painful healing

chapter 1

"Sammy! Put the squirrel down!"

"But Belly Bug he's my new friend."

I walked over to my little brother and kneeled down in front of the sad boy, "Sammy" I sighed, "you realize we can't bring it home, right?" He looked so distraught, even with this being the sixth time that I've told him we can't bring any animals to live with us. And that was just this week. Our apartment is too small and it isn't pet friendly either. The landlord would kick us out in a heartbeat if she found out we took in an animal; especially, a squirrel. How did he even catch it?

He looks up at me with his big green eyes, lip pushed out and quivering, eyebrows drawn together, "please Bella? Pleeeeease?"

"No."

"But-"

"Nope."

"Bell-"

"Nuh uh, not happening Sammy so drop it and drop the squirrel too."

"Fine!" I then watch as he practically throws the animal back towards its tree and wince. Poor guy. I look back to Sammy and see him storming off. I sigh heavily and get up to chase him down. When I catch up to him he won't look at me and boldly states:

"You're getting the silent treatment!" Fair enough. I usher him back to the car and we head off back to the apartment. On the way back home, I hear quiet sniffles drifting from the backseat. Oh Sammy. I move my eyes to the rearview mirror and see him hunched in his seat, making me feel even worse. Maybe I should have handled that better? No, time and again I've had to tell him the same thing. Well, but, I guess, maybe, a hamster wouldn't hurt? Man, he's got me wrapped around his little finger and always has. I'm pretty sure he always will, too. I'm brought out of my thoughts by a small voice.

"Belly bug?" He's still not looking at me.

I steal a glance at his defeated form through the rearview again, "yeah, kiddo?"

"Sorry." I frown. He sounds so sad! Ugh!

"It's alright little man, you just, you know we can't have pets where we're living." Time and time again I tell him this, but he's a kid, you know? He doesn't quite get it yet. I check the road and look at him again. He nods and finally looks at me, our eyes connect through the mirror and he gives me a sad smile. Gah! You're horrible Bella. You're a bad sister. The absolute worst there is. You evil person, look at him!

I look back to the road and sigh. We don't bring up the animal ordeal again and instead discuss dinner plans. I'm cooking beef stew tonight, but Sammy wants pizza. The boy always wants pizza. Just pizza. Pizza, pizza, pizza. I shake my head and smile, I've been trying to convince him that maybe beef stew would be better tonight and pizza would be just as great tomorrow, but he's having none of it.

We get home. And I order pizza.

*#*#*#*

Finally getting Sammy tucked in, I run my eyes over his peaceful, sleeping face one more time before shutting the door behind me and walking into the living room. I sit on the couch and rub my hands over my face. Today was a rare occurrence in that I finally had a day off. I should've used today to buy Sammy's birthday present, he was turning nine next week. I didn't though, nope, because Sammy just had to see the new swings they put in at his favorite park. I'll just have to sneak away during one of my breaks at the shop and pick up his gift sometime this week. You're the boss Bella, why are you even stressing this? You can leave the shop if you want to, who's gonna tell you off? You own the damn place! I make a good point.

I kick off my shoes and lie back on the sofa, turning on the television. Power Rangers comes blasting at me at high volume. I jump and nearly drop the remote trying to turn the damn thing down. I freeze and listen to the sounds of the house, waiting for any type of stirring. I am met with silence and a soft, muffled snore. Sammy's still sleeping, Hell yes! Getting that boy to go to bed is World War III I swear it. I lie back down on the couch and flip the channel to Spike, 1000 Ways to Die  is on. I Love that show, so I keep it on. As I watch some guy hook himself up to a moving car (idiot) I think back to what I have to do this week in preparation for Sammy's birthday. Kid just had to have a party. Screaming little demons everywhere. Oh yeah, it's gonna be great. I smirk at my own sarcasm and stare at the screen, not really paying it any attention anymore.