Blu's Mute

Chapter 20: What's Behind Door One?

Once I finished my room I went out and helped Evans wash the dishes, mother never had me do the dishes, or any of our sisters, only Evans, so when I could i’d help him.

“What are you doing helping Evans, Natalia?” my mother scolded,

“I finished my room and bub wasn’t done yet so I offered to help him.” I looked up at her with a small smile, missing my front teeth thanks to baby teeth.

“I told you to clean your room and Evans to do the dishes, did he help you with your room?” she asked sternly. I nodded no and began to walk away, she swatted my butt gently, but hard enough so I got the message, “Do your chores and don’t try to help Evans out of his again.” she said. I went out in the living room and listened as she spoke with Evans.

“Evans you know better than to let others do your chores.” she scolded him, a darkness to her voice,

“Bu-But mo-momma, she was just helping me put them in the washer after I scrubbed em...” he stuttered, I looked around the corner to see my mother smack him across the face, that was another thing she did to him and not us. Most she did was swatt my butt or the arm of me or the other girls, for Evans it was always a harsher punishment. He began to cry and my mother sneered,

“Don’t talk back to me young man.” she snapped, “Now do your chores, and for talking back, after you can clean the bathrooms.” she commanded before turning and walking away.

-eighth birthday-

I giggled as I pulled on my red dress, the bow was black and snug on my belly while the skirt flowed out in a plain but adorable fashion, my shoes were a shiny black. Mother had gotten me the dress for our party.

“Stay still!” she yelled at Evans with a scowl. He stopped his squirming and mother finished putting the weird powdery stuff on the bruise on his cheek and arm. “Don’t touch at it.” she commanded him, he nodded and hung his head low. He wore a pair of cargo shorts, sneakers, and grey t-shirt. Mother hadn’t gotten him an outfit for the party. The doorbell rang, “Natalia go get that please angel?” I hurried out to the front door and opened it to one of my friends, I showed her where to put the gift and hurried back to the room with Evans. Mother was off dealing with the cake so he was alone sitting on the bottom bed of our bunk bed.

“Hey bub.” I said with a smile, he looked up at me solemnly,

“Hey Sissy.” I pulled him into a hug,

“Most of my friends are here for the party, how many of yours are here?” I asked with a hopeful smile.

“None, mommy said I don’t deserve friends, cause i’m a bad boy and came out wrong.” I pouted,

“Well you can have my friends.” I said cheekily as I grabbed his hand and pulled him into the living room. I introduced my friends to him and a couple mentioned how they brought a gift for him aswell, brightening his mood.

After all my friends left I sat in my room with Evans as we played with the toys we’d gotten.

“What are you doing?” my mother asked, malice in her voice as she glared at Evans, he looked up at her, innocence in his eyes.

“Playing with the toys I got.” he whispered as he hung his head low.

“From who?” she walked closer and stared at the toys,

“Natty’s friends.” he shrunk back as she began to pick up the toys furiously,

“Exactly, Natalia’s friends. Not yours, therefore you don’t deserve toys from them. Besides, you’re a bad boy; bad boys don’t get friends, or toys.” she scolded, before leaving the room with the toys.