Not Too Close

Two Seconds Later

"Who? Who told you not to?" Pa asked.

Now Ma was sobbing. "It--it does-- doesn't matter anymore!" she stuttered.

"Yes, yes it does. Sweetie, it matters. Just tell me! Who told you? I'll take them to court!"

Ma shook her head. "They'll take me away. You need to go. Go! Go without-"

"DON'T!" Pa shouted, startling all of us. Even Ma stopped crying. I was scared. I loved Ma. I didn't want her to be taken away. "Don't say that!" Pa continued, quieter. "We're not going without you. Either you come or we don't go at all. So pack your bags, we're going to Meredition!"

Ma laughed. "Really?" Pa nodded.

"Nothing can stop us," Pa whispered.

I couldn't help but smile myself. I couldn't believe that we were leaving....for good. It was almost too good to be true. "We'll leave on the twenty-fifth of April! Pack your bags, Elisabeth. Gather your siblings! Once again, we're going to Meredition!" This time he made no effort to stay quiet.

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For two weeks, I walked around with a smile that stretched across my entire face, struggling to keep the secret that I couldn't even tell Lilliette, in the fears that she might tell everybody. Lilliette wasn't exactly known for keeping secrets. One time, she spoiled to the mayor that a kid took an extra goody from the bakery. Luckily, he was only 10 and it was forgotten after two weeks, but it was still close.

But on April the 23rd, the smile quickly faded from my face. In fact, I felt as if I would never remember how to smile again. I felt I had nothing left. My smile was gone. My heart was shattered. My wanting to be happy was forgotten. I felt the need to just go somewhere. Someplace where nothing bad would ever happen and I could try to remember how to be happy.