The Great Escapee Series

Chapter 17

Seventeen

Bea sat at the kitchen table, stirring her cereal as she chewed, singing softly, swinging her legs in time.

Slam! Mommy dropped the washer lid.

Bea jumped.

"He'd better call." Mommy checked the clock then turned the washer dial. Water rushed into the machine. "Bea! Can you stop that singing already?" Mommy's voice got louder, along with the clicking of her long black polished nails on the metal lid. She turned and glared at Bea. "Really. Can't you stop?"

Bea sucked in a breath and choked on a piece of cereal, eyes wide, the spoon frozen in the air, dripping milk onto the table and floor. Her face turned hot as she coughed up cereal chunks. The spoon clattered to the floor.

"Bea! You're dripping milk all over." Mommy said her name in a hard, angry voice and rushed to the table. "You're making a mess. Why can't you eat right, like everybody else?" She slammed her hand onto the table beside Bea's bowl.

Everything jumped, including Bea.

"Look, you spilled on your shirt. Now you'll have to change."

Mommy grabbed the spoon and threw it into the sink. "Get yourself cleaned up. Now!" She pointed toward the bathroom. "And brush your teeth."

Bea cleared her throat. Her lower lip quivered, and she felt hot tears in her eyes. "I'm still hungry."

"I'm still hungry," Mommy mimicked in a high, scary voice. She grabbed the cereal bowl, spilling more milk on Bea's shirt.

Bea scooted off the chair and ran down the hall. When she shut the bathroom door, she made sure the latch was silent. She let go of the knob, one turn at a time, until it stopped, then stepped onto the stool in front of the sink.

As she looked into the mirror, the tears flowed down her cheeks. No sound. Not a sob. Just tears streaming from her eyes, dripping onto the counter, into the sink.

The pretty brown eyes in the mirror watched the hurt and pain drip down. The little girl in the mirror calmed her, helped the tears stop. Told her to be strong.

Bea sighed a deep ragged breath, changed into a clean T-shirt and picked up her toothbrush and toothpaste. The water from the faucet stirred a song, each drop played a note. While she squirted toothpaste onto the brush, and screwed the cap on straight, a quiet melody stirred in her heart and she began to hum as she brushed her teeth.

"Do I hear water running?" Mommy's loud voice broke in. Loud raps on the door echoed into the bathroom, into Bea's song.

Bea turned the water off.

"You know better than to let the water run." Mommy pounded on the door again. Bea jumped and dropped her toothbrush. It bounced down her shirt, trailing toothpaste all the way down.

Bea took one look and let out a wail.

The door burst open. Mommy stepped into the room. Her face didn't look like Mommy. Dark glinted in her eyes, her forehead scrunched, lips stretched over her teeth.

This was somebody else.

Bea cried harder and harder as Mommy crept closer.

Mommy leaned over her. She shook her head and crouched low, face to face with Bea.

Bea stepped back. Almost falling off the stool, she gripped the sink.

Mommy grabbed Bea's wrist and slapped her hard on the cheek.

Bea shrieked and tried to pull away.

Mommy's face changed. Her eyes turned soft. She sucked in a deep breath and shook all over.

She held onto Bea. "I'm sorry Baby," Mommy said. Her voice sounded softer, sad. "I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me. I ... I'm sorry." She started to cry.

Bea struggled, but Mommy held on, saying over and over and over, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Baby, I would never hurt you." Her eyes fluttered up. "I ... oh." Cupping Bea's burning cheek with her hand, she buried her head against Bea's chest and cried again.

Bea's cheek stung as Mommy stroked it. She slowly circled Mommy's neck with her arms and smelled Mommy's hair. Her own sobs spilled out, and she crumpled onto the floor in Mommy's arms.