Chapter 9

I heard that they decided to have their date today. After school. Nobody asked anything about me. What happened to friends sticking by each other? The oath we solely swore each other? This could not be the same friendship we had 5 years ago, could it?

Mum said she had to go get milk for breakfast the following morning. Yet it took her 3 hours to come back. Today was different. Dad came back sober.
Dinner was awkward, no one spoke. Frequently, I glanced at Callum and saw him looking from mum to dad worriedly.
'Callum, could you please tell your dad to pass me the salt please?' mum asked. He opened his mouth to tell dad but dad put stopped him by putting his hand up.
'No, why not ask me yourself Claire?' dad said, with a pinch of anger in his voice. She didn't say anything, just moved her food around the plate. Dad stared at her wth piercing eyes, nose flared and face red. Suddenly, he pushed his plate away and stood up.
'What's the matter huh Claire? Why aren't you talking to me?' he started raising his voice.
'You know what's wrong Wilson,' mum answered quietly.
'I said sorry for tha. Isn't that enough? Eh? Isn't that enough? You go flouncing around town, leaving Claudia and Callum along. But I don't say anything. Do I do anything about it? Nothing,' he shouted. Nobody said or did anything. But this time dad was jabbing mum in her arm withhis finer.
'Got nothing to say all of a sudden?' he pulled her hair. I saw her flinch in pain. I abruptly stood up. Callum understood and went to his bedroom.
I stayed on the stairs listening.

He did it again.
He shouted at her again.
He beat her again. Why didn't mum do anything about it? By 10, dad stopped beating her. For some time there was silence.
I heard his soft 'sorry'. But sorry isn't enough surely? She can't take him back now. Not when he's beaten her. I heard them discussing something, then theirvoices raised. He didn't beat her again. Somebody opened the door, I went swiftly up the stairs and into bed. There was a knock on the door.

'Claudia?' someone called out. It was my little brother. He scuttled in and sad on my bed beside me.
'Claudia, nothing is gonna happen is it? They're going to be alright, right? We're going to be a happy right?' he asked, scared. I nodded and hugged him tightly.
'Everything's going to be alright Callum. Don't worry, before you know it we'll be back to normal,' I smiled at him. What a big fat lie. Nothing is going to be normal with this family.
'Promise?' I nodded again.
'I promise,' I regretted saying that. I know I'll break his promise sooner or later. I told him to go back to bed and he obeyed.

Just as I closed my eyes, someone else knocked. I sighed.
'Claudia?' It was mum this time. She came in with bloodshot eyes. I got up and hugged her.
'Look darling, I want you to be the first one to know. You must'nt tell Callum. Or anybody else in fact, everyone now a days want fresh gossip..' she told me. She looked into my eyes,'.. Me and your dad.. We're going to divorce.'

That was that. My whole world came crashing down. Everything that once made me happy didn't anymore. How could this happen?