CHAPTER 3

“You were the one cleaning?” My mom asked. Eyes with fury as soon as I appeared back in the sitting room. I could convince myself that it was probably because of her outstretched injured leg but I knew better. “Yes mom I was the one cleaning.” I said with a fear filled trembling voice. “The power went out while I was still cleaning. I didn’t think it was a hazard…” I hurried to try and explain. “Save it Mery!” My mom lashed out such that even Viola trembled at her hush tone. “I can’t believe you.” She continued in a steadier though evidently angry voice. “First you drug us, then you try to do it again and again and when that doesn’t happen you set a trap for me.” “What? A trap...? Mom I swear that is not what happened.” “Shut your mouth...! Meredith Seaton you had better get out of my face while you still can.” “Mom I was just trying to be good. I was trying to be the daughter you want.” I wasn’t sure if my voice was trembling out of fear or out of the mere realization that my own mother believed I was her worst enemy. “You could never be the daughter I want Meredith Seaton, because you have no good stored up anywhere inside of you. You are a liar, a cheater, a drunkard, a prostitute, a junkie. What makes you think I would want a daughter like that? Heaven knows that of all the miscarriages I had, not a day goes by that I don’t wish that any other of my babies could have survived besides you.” Tears welled down my eyes at these words. My dad chose that very moment to enter through the front door. “You know what? I wish I wasn’t your daughter.” I replied behind a tearful voice. My mom was surprised at these unexpected words. “Being your daughter is the greatest curse that has ever been bestowed on me. No matter how much I try to be good you never appreciate it. Maybe if you were a good enough mom you would have realized why I turned into those traits in the first place. But you are too self-righteous to even see why. But you know what? I will make things easier for you…” My dad stepped closer into the room towards us. “Mery that’s enough.” My dad interjected. I was so sad and angry at the same time that I couldn’t even reply my dad. “What happened?” “Your daughter set a trap for me, that’s what happened.” My dad looked to me for clarification but got none. Instead I stormed towards my room. I slammed the door, threw myself on my bed and wept bitterly. Ted Seaton watched his daughter walk away. He knew Meredith was a sly actor. She wouldn’t even mind putting nails into her eyes just so she would cry. Ever since she was something like 11 years, she had gotten into trouble so much. He had seen it too many times, situations when she would pretend to be remorseful but her tears and emotions were nowhere close to being sincere. However, it was different this time. He had personally witnessed what his wife had said to his daughter; even a stone heart would crush at those words. His wife must have been really angry to let any of those words out of her mouth, especially directed towards their only child. His heart broke to pieces at the mere utterance such that he couldn’t imagine what it felt like for his little girl. Suddenly he was stuck in the middle not sure what to do; whether he needed to go after and comfort his daughter or stay and tend to his wife’s injury. With a deep breath he decided to tend to his wife. Meredith was probably locked up in her room anyway and wouldn’t even dream of opening the door for him. He softly squatted and got hold of his wife’s injured foot. “What happened?” “She sat a trap for me. She plugged the vacuum cleaner in the sitting room and then put it in the dining room. It was dark so I tripped. “Viola can you please get me the first aid kit.” “Yes sir!” the older woman was up in a whisk. Mr. Seaton carried Mrs. Seaton in the meantime and placed her on the nearby sofa before gently removing her shoes and examining the extent of her injury.
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I was lying on my bed sniffing from all the crying when there was a knock on the door. Thinking that it was probably my father I didn’t even bother to answer. The knock sounded again, softer than the first but I still ignored it. “Ms. Meredith are you okay in there?” Viola asked softly as if unsure whether or not it was okay to even ask. Realizing that it was only her, I rose to my feet and unlocked the door. “Yes viola I am okay. Thank you for your concern.” I said peeping out my bedroom door. It was unbelievable how this woman had been more a mom to me than my own mother ever was. Growing up I talked to her about everything. I told her about my friends, my day at school, and everything that girls talked to their moms about when they reached the adolescent stage. She even knew I had my menses before my mom. I lacked love from my mom but I always got it from the woman who stood at my door at that very moment. “I’m sorry about what your mom said. She didn’t mean any of those things, she loves you.” “I was just trying to be good…” “I know. But both you and I know just how much you screwed up in the past few years you can’t blame them for not trusting you right away. Give it time, they will come around. I am really proud of your efforts the past few days regardless of whether your mom sees it or not.” “Thank you Viola. You have no idea how much that means to me.” “Just keep up what you are doing, prove to your mom that there is good in you.” “Thank you…” “I’m proud of you Mery.” Tears welled down my eyes at these words. Oh how I wish it was my mother saying those words to me. “Well I better get the first aid kit to your parents.” She said, looking down at her hands I noticed for the first time the red box she carried. “Good night!” “Good night Viola and thanks again.” “Well I better get these to your father.” I forced a sad smile and she smiled back before advancing towards the sitting room. I sadly closed the door. I still didn’t know how this woman has been more of a motherly figure to me than my own mother. She always knew just what to say to make me feel better. I knew she genuinely meant it when she said she was proud of me. Heaven knew I would give just about anything to have my mom say those exact words to me. But where my mom was concerned; whatever I tried to do, it was like it was never good enough. My own mother had completely lost hope when it came to me and even treated me like a stranger. I had tried, there was no effort beyond the one I put today. My mom believed that I was a good for nothing, junkie, drunkard prostitute. Worst yet she wished she had miscarried me and any one of her babies should have survived other than me. That meant that even if I died she wouldn’t care; in fact, it must mean that her life would be better off without me. Maybe that is exactly what I would do, she didn’t want me around? Then I should leave. With tears rolling down my eyes I started gently packing my clothes into my language bag. I tiptoed to the sitting room a few minutes later. My parents were no longer there. On my way back as I went past their room I could hear some feint voices coming from there. After tendering to my mom’s ankle and wrist my dad must have taken her to the bedroom so she could rest. I took the opportunity to go back into my room, collect my bag and as quietly as I could and left through the front door. Figuring out that if I opened the remote controlled gate it would be too noisy, I decided to use the small back gate. It was already dark and that almost had me change my mind; but I was determined to leave. I took a courageous breath with my eyes closed and moved on as soon as I opened my eyes.
* * *
Mr. Seaton tossed and turned throughout the night. He hadn’t been able to sleep since he gave his wife allegex to help her sleep through the night without being awaken by the pain on her ankle and wrist. They didn’t seem broken, only twisted. He decided he would see how both injuries would turn out the following morning. If they were in the least inflamed or showed any sign of getting worse they would go see the doctor. For now however, she seemed okay. He had wanted to know what really transpired. He had heard his wife’s side of the story and just wanted to hear his daughter’s after her mother fell asleep. He had gone to Meredith’s room and knocked several times with no answer. He even tried to open the door but it was locked. He reckoned that maybe it was best to give her some privacy, after what she went through earlier, she needed to recollect her thoughts; on her own. He would have left her alone until morning if only he could sleep without being worried whether or not she was okay. It was after midnight when he finally decided to get out of bed to check on her once more. This time with the knowledge that he had found the door locked the first time, he searched through the key store and found Meredith’s room key. Getting to her door he knocked softly about three times before putting the key through the cylinder lock to open. The scene that met him was not very pleasing. Meredith was not on her bed. The bed was still kept, a sign that she hadn’t slept on it. Panicking he rushed to her wall wardrobe and although he found some of her clothes there, her toiletry, make up and shoes were gone. His greatest fear had finally come true; his little girl had run away from home. He immediately went to the sitting room to try and call her and convince her to come back home so they could talk but he remembered that they had taken away both her cell phones. Oh God! How did they end up here?

CHAPTER 4

Dear diary