Firstborn

Chapter 6

Abandonment

She was wrong, so wrong – the realisation that she hadn't known her father at all was enormous. She had pegged him as someone who would tell her that he was leaving to go back home earlier than expected, tell her that she was being left in the valley, and most definitely tell her that she was to become a boarder. Una slid from the metal trunk, catching her leg on the latch. Rubbing her leg down, she moved back to read the freshly painted label once again:

N/981 UNA. DEV

Windsor School

The label had caught her eyes as she had walked into the bedroom after visiting Grandma in the kitchen. She could hardly miss it, as it hogged the majority of the free floor space in the bedroom.

Swigging the last of her coke, which this time, her Grandma suspiciously, dispensed easily, she carefully studied the sealed envelope With a big 'Sorry' in her father's handwriting, found earlier propped up on the trunk in full view as she entered her bedroom. Grandma's blip in her usual scrooge behaviour suggested bad tidings. She knew what it was going to say - the aluminium trunk embossed with her name and destination gave the game away. What a coward!

How could he have disappeared without any explanation and left her with people who, at best, merely tolerated her. This was not a love haven that he left her in. Even a child under five would have needed some kind words and explanation but she was a teenager, who was separated from her friends, and home. At the least he could have shown her around the school.

Her passport was no longer in the cupboard - had he had taken it away? She could ring the embassy but how? Her phone wasn't working and Grandad didn't have one.

The betrayal of her father and the resulting treatment was overwhelming and too much to bear. Streams of hot tears soaked her cheeks unashamedly. Did he not think he would induce a monumental chasm between them? How did it sit on his conscience that he left her feeling hopelessly unloved and unwanted?

When her sobs subdued her heart physically hardened and mind cleared and one thought was born inducing her to take a silent oath. She was never going to forgive her Dad.  He was dead to her.  Defiantly, she scrunched up the unopened envelope, threw it on the floor and then climbed onto her bed with her shoes, fully clothed. 

Grandma came in and found Una lying in a foetal position, staring at the ceiling. She could have hugged and cradled her granddaughter, wiped her tears but she didn't. Instead a cool smile swept across her face and she picked up the scrunched letter and laid it on the bedside cabinet. Carefully rubbing off the creases with her hands she straightened the envelope and left Una to herself taking the letter with her. 

-X-

The next afternoon

"No doubt, our grandparents have assigned you another task. I'm sure we covered all the rules even though I don't actually remember yesterday clearly."

Before he could form words in his head, she quickly interjected, "Thought so."

Avi scowled but he held his tongue, not because he didn't want to come; he did. It was just that she did not remember yesterday clearly. This was odd considering how terrified she had been when she thought there was a possibility of her being 'taken'. On reflection she had looked out of sorts yesterday. Was it jet lag or was it something similar to what he felt in the mornings? He thought to question her further but her eyes were accusing and hostile.

Tears had run dry on her face and strands of her hair clung to her cheek bones. Her eyes flashed green and were wide open, focused and reproachful.  Avi wasn't equipped for this. Meeru was the only other girl he knew properly and he couldn't remember her crying - her brothers had seen to that.