C h a p t e r   3

O l i v i a  W a l k e r

I ran out of the house, screaming. The guy who we sold our t.v. to came running out of the house. He didn't seem very happy.

"Whaddya doing, running around, screaming?" He yelled at me.

"Mommy, she is hurrrt." I cried out.

His face suddenly stopped looking mad, and rushed into the house.

"Oh my god." He said. His hands were shaking when he saw Mommy.

Then he went for his phone.

"Yes! Our next door neighbor. Yes she has a child, I will take care of her until her family comes for her, thank you! Yes-- she is bleeding heavily." He said all fast.

Then he held grabbed my hand and started running. I didn't know old people could run. Then, he open his door, and thrust me inside.

"You're going to have to play with Caleb, okay?" He said. Then he shut the door, and ran to my porch.

Who was Caleb?

Just then, a boy with brown shaggy hair came into the living room. He smiled at me.

"Hi. Did Daddy get you to come here?" He asked.

"Yes. But he isn't my Daddy. He's your daddy." I said.

He smiled again.

"Well, let's go to my room. I have these new Lego blocks, Daddy got them for me and-" He stopped talking.

In the window, two little red buses came, and they were loud. They had red lights turning in circles, and a loud siren noise.

"Those are the things that took my Mommy to the hospital. But Daddy said she's not ever going to come back." He frowned.

Then he shrugged.

"Maybe we can eat some ice cream and Sofia the first!" I said.

His face looked like he saw something yucky.

"Sofia the first? That's a girl show!" He said.

Now in the window, I saw Mommy being lifted in a bed, being put on the small red bus.

"That's how my Mammy looked like when she went to the hospital." He said

Mommy was now in the car, and they closed the back doors. Then, the car drove away, and Caleb's Daddy was coming back.

"Hey, Olivia, right? You're staying over with us today." He said.

"What about Mommy?" I asked.

He said nothing.

"I have your toothbrush, pajamas, and a bundle of clothes. You won't be staying here forever..." He said.

I began to cry. What would Mommy say? Staying with a stranger?

"No.. Mommy will be mad!" I said.

"YOUR MOMMY WON'T BE AROUND!" He yelled.

Caleb quickly took my hand and took me to his bedroom.

"It's okay. Daddy's really mad, especially when I ask where Mommy is." He explained.

I sniffled a bit. What a horrible Daddy! He shouldn't be a bully just because Caleb's Mommy isn't going to come back.

"It's okay Caleb." I say.

He smiles really wide, I can see all of his teeth.

"Let's play some Lego's!" He says.

And for the rest of the afternoon, we played with 'Sofia the first', and Jake and the 'Neverland Islands Pirates'.

*-*

At night, Caleb helped me make my sleeping bag.

"I don't wanna sleep on the floor! What if there's a spider? Or a mouse!" I yelled.

Caleb's Daddy came in.

"No! This is my house, my rules! I'm too soft for my own good! I could've dumped you on the streets!" He cried. Then he slammed the bedroom door, and I started to cry.

That night, Caleb was very nice. He shared his bed with me.

"Goodnight Caleb." I whispered.

"Goodnight." I heard him whisper back.

And then, I heard Caleb talking. I'm not nosey, but I like to hear what people are saying, so I listened in.

"Goodnight Mammy. I love you so much." He whispered.

Then, he started singing. He has a good voice.

Without even knowing it, I closed my eyes and went to sleep. 

And then, I heard Caleb singing. He has a good voice. 

Then, I felt my eyes getting heavy. And I was asleep.