Maddie Ann s Playground

by Mackenzie Drew

  Cindy stepped around the bed and walked through the bathroom door, deliberately leaving it open. She performed her morning ablutions, ignoring Steve altogether. She hadn’t laid out his clothes for him last night, as she had done every workday of their married life. And the sounds he made while searching for what tie with what shirt with what suit would have been comical at any other time.

  If his stupidity and color blindness made him late for work, so be it. At least she wasn’t taking the blame if he lost his highfalutin’ corporate job by wearing an orange tie with a pink shirt. Oh, and not to mention what frickin’ shoes. He once tried to lead a meeting of high-level executives with one brown and one black one on. It surprised her to see he got them on the right feet. Cindy smiled at the memory, enjoying his discomfort at the time.

  Entering the kitchen, she noticed the light in the laundry room burned bright. She headed in to shut it off and to her surprise, she found Jennifer slumped over, asleep against the washer with her head tilted uncomfortably to one side. “My poor baby,” she whispered. Cindy felt helpless to settle her daughter’s disturbed spirit. With every new approach she tried, a brick wall obstacle stood in her way. She tiptoed across the utility room to wake her. She tapped Jennifer on the arm; her eyes fluttered. “Jennifer, honey, get up. It’s morning.”

  Her mother towered over her. “Mom, what time is it?” she asked, scrubbing a palm across her face.

  “It’s 6:00 o’clock, why?” she replied.

  “Oh, it’s too early. I don’t remember falling asleep.”

  Jennifer stretched, and uttered something foul without realizing it. “I’ll kill you, Cindy. The worms will eat you.”

  “What did you say?” Cindy asked, shocked.

  “I didn’t say anything. I yawned,” Jennifer retorted.

  “No, you said something about worms eating my dead body. I heard you.”

  With a confused look, instead of arguing, Jennifer tried recalling the words in her mind. “Nope, I don’t know what you think I said, but whatever it was, I’m sorry if it upset you.”

  Cindy helped her to her feet then went back in the kitchen to make breakfast. Flopping down on a chair at the table, Jennifer lifted the shade and looked out at the morning sun. The dew on the grass glistened as the light hit it just right. Noticing a little wind disturbing the trees, she opened the window to feel it against her face. She closed her eyes and imagined she was anywhere other than the kitchen, when a loud bang brought her back to reality. Her mother had slammed a pot on the table right next to her hands. Startled by the sudden noise, she banged her knee on the table.

  “Why did you scare me like that?” she asked, gazing at her mother’s angry face.

  “I’m still upset at what you said,” she said.

  “Mom, I didn’t say whatever it is you think I did. Let it go. You’ll let it work on your nerves until you explode,” she said, “like now.”

  Jennifer slumped against the chair with her arms folded. She sensed this wasn’t the only problem clouding her mother’s head, but dared not ask. She’d heard her parents arguing into the night many times lately. With all that’s happened, how much worse could it get? Her world was falling apart all around her—and it was all her fault.

  Taking a seat next to her, not uttering a sound, Cindy reached for a piece of paper and a pen. She wrote it out instead of saying it. Jennifer’s mouth flew open as the words appeared in ink. Right away, she knew the little girl from her dream was responsible.

  “I swear to you that it wasn’t me who said this. I would never say I’d kill you. It’s a mistake, and it’ll never happen again,” she pleaded. “I had this dream…I don’t remember much, but Mommy, you have to believe me.”

  “Shush. I don’t want to hear another word,” she said.

  Jennifer could tell that no matter how much her mom wanted to believe her, the look of suspicion ran through her eyes. Jennifer dared not tell her about the dream. How could she explain such nonsense, when she didn’t know how to explain it herself? The child promised trouble, but not the extent of it. If she didn’t find a way to break the curse that bound her, threatening her mother’s life wouldn’t compare to what evil she could do if given the power.

  The smoke detector blared loudly, scaring Jennifer half to death. She jumped to her feet and darted toward the stove.

  “I hope you don’t mind burned bacon,” Cindy said over the loud whine while placing charred chunks on a paper plate.

  “I’ll eat it,” Jennifer shouted, grabbing a dishtowel to fan away the smoke and to shut it off.

  “Good, because there isn’t any more.” She grabbed the eggs from the fridge and slammed them across the counter, breaking two of them.

  Steve waltzed into the kitchen, sat down next to Jennifer, and waited for his breakfast. He pulled out the morning paper then paused for a moment. “Jennifer, your mother and I feel it’s best if you finish your senior year at home. The reason…well, with everything going on—and of course your studies are way behind—it would benefit you in the long run to not have any social distractions now in your recovery.”

  Where in the world did this come from? Not the whole time she spent in the hospital, or in the four days she'd been home, had anyone said anything about school. Their decision flew right out of her dad’s mouth without even a discussion. She was about to turn eighteen for cripes sake. She was a young woman.

  Jennifer slumped down in her seat. “Humph. Benefit to you, maybe. I'm not one of your insurance clients, Dad. You act like I'm an actuarial table. I wanted to go back after Thanksgiving so I can be with my friends. I need to graduate. I miss being with them, and I can’t even talk to them because mom hid all the phones in one of her demented states. She even took my laptop and my Blackberry.”

  “You watch your mouth, young lady. You have been through a lot, but I won't allow you to talk to your mother with that tone of voice. What is wrong with you? You never talked back to us like this before.”

  She didn’t want to argue with either of them. What seventeen-year-old could survive without having some fun in their life? Jennifer’s accident now hindered her from doing what she normally did. One of them was as simple as stepping outdoors. Not going back to school was insane. Without her friends, her plans for college and beyond meant nothing. If her mother bore any decency at all, she’d defend her, but Jennifer didn’t count on it in her present state, as angry as she became. “At least let me talk to Claire. For five minutes, I promise. Please, Mom?” Jennifer crossed her fingers behind her back. She waited to hear the dreaded news.

  Cindy shook her head. “Your father’s right; I also object to socializing just yet. I mean, you need to get better, and it's too much for you to handle right now,” she explained.

  Her ears deceived her once again, because her mother wouldn’t dare allow this to happen; she couldn’t, no matter how mad she was. Jennifer deserved better than this. Her life was at stake. For heaven’s sake, how much did she have to endure before going out of her mind? Making sure she heard correctly, she asked, “Did you also 'object' to allowing me the basic freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, Judge Cindy?”

  The shouting war started, and Cindy couldn’t imagine the problem she put herself into with the tiny little words she said. Angry teenagers, when given the opportunity, could shred apart anything they laid their hands on.

  Steven shrugged and went back to reading his paper. Cindy raised her hands in defeat. “Before you say anything, let me explain in another way you can understand better,” she replied.

  Jennifer folded her arms and contorted her face; rage built like a stoked fire.

  “Listen, when you're ready, I will personally take you to school so you can be happy. You could even repeat your senior year if you want to drop out of this one. You'll make some new friends. Try to concentrate on recuperating, and give this family some time to get over what has happened. That’s all I ask,” Cindy said. “A few months.”

  Jennifer struck the tableto
p with her fists. “That’s so unfair. You’re trying to keep me locked up. Do you think I’m crazy? I hate you both. How could you ruin my life, like this?” she shouted. She stormed out of the kitchen, turning her back on her parents in a rampant fit. On the way across the family room, sickness moved into the pit of her stomach as she mulled over this new stipulation. She overheard her parents' whispered conversation and slowed to listen. Grabbing the TV remote, she hit the mute button.

  “Steve, we have to do something with her. We can’t keep lying to her about the girls, and you know it. She's going to find out.”

  He shrugged, stood up, and reached for his briefcase. “I don't know, Cindy. I'm sure you'll find a solution. You always do.” He slipped into his suit jacket. “Well, I’ve got to go to work. I’ll call you during the day to see how everything is going. Don’t quit. You'll get us through this; I don't doubt your iron-willed determination for a minute.”

  Chapter Nine

  Jennifer snuck through the kitchen door at the same time her mom cleared the morning dishes from the table. Burned bacon scent lingered in the air. Egg yoke dripped down the front of the stove and the floor looked greasy from the hot bacon grease that splashed out of the skillet. The kitchen looked like a chef’s worst nightmare. She should have hung around to help her mom clean up the mess, but her parents made her angry. They’d rather cage her in the house like a wild animal than to let her live her life.

  Guilt from the worry and pain she’d caused lived inside Jennifer like a trapped bear. Her disappearance and lack of memory drove them to bitterness and recriminations. Shame on me became her mantra. Since her parents brought her home from the hospital, they fought senselessly. It wasn't a secret that she caused their disputes.

  She wasn't sure what to make of the conversation she'd overheard a short while ago. They knew something about her friends they weren't telling her. Could they have suffered like she did? She needed to find out more. Something atrocious happened on Halloween night, and she held the blame.

  As Jennifer stood in the entryway of the kitchen watching her scrub the messy countertops, she thought about the shopping trips and girls outings they used to take. She and Cindy talked about everything. They used to be close, like best friends. The more she thought about it, the more she yearned to regain their closeness. “Mom, I'm sorry. I didn’t even know what I said. Can you forgive me,” she asked. She embraced her mother like she hadn’t seen her in weeks.

  Cindy flung the damp dishtowel on the counter and returned the hug, caressing her daughter’s silky hair. “Oh, Jen! I love you no matter what you do. But at times, I’d like to knock some sense into that thick skull of yours,” she replied, her voice full of tears. “Someday, baby, you’ll understand why we decided to keep you out of school, safe here with us.”

  Jennifer smiled as her mother got in one more jab about school, although she wanted to scream. Lately, her parents made it a habit of whispering. What was such a big deal they didn’t want her to hear? Had they always lied to her?

  “Wait, what is it you’re trying to do for me? I don’t understand the big deal about going to school,” she replied.

  Jennifer stepped back from Cindy, leaning against the fridge.

  “It’s simple, honey. I’m protecting you from the public. I know you don’t know this, but you’re a suspect. Every person in this town knows who you are,” Cindy said. She stacked the dishes beside the sink and pushed up her sleeves.

  Jennifer’s eyes widened. Her angry face contorted and she fell back in a chair.

  “A suspect of what? I'm the one who nearly died. No, no, no! That is a bunch of bull, Mother. What the hell did I do wrong?” she asked. Her sharp nails raked over-the-top of her thigh.

  “Jennifer, watch your mouth. I will not tolerate your cursing,” Cindy replied. “It's ugly coming from your beautiful mouth. I know you’re not to blame for your misfortune, but the community thinks otherwise.”

  Jennifer couldn’t stand a liar or anyone who assumed the worst. Whatever happened to faith? The town of Old Creek had a chokehold over her and they could do and say what they liked. She had to get outside this house. Damn the townsfolk.

  The world held the dark truth about her misfortune. But how could she convince her mother to let her go? She knew Cindy feared for her safety. She could see it in her eyes and the way she talked—so guardedly. Her body language spoke louder than words. “The community? Why would our neighbors think I caused my accident myself? That's ridiculous. I need some fresh air. Do you think I could walk up the street and back? Please, Mom?” Jennifer asked, leaning back in the chair.

  Cindy had that frightened look in her eyes again. She dropped the soapy plate in the sink, rinsed her hands, and whirled around toward the table.

  “Please don’t ask me that, not now when I’m scared out of my mind. You know how opinionated our neighbors are,” she said and slid into another chair at the kitchen table. She sliced manicured fingers through her streaked, short-cropped hair and rested her forehead against the heels of her hands.

  Jennifer rolled her dark eyes and whisked her hair behind her ears. Since when did Cindy care what the neighbors thought? This was a ploy to keep her inside the stuffy house on a beautiful fall day. Her mother looked about ready to cry.

  “Listen to me, Mother. The people who live on our block or in our town can’t control what we do. Sure, they may talk about me, but I couldn't care less,” she said, getting desperate. A raging fit brewed inside her. If she didn't get out of this house soon, she'd be stir-crazy.

  “I’m frightened for you, Jennifer. You have no idea what these people say about you. I can’t even repeat it,” Cindy sniveled. She rose and wiped her tears.

  Jennifer took her mother’s trembling hands in hers, and said, “It’s fine, Mom, I can handle myself. Trust me.”

  Trust me. Jennifer often spouted those two words throughout the years to get what she wanted. It had worked many times, but this time, by the panicked look on her mother's face, it didn’t look as though it would persuade her. She sat across the table from her mother, staring deeply into her eyes. Her chin rested on her hand and a slight grimace rested at the corner of her mouth. Reassurance was key.

  “Mom, I'll be fine. I need some air to clear my head. It will do me good to get some sunshine and a little exercise. Trust me,” she said again. “I'll be good.”

  “Well…just this once. You walk up the sidewalk no farther than the corner, then come straight back home. I mean it Jennifer; you can’t go past the corner.”

  Had she heard her correctly? Jennifer rose from the chair in amazement. Her arms flew around her mother’s neck and she squeezed. “Thank you, Mommy,” she said. The love in her voice echoed through the calm kitchen.

  “Now I’m 'Mommy'? Sheesh.” Cindy smiled despite herself.

  Jennifer made a mad dash to her room to put something on her feet. Reaching for her battered hot pink flip-flops, she grabbed them and two ponytail holders and rushed back down the steps where Cindy stood waiting for her.

  “Jennifer, now I mean it, stay on our street,” she repeated. “Be careful, and don't talk to anyone.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Jennifer replied, twisting her dark hair into two thick pigtails. Anxiety and anticipation coursed through her veins.

  Jennifer stepped out onto the wide front porch and looked across the expanse of green grass. The cool fresh air felt good on her face as a gentle breeze teased her bangs. The sun beat down, not a cloud marred the sky, and the temperature was perfect for a crisp, fall day. It felt so good to be outside.

  Loping off down the street, the neighbors gazed out their windows and gave her dirty looks. What was that all about? Ignoring them as she enjoyed her freedom, she slowed to a walk. Suddenly, from the front door of a neighbor she'd known for years, Jennifer heard a loud man's voice accusing her.

  “Hey, you! We know what you did.”

  She looked around for some stranger behind her, because to her knowledge, everyone in the
neighborhood knew her and couldn’t possibly think she had done anything wrong. She baby-sat for half of them, and had a reputation of being a goody two-shoes, smart and reliable. Ha! Little did they know. She raised hell behind everybody's back.

  “Me?” she mouthed.

  He screamed an obscenity at her. She clapped her hands over her ears and ducked, as if from a physical blow.

  The man frightened her, and she turned back toward her home. With tears blowing in the wind as she ran, confusion reined her mind. She stumbled towards her front yard. Another disturbing voice from the neighbor across the street distracted her headlong flight.

  “Hey, don’t think you’re going to get away with it. Where'd you hide the bodies? They’re going to find out about your so-called friends, yeah right, you little sick-o.”

  Hurrying toward home, Jennifer stole frightened glances over her shoulder. Her heart throbbed in her chest, making her constant headache worse. She started to pant. Wiping the tears away from her eyes, she spotted her own driveway. She raced through the door, slamming it against the voices.