15 - Sticks and Stones

It had been two weeks since Tyler apologised for his insincerity. A lot had happened within those fourteen days with the Simms.

Robin had gone to the cinemas for the first time in ages, watching, on Tyler's insistence, Jurassic Park. She admitted, watching a film - albeit entirely fictional - about a dinosaur slaughtering dinosaurs and gobbling people wasn't the best choice to see first. Two days following watching that film, Patrick wanted to see Inside and Out. According to Mrs Simms, going to see that film was a family affair, so Robin had attended.

On Sunday, the Simms took Robin to church. Although the building was pint-sized compared to ones she searched on the internet, the interior appeared much larger and roomier. The interior wasn't the only surprising feature. New Life Fellowship was full of kind people. She even made a friend.

Sally Alzheimer was her name. She had beautiful mocha coloured eyes and a gorgeous smile fit for a never ending photo shoot. The girl, who had a caramel latte addiction, bounced to Robin who sat in the corner of the chapel. The eighteen year old whispered her name without Robin's invitation after the preacher finished one of his long sentences. Sally - or Sal as her best friends called her - was a bubbly, warm spirit who emitted joy wherever she went - that much Robin could attest to. Following service, the girls more formally introduced themselves.

Sal, although a year Robin's senior, was two years below her maturity. Even though she had a boyfriend, named Mason, she rated guys from a scale of one to ten, of course she was judging the 'hot' ones. They parted when Sal's parents said they had to get back to their café located just on the border of town.

Monday to Thursday were a complete blur; they went too fast for Robin's brain to keep up when she tried to look back. Friday through, the Simms plus Elliott was a day not to forget.

"Shoot," Robin muttered to herself when the lights above her flickered, straining Robin's eyes. Only every other toe was painted in O.P.I Lilac when the lamp light in her bedroom abruptly flashed out. Flexing her jaw, she shoved off the bed and toddled to the door. It was already difficult to see in the once dimly lit accommodation, with the lights out, it was near impossible. The window rapped, making Robin jump and scuttle the rest of the way in the general direction of the exit. She wanted out and her heart pulsed every time something whacked the glass. Loud gusts of wind howled as she blindly searched the wall for the doorjamb. Suddenly, the door whipped open wide, Robin nearly fell to her bum when she tripped backward in surprise.

Tyler stood at the threshold with a lantern in one hand. His big laugh echoed in the room, causing Robin's cheeks flush with heat. As he reached out his hand, Robin took it half grateful. "Come on, Robin, let's head downstairs to where it's safer."

Her look was askance as her head angled. "Why are we going downstairs?"

"Well, more like the basement."

She swallowed. After the many beatings she endured in her wretched basement - cellar - she hated anywhere where windows for light or escape were inaccessible options.

"Hel-lo, Robin, come in, lass!"

"What?" She shook away her thoughts.

"Are you deaf? There's gail force winds outside! Now, we need to go!" His hand tightened around her wrist as he tugged her behind him, neither action with her consent.

Just as they came to the basement door, Robin yanked back her hand, shaking her head. "You go down."

"You're coming with me."

"No. I-I can't. I'll stay here."

"Robin, I'm not letting you stay up there, now come down or I'll carry you," he said. A chuckle played at his words, but she wasn't laughing.

"Don't you touch me." Her words were sharp and concise as she backed farther away.

Straightaway, Tyler's loopy grin faded as he sighed. "Robin, I know you're frightened of something, rather someone, and you've never divulged, but please tell me why you're afraid of basements."

"No." She pressed her hand into the wall. "No," Robin repeated.

"Tyler, Robin, what's taking so long? Please hurry!" Mrs Simms said. She was out of view as her words ripped through the walls.

"We're here." He glanced at Robin. "Robin won't come down."

"What?"

"I said, Robin won't come down!"

"Why not? Just tell her to come down and leave everything! I would rather her be our stuff damaged than her dead. The stuff is replaceable!" Mrs Simms's voice drew near.

"She's afraid of basements."

"What do you mean she's afraid of basements?"

"I don't know, she's refusing to come down the stairs."

Soon, hazel-green eyes joined the pair of blue eyes. "Tyler, please go downstairs."

Obediently, his head jerked as he climbed down. The echo of each step played in Robin's head as he disappeared from view.

"Honey, you need to come down here. It's not safe for you up here." Mrs Simms climbed out of the door.

Robin still shook her head. She wasn't going down there, not even if it were the last shelter on Earth to shield her from Mother Nature's tantrums. Her back grazed the smooth, cream coloured wall as she pressed her weight along the slight contours.

"Robin, if it really is too uncomfortable to stay down there, I'll stay up here with you."

"No-no, Mrs Simms, you don't need-."

"Absolutely not." Her hands went to her hips. "I'm not leaving you alone." She paused and sighed. "I have a feeling enough people already have." Her voice was so small and meek as the whisper of truth spoke.

The lump in Robin's throat was too much to push back and erase with one uneasy gulp. Not even if she swallowed hundreds of times would the feeling of turmoil vanish.

The words struck a place in Robin's heart and mind that no bullet could penetrate. Mrs Simms was correct. As painful as it was to acknowledge, the woman's admission was valid. Everyone did leave her alone - everyone abandoned her. The feeling made butterflies storm her stomach, her head spin like it was a top, her skin tingle in waves of anxiousness, and her knees go weak as a treacherous tear tipped over her eye. Sliding down the wall, Robin turned her back to her, uncomfortable with the hazel-greens watching her. Robin flinched when Mrs Simms's arms wrapped around her.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, Robin." She stroked Robin's hair, not in a condescending fashion, but in a way Robin felt at ease as she moulded into Mrs Simms's embrace.

A large bang crashed against the window, the sound vibrated through the walls. Wherever it was, it was becoming louder and quicker, too much to ignore.

"Please, Robin, come downstairs. Nobody's going to hurt you anymore." Pulling back to look in her eyes, Mrs Simms's glossy gaze held genuine concern as she stopped petting Robin's hair.

Glancing down, she bit her lip. Eventually, Robin's head bowed. Down they went, clutching the smooth wooden banister like it were their life lines.

"Kristine, Robin!" Mr Simms dashed to the girls. "I was so worried about you two!" He wrapped them in, one in each arm. "Please don't scare me like that!"

"Everything's alright, darling." Mrs Simms pecked his cheek.

Robin's sheepish smile turned to Tyler, who stood in the corner. As she shimmied out of Mr Simms bear hug, she ducked toward him.

"Glad to have you down here with the rest of the fam," he said. "I don't know what happened in your past, but I hope you stay with us in the future." He gave a weak, wimpy smile. He wasn't one for touchy-feely contact, neither was she, but they both needed it.

"Tyler?" Mrs Simms said. "Why don't you and Robin find the batteries."

~

After an hour, they came out of hiding, much to Robin's relief. Her anxiety was through the wall until head poked through the door. With an enormous sigh, her face basked in the air - stiff and cold as it was, Robin felt free again.

As she and Tyler headed upstairs, he lightly brushed her arm. Her eyes darted to his arm and travelled up to his eyes.

"You never told me why you're afraid of basements?" He asked, his tone sincere.

"It-uh, I just don't like them is all."

"Right."

"It's all basements really, nothing is wrong with your basement." Her eyes averted. "I just don't like them." She gave a tired smile.

"If you ever want to, you can tell me."

She nodded, but she knew the chances of revealing those secrets were slim to lucky, even that guess was stretching it. Albeit, she still thanked him out of sheer politeness.

Outside her window, leaves were scattered all about. Branches from the old oak tree were laying across the lawn, smiling at the Eeyore coloured clouds groaning above. The sidewalks were littered with twigs. The asphalt was mixed with damp sticks and dry stones.

People of all body types exited their houses, speaking loudly over the wails of sirens. "Oh my God," they said with their hands slapped on their heads.

"Tyler, Robin, do you have on your shoes?"

"Yeah, we're coming, Mum," he said from the room next door.

As they skipped to the main floor, Mrs Simms put on her coat. "Take the camera, love." Her attention focused to her husband. "We're going to walk around, see if anyone needs any help."

"Okay."

"Are we all set to go? Where's Pat?" Mr Simms asked. The camera band wrapped over his neck as the lenses shuttered a few times while he tested it out.

"Right here, Daddy!" The little boy jumped onto his pant legs.

"Okay, does everybody have something to keep time with?" They all nodded, even Patrick had his yellow minion wrist watch. "How about we split girls and guys?"

"Hey Mum, actually"-Tyler looked to Robin-"would Robin and I be allowed to stick together on this one?"

"If myself or your father tags along."

"I don't mind. It doesnt matter. Robin?"

"No, I'm fine with whatever."

"Dad?"

"I'm okay here too. Though, I think Pat wants to walk around with me?" He said as he looked down at the little boy on his limb. "What do you say, Pat? You up to sticking with me or going with Mum?"

"Daddy!" He pulled harder on the man's denim. "Daddy!"

Chuckling, Robin grabbed her parka as she and Tyler followed his mother out the door.

~

There were several houses with trees on the roof or uprooted trunks toppled over on the lawn. Only a few unfortunate souls had their cars crushed, but the damage was evident. From talk of the neighbourhood, four houses had gas leaks that bubbled on the asphalt. From what Mrs Simms called a godsend, nothing was burning, but sirens in the distance wept everywhere.

Upon Mrs Simms request, Tyler snapped a few photos. Three utility poles slanted just off Huckleberry Lane, behind their block. There was so much damage. Every way they turned, a cluster of debris whisked as the wind whistled.

Robin had taken a few photos also, but her mobile camera captured the things left unscathed. A blossom tree managed to stay intact, so she took a photo of it standing steadfast in all its glory.

After an hour, the sun began to set, and the Simms plus Robin retreated to their house for the night. They all sat in the living room, everyone was silent, captured in their own thoughts.

"Mummy?"

"Yes, Pat?"

"When is my tummy mummy coming back?"

Robin's head lifted and turned with curiosity. As she tilted her head, her mobile slid into her lap.

"Awe, Patrick, come here, love." Mrs Simms held out her arms. "Remember, Patrick? She's spending time with God?"

"Yeah. But, I wish she were here, now. Right today."

"I know do." She rocked him in her lap, hugging his head. "I wish she were here too. What made you think of her?"

"You told me whenever there's a rainbow, she's smiling at me. See!" His finger shot to the window seat as he squirmed out of her hold. Skipping to the wooden bench, he looked up. "There's a rainbow!"

Mrs Simms joined the little boy. "You're right. Your tummy mum is watching."

On careful examination, Robin could see the woman's lip quiver. Her eyebrows knitted. Staying seated, she watched Mrs Simms tuck her hair behind her ear.

"Mummy," Patrick said.

"Yes?"

"She's smiling at you."

"She is, isn't she. Everyone, she's smiling down at all of us. Don't you agree?"

"Mmhm!"

They stayed at the window, sitting on the sill, gazing up at the sky as it faded from tangerine orange to baltic blue and finally to violet infused with indigo.

Word Count: 2161

This chapter is dedicated to AhsokaJackson for helping me choose the title of my new (unpublished) book: In Sickness, Health & Love. Thank you!