Family Portrait
A little girl with red hair, and glass blue eyes lay in her bed. Her parent's voices filled the house. The girl, Erin clutched her teddy bear harder. She pretended to ignore it but it was too loud.
"Stop it you'll wake Erin, James is already awake!" Her mother yelled.
"Why don't you get that baby to shut up Ginny?" Her father, Draco Malfoy yelled back. Erin herd glass shatter and her mother soothing her baby brother. Erin got out of bed, put on her slippers and went down the hall.
Momma please stop cryin, I can't stand the sound
Your pain is painful and its tearin' me down
I hear glasses breakin as I sit up in my bed
I told dad you didn't mean those nasty things you
said
Erin walked toward the voices. She climbed down the stairs, reaching her hand up so it would just reach the railing. She saw the family picture on the floor, the glass in the frame shattered. Erin knelt down and carefully picked it up. She flipped it over and glass fell to the floor. One piece cut her finger. Carrying the picture Erin walked into the kitchen, the bleeding finger in her mouth. Her brother was in his baby swing.
"See James, They'll stop fighting and Mommy will be happy again." Erin whispered to her brother. Draco entered and James started yelling.
"Erin shut the bloody baby up!" He yelled. Ginny walked into the room.
"Draco, please don't yell at her!" Ginny called, desperately.
You fight about money, bout me and my brother
And this I come home to, this is my shelter
It ain't easy growin up in World War III
Never knowin what love could be, you'll see
I don't want love to destroy me like it has done
my family
Erin shoved the picture at her father, he glanced at it.
"Daddy why are you mad now?" She asked, slightly frightened. He sighed and stormed up to the master bedroom, slamming the door.
"Mommy I'll make sure James' room, and my room is always clean if it will make you happy." Erin suggested.
"It's OK sweetie." Ginny replied, going after Draco. Erin sat on the floor, staring at what used to be.
Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do anything
Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't
leave
Erin sat there for awhile, the echoing voices filling her ears, even though her hands were clamped firmly over her ears. She just pretended she couldn't hear the curse words, that she didn't hear things shattering, that she didn't hear her mother crying. James stirred and she tried to shush him.
"A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain Softly blows o'er lullaby bay. It fills the sails of boats that are waiting--Waiting to sail your worries away. It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain and your boat waits down by the key. The winds of night so softly are sighing-- Soon they will fly your troubles to sea. So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain. Wave good-bye to cares of the day. And watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain Sail far away from lullaby bay." Erin sang the familiar lullaby to her brother. He quieted until Draco yelled again, entering the room.
Daddy please stop yellin, I can't stand the sound
Erin went and snatched a paper off the counter. It was a drawing that was supposed to be him, but kindergarteners don't have the best drawing skills.
"Daddy I picked you as my hero to draw today in art." She exclaimed. Draco took the picture, and ripped it in half.
"Why'd you do that, Mommy was going to hang it on the fridge!" Erin cried, grabbing the remains of the picture.
Make mama stop cryin, cuz I need you around
My mama she loves you, no matter what she says
its true
I know that she hcxrts you, but remember I love
you, too
"You broke it!" She yelled. She ran out the door, away from where all the bad things were. It was black out, but Erin ran.
"Erin, come back!" Ginny hollered. Erin didn't return just then.
"Look what you did!" She fumed. Draco walked into the bedroom. He flung the doors of the closet open, using his wand to put his clothes in a suitcase.
"You can't just leave!" Ginny yelled at him.
"Watch me!" He retorted. Tears crept in Ginny's eyes.
"You shouldn't have joined." She whispered. Tears poured down her face.
"What I do in my spare time is none of your business." Draco spat.
"You're my husband." Ginny pleaded.
"No." He said. He thrust his ring on the floor.
I ran away today, ran from the noise, ran away
Don't wanna go back to that place, but don't have
no choice, no way
It ain't easy growin up in World War III
Never knowin what love could be, well I've seen
I don't want love to destroy me like it did my
family
Erin walked in the room holding James and the photo in time to see her father throw his ring on the ground and disappear.
"Where did Daddy go?" She whispered. Ginny went over and picked up both her and James. She sat down on the bed.
"Honey, Daddy's not coming back." She answered. Erin passed her the picture, tears in her eyes. James too was crying, but because he was hungry.
In our family portrait, we look pretty happy
Let's play pretend, let's act like it comes
naturally
I don't wanna have to split the holidays
I don't want two addresses
I don't want a step-brother anyways
And I don't want my mom to have to change her
last name
"Why can't Daddy come back? We could just pretend too be like we are in the picture." Erin spoke. Ginny stroked the red hair.
"We had problems Erin." She explained.
"Did I do something?" Erin asked, her glass eyes staring into her mothers.
"No baby. You didn't do anything." She finished. Erin stood up, and moved toward a glimmering piece of jewelry on the floor.
In our family portrait we look pretty happy
We look pretty normal, let's go back to that
In our family portrait we look pretty happy
Let's play pretend, act like it goes naturally
"Daddy doesn't have his magic ring." Erin announced. Ginny placed James down on the bed, looking down at her bear fingers.
"No he doesn't Erin." Ginny replied. Erin went up to Ginny, looking at her fingers.
"Neither do you. But, you said you always wear your magic ring." Erin cried.
"Erin, it's not magic anymore." Erin turned and ran from the room, to her own.
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Turn around please
Remember that the night you left you took my
shining star?
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Daddy don't leave
Don't leave us here alone
She returned a few minutes later. A small ring of her own in her hand.
"Is mine still magic?" Erin asked showing her mother the ring.
"Where did you get that?" Ginny replied.
"Daddy gave it to me when James was born. He said it was my magic ring, that no matter what I would be his favorite, no matter what he loved me." She answered. Ginny nodded, she didn't have the heart to tell her she would be getting a step-brother.
Mom will be nicer
I'll be so much better, I'll tell my brother
Oh, I won't spill the milk at dinner
I'll be so much better, I'll do everything right
I'll be your little girl forever
I'll go to sleep at night
"Of course it's magic."