The figure that once was a sassy girl remained seated on the cement floor.
The coldness of the hard ground goes unnoticed.
"Hey. . . come here," Jamie said as he continued to look at Caitie with concern.
She remained motionless, not even attempting to move. Jamie positioned himself closer to put his arm around her fragile figure.
"She's gone."
Jamie didn't know what to say. His heart was wrung in a variety of directions.
"I know. . . I know." Jamie didn't know what else to say. He kicked himself silently for the lack of the right magical words to say.
* * * * * * * * * * One Week Earlier * * * * * * * * * *
"Caitie, get down here!" yelled Mrs. Roth from the bottom of the stairs.
After leaving out an exasperated sigh, Caitie rolled off her bed. She proceeded to walk down the stairs of her house, into the living room. The sight of an unhappy mother greeted her.
"I just got off the phone with your dad. . . he said you never made it out to Connecticut."
"I just didn't want to visit him and Mrs. Barbie, that's all."
Mrs. Roth shook her head from side to side. Her short dark brown hair fell into her face. She looked at her daughter and registered the image. Caitie's petite frame was clothed with a gray fleece dress that came down to her knees. She paired off the outfit with a pair of black tights and a long black sweater. A shade of purple coated her eyes and lips, making her eyes shine more than usual. Her shiny dark brown hair was pulled back into a loose bun usually sported by ballerinas.
Mrs. Roth thought of the days when Caitie took ballet lessons with Valerie at the local dance studio. She also remembered escorting the girls to voice lessons and art school. Caitie looked so much like Mrs. Roth in her youth. They share many of the same characteristics as well.
"Caitie, don't talk about your step mom like that."
Caitie took her mother by the hand and led her toward the living room couch. They both sat down on the comfortable black leather sofa.
"Mom," Caitie began, "Never call that lady my 'mother' again. I have you. You are my mother. Dad? He left us mom."
Mrs. Roth peered into Caitie's intense eyes. It hurt to see her daughter's harden heart, walling herself up to protect herself from her own father.
"Caitie, so what did you do when I was out of town for my business trip this weekend?" Mrs. Roth asked, defeated in convincing her daughter to let things go.
"I just stayed here and invited Val and Jamie over to watch some movies. Jamie crashed on the couch," Caitie replied.
Mrs. Roth put her arm around her daughter. Caitie leaned her head against her shoulder.
"I'm going to order some Chinese food. Want the usual?"
Caitie grinned. "Sure mom."
* * * * * * * * * * Present * * * * * * * * * *
Caitie stiffened her body as Jamie draped his arm around her.
"Hey. . . it'll be okay Caitie, we'll get through this. . . " Jamie offered comfortingly, failing to even believe himself. "We'll be okay," he added.
A/N: I haven't written anything new for a while. . . I'm a bit rusty! Please review, to let me know what you think!
"Hey. . . come here," Jamie said as he continued to look at Caitie with concern.
She remained motionless, not even attempting to move. Jamie positioned himself closer to put his arm around her fragile figure.
"She's gone."
Jamie didn't know what to say. His heart was wrung in a variety of directions.
"I know. . . I know." Jamie didn't know what else to say. He kicked himself silently for the lack of the right magical words to say.
* * * * * * * * * * One Week Earlier * * * * * * * * * *
"Caitie, get down here!" yelled Mrs. Roth from the bottom of the stairs.
After leaving out an exasperated sigh, Caitie rolled off her bed. She proceeded to walk down the stairs of her house, into the living room. The sight of an unhappy mother greeted her.
"I just got off the phone with your dad. . . he said you never made it out to Connecticut."
"I just didn't want to visit him and Mrs. Barbie, that's all."
Mrs. Roth shook her head from side to side. Her short dark brown hair fell into her face. She looked at her daughter and registered the image. Caitie's petite frame was clothed with a gray fleece dress that came down to her knees. She paired off the outfit with a pair of black tights and a long black sweater. A shade of purple coated her eyes and lips, making her eyes shine more than usual. Her shiny dark brown hair was pulled back into a loose bun usually sported by ballerinas.
Mrs. Roth thought of the days when Caitie took ballet lessons with Valerie at the local dance studio. She also remembered escorting the girls to voice lessons and art school. Caitie looked so much like Mrs. Roth in her youth. They share many of the same characteristics as well.
"Caitie, don't talk about your step mom like that."
Caitie took her mother by the hand and led her toward the living room couch. They both sat down on the comfortable black leather sofa.
"Mom," Caitie began, "Never call that lady my 'mother' again. I have you. You are my mother. Dad? He left us mom."
Mrs. Roth peered into Caitie's intense eyes. It hurt to see her daughter's harden heart, walling herself up to protect herself from her own father.
"Caitie, so what did you do when I was out of town for my business trip this weekend?" Mrs. Roth asked, defeated in convincing her daughter to let things go.
"I just stayed here and invited Val and Jamie over to watch some movies. Jamie crashed on the couch," Caitie replied.
Mrs. Roth put her arm around her daughter. Caitie leaned her head against her shoulder.
"I'm going to order some Chinese food. Want the usual?"
Caitie grinned. "Sure mom."
* * * * * * * * * * Present * * * * * * * * * *
Caitie stiffened her body as Jamie draped his arm around her.
"Hey. . . it'll be okay Caitie, we'll get through this. . . " Jamie offered comfortingly, failing to even believe himself. "We'll be okay," he added.
A/N: I haven't written anything new for a while. . . I'm a bit rusty! Please review, to let me know what you think!