Winter: January 9, 2000
I awake to a light moan. My Abyssinian cat is nudging me, she must be hungry. I smile and rub her soft light red fur. "Come on, Bubbles." She jumps in my arms and I walk out of my room and quietly down the hall. I praise my cat and give her the world. She's the most expensive gift I have ever gotten. A whopping $1500 dollars on a rare breed of cat that I love almost more then my family.
Almost.
I walk down the long stairs to the living room, listening to the soft call of the wind. Calming...
I grab Bubbles two bowls filling one with milk and the other with water. I pull the fish I caught for her out the fridge. "Breakfast is served." I say and walk over to the deep white sink. I wash my hands and look out the window. The usually dark sky had started to clear.
We would need to start stocking up on food in our down hill shed.
I grab the big white flower pot I got my mother for her birthday. She really love to cook, but she hasn't been feeling to well. I think she ate a spoil piece of leg last week. I shrug at my thoughts and place the pot full of water on the stove. I would need to have breakfast ready by the time my father got up.
I wouldn't want him to start his day off in a bad mood.
He was a big man, 6'9 and lean all muscles. His cream white skin was cover in hairs and he had a very angular face. His beard was thick as it was very cold outside, but it made him scary. I think sometimes he could very well be the big bad wolf in the woods howling late at night.
"Emily, Emily.." I heard my baby brother soft voice calling for me. I smile he's like my little shadow for the last year. "Emily!" He screams and runs into my waiting arms. "You left me, I got so scare. You know the wolves eat babies." He softly scold me, I giggle. He already thought he own me and my sisters.
A future protector.
A true heart stealer.
"I'm sorry, Drew. Bubbles was hungry and I had to start breakfast, you know how father gets when his breakfast isn't ready." He nods his head and shakes a little. "But you can be my little helper, if you want." I turn to the stove knowing he'd do anything I ask as long as he got to stay close to me.
I know it would bother other teens or people for that matter. But my sisters had all clung to me as a second mother. I did almost everything for them that my mother was to weak or tried to do. And Drew was falling in their footsteps. I smile and grab a plastic wrap leg. It was as big as my entire body.
I wash the meat off then season it. "Can I have a case of egg and the block of cheese. Then get me the flour and grits from the cabinets." He say ok and begins grabing stuff. I grab a curved knife and start cutting the meat from the bone. I slowly take prefect cuts as my mother taught me. Not wasting anything.
"Aww look who beat mommy to the kitchen." I turn slightly and smile. It was the first time she'd left her room in almost a month. My father even had to take her to the hospital because she was bleeding so bad.
"Mother you should be resting." I start to hit on the meat with a hammer, so it would be tender. "I can handle this you need to rest." I say as she didn't move.
"Drew give mommy a moment alone with Emily." He jumps up and hops out the room. "Sweetie I need you to know I'm pregnant again and I don't want the children to know. They were all scared when I had Drew. Hell I was scared and the doctor has said this won't be a easy pregnancy. So I'll need you to help out, just like you've been doing." She pauses, "Aunt Roxie will be coming to live with us. In case I go into early labor. And to also help around the house."
