Chapter 11
As normal Daniel woke first the next morning as normal with Barbara fast asleep and needing rest he slipped out. Checking on the kids he noticed Zona's room was empty, he checked Timmy's room, there was one child in the bed, his heart sunk as he guessed where Zona was. Using all his stealth training he snuck across the room as he predicted she was curled in the bottom of the wardrobe, covered in a jumper. Carefully Daniel bent down picking her up, pleased she didn't stir he carried her to her own bed tucking her in under the covers. Then snuck out neither kid woken. Before going on his daily run, kissed his wife and headed out to work.
Zona woke first feeling warm and safe, opening her eyes she was confused to find herself back in her own bed, she remembered falling asleep in her bed, before waking up in the night scared, she never went to sleep in her own bed, daddy always checked their first and if he found he he'd get mad and that always hurt, instead she always either slept in Timmy's bed or more recently his wardrobe, it was safe there, daddy didn't always check Timmy's room and never checked the wardrobe not until he had dragged her out and the soldiers had come.
The wardrobe was the safe place and the first night in a new house, Zona wanted to feel safe, she climbed in curling up closing her eyes, but had woken in bed. Her tummy was grumbling again, Zona rubbed it trying to get it to be quiet. It wasn't working. Zona climbed out of bed tiptoeing onto the landing, she debated waking Timmy, but decided not too, he didn't like waking up early like her, instead sneaking down the stairs. Barbara was in the kitchen, Zona stood shyly by the door. She was really hungry but was really nervous about asking for anything.
"Morning Zona" Barbara said noticing the small girl hiding in the entrance way holding her stuffed doggie. "Are you hungry?" Zona stepped inside, nodding her tummy grumbling.
"Would you like cereal or porridge?" Barbara asked, Zona shrugged, she had both but wasn't sure which she was allowed. "I'm having porridge with sultana's would you like to try that?" Barbara said after a long pause, Zona nodded glad her decision had been taken away. She stepped closer her eyes finding the fridge and her artwork displayed there proudly. Timmy's drawing pinned underneath, "It looks great there doesn't it" Barbara praised following her gaze. Zona nodded shyly again her eyes not leaving her drawing unable to believe they hadn't put it in the bin. "Here you go" Barbara placed a bowl full of porridge with sultanas and honey in front of her made with milk and heated warm. Zona waited until Barbara sat down and took a bite before trying her own. "Do you like it?" She asked, hoping to get the little girl to start talking.
Zona nodded it was warm and milky and made her stomach stop grumbling. "It's good" she whispered.
"Good, did you sleep well?" Barbara asked, Zona nodded again. She had her bed was soft, the cupboard was warm, and nobody had hit her and now she was getting food that wasn't sandwiches. "How about doggie did she sleep well?" Barbara tried; Zona nodded again.
"Doggie likes it here" she whispered holding the doggie in front of her. It was easier to talk about doggie rather than herself.
"Good, so we have a few Disney films do you want to watch one after breakfast?" Barbara asked, "We have snow white, sleeping beauty, Pinocchio or jungle book" Barbara listed. Zona shrugged she had no idea. Her only TV experience had been Peter pan yesterday.
"Does doggie have a preference?" Barbara asked, Zona pretended to listen to doggie putting it mouth to her own ear before shaking her head no.
"Why don't we watch snow white, I think Timmy will love jungle book so we should save that for when our sleepy head is awake"
Barbara poured herself a coffee and got Zona a cup of milk setting up the VHS player. She sat on the sofa patting the space next to her, Zona climbed up cuddling next to her as she pressed play. As the movie progressed Zona got closer and closer until Barbara just lifted her onto her lap.
They heard Timmy stir just as the film was finishing,
"Would you like to do some colouring while I get Timmy his breakfast?" Barbara asked, Zona nodded. Barbara got out the felt tip pens and paper on the dining table. Zona climbed up and began drawing as Timmy arrived in the kitchen.
"Good morning young man can I get you some breakfast, we have cereal or porridge?" Barbara asked,
"I had the porridge it was really good" Zona piped up, now Timmy was here she was feeling a lot safer and more able to speak.
"Porridge please" Timmy said sitting next to Zona,
"Timmy, we watched another film, this one had a Princess and songs" Zona told him, "I ho" she sang out of tune, "Nurse B can we watch it again with Timmy?" Zona asked,
"Of course, sweetie," Barbara said, "As soon as Timmy finishes breakfast and you get dressed, then I'd like you to bring some toys downstairs, you can play while the movie is on" Barbara encouraged, she really wanted them to start acting like children. Timmy finished his breakfast,
"Zona, do you need help changing?" Barbara asked,
"I can help her" Timmy interrupted.
"I can do it" Zona added, after all she was 5, she could dress herself. The siblings headed upstairs, Timmy to his room Zona to hers. Inside they found both new clothes and clean second hand. Timmy chose a blue t-shirt with blue jeans. Zona chose a yellow top with red jacket, purple skirt and blue tights. She liked colours and wanted to wear as many as possible. With the order to bring a toy downstairs with them Timmy picked a solider action toy, Zona chose a doctor's kit. Nervously they carried the toys down the stairs into the living room waiting for the trap to be sprung. Barbara was in the kitchen but on hearing them made her way to the living room.
"Good choices, very colourful Zona, I've rewound Snow White so you can watch it again, and I have water and snacks on the side table if you get hungry." She said pressing play and leaving the room 2 confused children behind her.
"Timmy, I don't understand" Zona whispered as Snow white started, Timmy looked around just as puzzled as his sister, this wasn't making sense.
"I don't know Zona, maybe they're just nice?" Timmy said a question in his voice. It couldn't be true, if it was, they had stayed with daddy for years being beaten when they didn't need to. Nurse B and Sir had to be waiting for them to really mess up then they'd be beaten, daddy had done that sometimes waited a few hours then beaten them, maybe nurse B and Sir were more patient.
Anger was building up inside him, as he walked over to the biscuits, picking one up eating it making sure lots of crumbs went over the floor. If this was at daddy's and he found them eating his food and wasting it, they'd be beaten. He needed to be beaten to make them mad enough to act. Angrily he ate all 4 biscuits with plenty of crumbs, he could feel Zona trembling next to him, in fear as Barbara walked back in.
Entering the room Barbara could tell something was wrong, both children looked guilty and scared but all she could see that was different was that the biscuits had gone.
"Someone was hungry?" she commented, picking up the empty plate carrying it to the kitchen placing more biscuits on it returning it to where it was. "Was that enough or do you want more?" She asked the children,
"You're not angry?" Timmy questioned,
"No, why would I be?" Barbara said,
"I ate the biscuits" he told her, "There are crumbs on the floor" Barbara nodded, she had seen the crumbs but expected crumbs on the carpet when she had invited the children into the lounge to eat.
"Okay" she said, "I'll vacuum later"
"You're not mad?" Timmy asked puzzled if they were with daddy he'd be screaming, shouting and beating them now. Barbara bent down gently taking Timmy's hand in hers.
"Sweet boy, I am not angry, and even if I ever do get mad, I will never hit you" Barbara promised she felt him relax slightly and bent forwards hugging him, then using her other arm she pulled Zona in too. Releasing the children, she could tell neither of them believed her but still Rome was built in a day. It was going to take a long time to build their trust.
"Zona, I see you brought your doctors kit, would you like me to explain how each bit works?" She asked sitting on the floor. Zona nodded, there was lots of equipment. "Okay this is a stethoscope, if you put it in your ears and hold it here you can hear my heartbeat" Barbara explained. They played with the medical kit for a while, even Timmy getting involved before getting bored and returning to his soldiers. Zona meanwhile walked around the house listening to everything she could from the fridge to the bed. With both children occupied Barbara continued her housework and start on lunch. Today was going to be spaghetti hoops on jacket potato with cheese followed by a fruit salad. After lunch set sent them outside to play as the weather was nice. They'd had a sandbox set up, 2 bikes, skates, a football net, baseball hoop and swing set. Zona went straight to the swings, while Timmy headed to the football. Barbara stopped her housework to go outside and push the swing. The sounds of Zona giggling brought Timmy over, soon both children were on the swing, Barbara instructing Timmy how to pump his legs to go higher.
By the time Daniel returned from work he found them sitting in the lounge, Zona on Barbara's lap, Timmy sitting next to her jungle book playing on the TV.
"Hey everyone" he greeted, glad it appeared they had had a good day. "I've arranged for Nick and Emily to come over tomorrow" he explained sitting on the sofa a safe distance from Timmy. "Jungle book, I love this film,"
"It has monkey's" Zona told him, she loved the monkeys "And they sing"
"That's pretty funny" Daniel said, glad she was talking to him more. "I love baloo,"
"Shere Khan is the baddies, he wants to hurt Mowgli" Timmy told him solemnly, "but Bagheera and Baloo won't let him"
"Just like Nurse B, Sir and daddy" Zona said,
"Exactly," Daniel praised, "We won't let daddy hurt you again" he promised.
They finished the movie, having dinner and a bath before bedtime. Daniel read the bedtime story before tucking them into bed. He set his alarm for 2am.
The alarm went off Daniel silencing it immediately, sneaking out of his room, again Zona's room was empty, again she wasn't in Timmy's bed, he checked the wardrobe, as predicted she was curled up at the bottom holding onto doggie for dear life. Carefully he lifted her, instinctively she snuggled into the source of warmth, again Daniel placed her back in her room tucking her back into bed before returning to his own bed. He had to get up in a few hours, even though he had sent most of his men on leave he still had lots of admin to do.
For the second day running Zona woke up in a bed she hadn't fallen asleep in, it had to be magic! Maybe the wardrobe was magic. She tiptoed downstairs, Daniel was in the kitchen, putting his shoes on.
"Morning Zona, I'm going for my morning run, would you like to come?" he asked figuring he could slow down and walk for one day. She shook her head no,
"Hungry" she muttered quietly hugging doggie, moving behind the door frame.
"Okay, let me get you some breakfast before I go, cereal good for you?" he asked, Zona nodded Daniel got out the bowl pouring the cereal in then the milk setting it on the table. Zona stepped into the room, Daniel stepped back allowing her space sitting on the other side of the table, his run could wait for now. Zona took a small spoonful checking the flavour before taking larger mouthfuls, she was halfway through when Barbara came down. He kissed her good morning before taking off on his run he just had time for 5 miles before he needed to go to work.
He finished work early, returning home. Opening the door he found 2 boys in the lounge, Timmy and Nick and what looked like every donated toy solider set out in battalions. On seeing him walk through the door Nick stood at attention,
"Captain" he said saluting, Daniel hid his grin, saluting back,
"Relax solider" he ordered, Nick relaxed,
"Why did he call you Captain?" Timmy questioned,
"That's his rank, my dad is a Lieutenant which means he has to salute him, and when I'm a Marine I'll have to salute him too." Nick explained, "Captain is really high up,"
"Please call me Dan, or Daniel. Where is Zona, and Barbara?" he asked
"Upstairs with Emily Sir" Timmy said, Daniel walked upstairs, smelling nail polish, he found the 3 girls in his bedroom, toes out, Barbara was in the middle of painting Zona's toenails rainbow, he could see Emily had already been painted pink and blue alternatively.
"Wow nice nails," he complimented,
"It has sparkles" Zona pointed out wiggling her toes. He could also see both girls' hair had been braided into a French plait.
"I can see, it looks very nice"
Daniel quickly excused himself before anyone got any ideas about his toes instead, he went downstairs and made a start on cooking dinner. Once finished he called the family, the boys ran in first,
"Wash your hands" he ordered
"Yes, Captain Dan" Nick said,
"Yes, Captain Dan" Timmy repeated following his friend out. They ate with Nick and Emily making most the conversation, Timmy and Zona joining in.
"Okay you have about an hour left to play until your daddy comes to fetch you Nick, and Emily, make sure you are ready" Barbara told them.
"We should play a game?" Emily said, at 9-years-old she wasn't a fan of being lumbered with the baby again and wanted to play with the older kids.
"How about hide and seek? It's really easy someone counts to 30 and everyone hides they then have to find them" Nick explained. "I'll be it first" he decided. His dad had warned him that Zona and Timmy weren't used to playing games and by the number of bruises on them he could tell someone had beaten them, still hide and seek was an easy enough game. He closed his eyes counting to 30 he opened them again to see Zona stood there.
"Run and hide quick" he said loudly, frustrated he was going to have to count again now. He missed the fear in her eyes and the tears than ran down her cheek as she quickly escaped the room.
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