Princess & Dee's Upon the Railway

Sleepless Sleeper: Part 1

The stairs groaned and creaked as Princess attentively trod down the stairs, foot by careful foot, with her travel bag, not wanting to scratch the walls—especially since she was back walking on eggshells. New scratches on the wall and her mother would probably boot her out of the house. 

And her father would just watch. 

Princess had still not looked her parents in the eye since her return. In the end, she had spent just a night at Dee's and went back to work with her the next morning, then drove back home at the end of the day. Since then, she had done her best to do all that was expected of her under her mother's roof. 

Cook when she could. 

Clean. 

Sit down for meals. 

And tell them if she was going to be late for dinner and why. It was like being fifteen all over again. Like having a hand slowly and gently squeezing on your carotid arteries and trachea.

Suffocating.

Princess set her bag down next to the hallway table with the landline phone on it and she wrote out a note. Neither of her parents were home, they would come back later to find that she had indeed gone ahead with her plans to go away for the weekend. And Princess would not be here to witness their reactions. 

She had behaved all week, so she could do this. If, withal, upon her return, Perlah would decide to kick her out on a case built on the fact that Princess was now doing as she pleased against her wishes, then—well, Princess would cross that bridge when and if it was to come to that.

Ah could stay wi' Dee until ah found a place?

Ah could stay wi' Dee an' pay rent?

O' maybe—

Princess shook her head.

"We're no' goin' tae think about 'at right now." She told herself, sternly.

She then turned her full attention back onto the sticky notepad in front of her and wrote:

I've gone away for the weekend.

I'll be back Sunday evening.

Princess reread what she wrote. 

And read it again. Debated for a bit. Then relented. And struggled as she added:

Love you, Princess.

She put down the pen and let out a heavy nasal sigh. At the same time, there was a knock on her door. She went to open it and found none other than Damsel in Distress looking as strapping as ever in his fine autumnal wear. His dimples intended when his eyes met hers, and so too did Princess, break out into a smile. She then took a step toward him and pulled him down for a kiss.

"Good mornin' Damsel," she spoke softly.

Rodric kissed her button nose.

"Good mornin' ma Prince. Ready?"

Princess nodded and grabbed her travel bag.

"Let me," Rodric said.

"It's ok, ah can do it."

"Anno ye can, Princess."

Princess looked into Rodric's sparkling eyes. Then she smiled as she said, "Ok, thank ye."

Rodric kissed her again. "Ma pleasure."

He took the bag to the trunk of his car, whilst Princess stood by the doorway, longer than was necessary. With one foot planted on the outdoor step and the other still in the house. She looked over to her note on the table and silently prayed she would not have to pay a hefty price for this.