Chapter 4: Dog
The days turned into weeks as Angela continued to attend Midwich Elementary. She was becoming much more sociable to the other kids, but Caroline could still sense a deep sadness within her heart. As for their relationship, Angela was possibly the best thing that could have happened to her on her job. Caroline couldn't help but smile when-ever she saw Angela, her warm, shy demeanor was slowly melting away, letting every-one see her for who she really was.
One day, as all of the children were leaving for the day, Caroline found Angela sitting on the curb of the street, alone. She didn't see the station wagon that usually came to pick her up from school, and the parking lot was becoming rapidly depleted of life. Caroline went to Angela's side and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Where's your ride kiddo?"
Angela looked down at the street, her eyes threatening tears. "He's not here yet."
"Well, do you know where he is? Maybe I could call."
She quickly shook her head. "It's Okay, I don't want to go home any-way..."
Caroline was taken aback from the girls reluctance to go home.
Okay, it must be family trouble if she doesn't want to go home.
"Don't want to go home!?" Caroline asked in mock astonishment. "Why not?"
Angela continued to stare at the street. "I don't like it there..."
Caroline took Angela's hands in hers and faced her. "Angela, please, if there's something that's bothering you, tell me. You can trust me."
Caroline could see Angela's mouth began to move, the words of a pained heart nearly escaping, when they both saw the brown and gray station wagon coming down the street. It pulled dangerously close to Angela and Caroline, leaving only a few feet apart from them and the bumper. Still holding on to Angela's hand, Caroline pulled her from the curb, dubiously eying the occupant of the car.
The front door to the car opened and the biggest man Caroline had ever seen in person stepped foot onto the street. He was a tall, heavy-set man, with thick muscles that complimented his barreled chest and corpulent gut. An ungroomed mane of a beard covered his paunchy face and he wore faded overalls under a flannel shirt. Caroline stared in awe at the mans great size before realizing that he was Angela's father. His eyes intently focused on the little girl huddled against Caroline's side, and at that moment, Caroline got the suspicion that something was not right about him.
"Angela, I'm so sorry I was late! C'mon, let's go."
Angela didn't move from Caroline's side. Caroline spoke up, not letting go of the girls hand.
"Mr. Orosco I presume? I'm Caroline Hunter, Angela's teacher." She extended one immaculately groomed hand, which Angela's father shook with one of his giants, worn hands.
"Well it's quite to meet you Ms. Hunter. Some-how I'd 'spected you'd be a little older. And please, you can call me Thomas."
What is he trying to do!? Flirt? Caroline inwardly laughed at his pathetic attempt and held Angela a little tighter. But to her surprise she found the girls hand to be loosening, pulling away from her grasp until she was free and walking towards her father. Thomas took her by the hand, flashing a fatherly smile that didn't seem at all genuine.
"You know something Ms. Hunter, in my day, we didn't have teachers as good looking as you."
Wow, he's not even trying to be subtle about his flirtations any-more.
Caroline meekly smiled and waved his advances off. He looked like he was twice her age and married, and besides, not really her 'type.'
"Well, Mr. Orosco, I suppose that times change. A lot of young women are now getting into the education field. You never know, maybe Angela some-day will want to aspire to become a teacher."
Caroline smiled at Angela, who was still cowered next to her father, her tiny fingers engulfed in his massive hand.
"Ah, Angela don't wanna be no school teacher." He said dismissively.
"Well, would you rather she got into your line of work instead?" Said Caroline, indicating his weathered overall.
The faux smile disappeared from his face, replaced by a rock hard and intimidating seriousness.
"Ain't nothing wrong with my line of work. Just because I don't have no fancy degree don't mean you can disrespect my trade. It pays the bills and keeps a roof over our heads, and that's all that matters."
"You're right, Mr. Orosco, I'm sorry if I offended you."
His eyes seemed to brighten as he placed Angela into the passenger seat of the car. He was about to get in him-self when he stopped and turned to face Caroline again.
Oh God, what does he want now?
"You know something, I've always been curious about something."
"Well, I am a teacher Mr. Orosco, maybe I can help you."
He got close to Caroline, so close that she could smell the alcohol on his breath. "I've always wondered, why don't they call you a teacheress? You know, like how you got 'actress,' a 'priestess,' 'adulteress,' why not a teacheress?
Wow, a weirdo and a bigot...
"Well Mr. Orosco, I don't feel there is a need to classify the teaching occupation by gender, unlike your profession, where you have lumber-jills."
Thomas Orosco heartily laughed. "I suppose you're right. I guess I'll be leaving now. You take care of your-self, 'teacheress.'"
"Oh, I will." Caroline responded, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Thomas got into the car and hastily pulled off. Caroline unconsciously wiped her hand on her blouse, trying to get the sensation of the mans giant hand off of her flesh. Something about him had definitely sent off warning signs in Caroline's head. She wouldn't be surprised if he was the cause of little Angela's problems. She had no idea what horrors her father had put her through, and no idea what fate lay ahead for the two if them...
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Five hours later, the Orosco family sat around the dinner table, eating their meal of steak, rice, and bread in silence. Rarely, someone would speak, only to be met with the same laconic responses, reminiscent of the original talker. It was this un-family like shame that hung over the Orosco family like a dreaded blanket. Every-thing was taboo, and nothing was sacred, not even the innocence of a child...
Angela could barely hold her fork in her hand. The way her father had squeezed her fragile little fingers when he was talking to Ms. Hunter had hurt so bad. She fought back tears as she stared down at her swollen, discolored fingers. She awkwardly tried to grasp the fork but failed. All she could do was pick at the succulent meat, the sounds of silver-ware clacking and chewing surrounding her. Finally, her father spoke up, breaking the silence.
"I met Angela's teacher today..."
Catherine grunted in reply while Harold was busy shoveling food into his mouth.
"That girls got a sassy little mouth on her..."
Catherine finally spoke up, glaring at her husband with indignation. "What, you've been kissing on it or something, just like..." She mercifully stopped her sentence first, not wanting to endure Thomas's wrath if she had finished.
"You hold your tongue woman." Said Thomas, the hate rising in his voice.
Angela sat with her head down the entire time, picking at her food with her bruised hand. She had tried using her left hand to grasp the fork, only to have it clumsily fall between her food. Angela was so hungry, the smell of the meat was intoxicating to her nostrils.
Without thinking, Angela took her left hand and plucked the steak from its plate. She brought it to her mouth and took a large bit out of the juicy meat. She chewed like she had never ate before in her life, and greedily swallowed the mash of food. Her father stared at her with a look of disgust and scorn.
"Angela! Eat like you got some sense!!"
She wanted to tell her him he had hurt her hand while he was squeezing it. She wanted to shove her raw, swollen fingers into his face and scream 'this is what you did to me!!' bit the words never came as she took her rice filled palm and brought it to her waiting mouth.
"Damn it Angela!! I'm warning you, at this table you will eat like you have some sense!!"
His words stung to Angela, bringing tears to her eyes. Still, she continued to wolf down the food with her good hand, ignoring the sensation of her families eyes burning into her. Finally, her father leaped to his feet, sending his chair crashing to the floor below. His face was red with anger as he grabbed Angela's plate.
"Alright you disgusting little pig! You want to eat like a dog!? Here, you can eat off the floor then!" He angrily tossed her dinner on the floor, shattering the plate it was on.
"There's your dinner!! EAT IT!" Thomas shouted.
Her mother tried to come to her aid, demanding that Thomas calm down, only to be rewarded with his hand striking her face. All Angela could do was stand there, the tears running down her face and her hand sticky with sauce. Her parents began fighting, screaming back and fourth at each other. Their loud and violent words weren't hurting each other, but they were tearing Angela's little soul apart.
She couldn't take it any-more. Angela ran away from the hectic scene she was all too familiar with. She ran into her room and threw her-self onto her bed, buried he face in her pillow, and cried.
Why me? She thought weakly to her-self. Why does this have to happen to me?
Angela stopped crying when she noticed the edges of paper sticking out from under-neath her pillow. Wiping her tear stained eyes, Angela reached for the papers and stared at them. The pictures she had drew of her father brought a smile to her face. It wasn't the sweet and innocent smile that Ms. Hunter had brought out in her. No, it was a twisted, sinister smile, one that a girl of such a young age should never wear nor see. Angela replaced the pictures under her pillow, their presence like a sacred talisman as she drifted away into the dreamless sleep of the persecuted.