stairs to her room. She'd loved the kitten too, so why should she be punished? She hadn't meant to let the kitten out. She'd been in such a hurry that morning when Jack and Jackie arrived to get her, she'd forgotten things, like her glasses and closing the door.
In her room, Erin cried. She hated how her mother got to her like that. She so wanted to say a little something to her mother, but she.. couldn't. Somehow, she couldn't. She sat on her bed, her knees hugged to her chest, and she wept.
It was a few hours later. Erin had cried herself to sleep, and now it was dark out. She wiped away ehr tears and left her room and started down the stairs.
Her mother was sitting and watching TV with her father, and her little brother Timmy was about to knock over a some of their mothers precious china. Erin hurried forward and snatched Timmy back, just as the china shattered across teh floor. The sound alerted her parents who came running in. They looked from the mess to their too small children, and they both wore a look that told Erin she was in trouble. Wait.. not her, Timmy whould be in trouble!
"Erin! What have you done?" Her father asked, his voice a whisper.
"N-n-nothing daddy. It was Timmy. I found him about to break it all, so I grabbed him." She said, unable to meet their cold eyes.
"We both know thats a lie. Now, I want you to clean up this mess, aplogize to your brother for accusing him,and then go back to your room!" Her mother said, and then left the room with her father and Timmy,who turned back once to stick his tongue out at her.
Tears spilled down Erin's cheeks as she picked up the sharp pieces. Twice she cut herself. After she'd swept up, she went up to her room. She couldn't bear to apologize to that little brat who was her brother.