ME, MOTHER AND THE CLARKSON

ME, MOTHER AND THE CLARKSON


“Hush!, Mother whispered, placing a finger on my mouth. I had probably been speaking too loud.
“But-‘’
“Willie, isn’t it enough trouble you’ve caused already? It’s your fault we’re crouched under the Clarkson’s matrimonial bed for four hours now’’, she shot a terrifying look at me and added lazily, ‘Just keep on ear out for-‘’
The doorbell rang and I could hear Annabel’s little legs against the floor, rushing to get the door. I sensed her hands couldn’t reach the latch because I could hear her grumbling and protest as John picked her up and cooed silently into her ears, but it was too loud a whisper. The door finally opened and Isabella’s pitching voice rang through the room as if it was an uninhabited cave. Her shod tapped noisily against the ground as she brushed past John and towards Melissa.
“Just what I needed’, Mother cried silently, ‘I feel like strangling you, Willie’,
“I’m sorry, Mother’, was all I could manage to say, everywhere suddenly turned silent as all I could hear was the ticking of the bedside clock. The cool night breeze was beginning to drum against the roof and the shutter. Oh how I missed my bed that instant!
A miracle, Isabella is silent. Maybe she had a rough day or someone had taught her lesson or…..the hell, she is planning something.
“They are probably planning something’, Mother said. I stared at her blankly. How did she know what I was thinking? Had she been reading my mind?
“So what do we do now?
“I don’t know. You tell me, genius, since you got us in here.’
I knew no sensible solution and Mother was just too close to tearing me down. Mother propped her head out of the bed and ducked back as the door opened. Two pairs of legs fluttered in and the once silent serene air was disturbed by Isabella’s shod knocking on the floor.
So how did it go with Jack’, Melissa asked hurriedly.
“Oh! Just so fantastic. Pretty old Melissa dear, I had a really gorgeous time with Jack. We didn’t get on well from the start, with his big eyed secretary jealously eyeing me all the time. But it soon became better when he took me to see love at first sigh-t-‘.
“Love at first sight?’’
“Silly lousy arsehole”, Mother whispered.
“Oh my God! Tom Cruise. I had always wanted to see that movie-“
‘’Poor you”, Isabella continued, “You need to see Tom Cruise. He was really nice…. Did I say nice?. He was looking handsome in his new hairstyle and the way he was carrying himself. And the lassie. I couldn’t even remember her. But what a consolation. Jack held me and kissed me-“
“Umh!”, Melissa said sensually.
“All the way to the car and to his home we were kissing and -“,
I didn’t hear anything they said anymore. Mother pressed her hands hard against my ears. I was relieved. If this was what women talked about, I hope Annabel never became a woman so all we would ever talked about is the sand houses we built at the beach and ourselves as we gaze at the sky all night doing nothing but whisper in each other’s ears. What! I hear something, some moaning, a long smack of lip and constant creaking of the bed. What the hell is going on? I looked at Mother and she shot me that look. Don’t even try anything funny, was the meaning.
But I’m sorry Mother… I shot out from under the bed.
“Willie”, Mother shouted.
It was too late. I had already got a glimpse of the two sisters on themselves naked. What an ugly sight.
“You idiot. Didn’t your mother teach you not to barge into other’s people’s privacy like that”, Isabella shot out shamelessly, while attempting to drag the blanket from Melissa to cover herself properly.
“She didn’t”. I said and mother pinched me on my left foot.
“If only she was here. I -“
“Well, she’s here”, I said, cutting her short.
“What?!”, the two sisters exclaimed like two frightened children as Mother climbed out from under the bed. Isabella got out of the bed and mother clasped her hands tightly against my face, covering my eyes. I don’t know why she always does that. I could not hear anything, at least nothing was said. Mother released her hands and I could see Isabella dressed already. Melissa was under the sheets. Just then the door opened giving everyone but me a starts. Annabel rain in, followed by John. She stopped short on seeing me and ran towards me. She held my hand and smiled at me. I smiled back.
‘’What is happening here?’’ John asked, no one said anything not even Isabella. Mother was looking at me, I knew she meant for me not to say anything but what concerns me with all that. Adults should have adult issue I’ve got a lot of catching up to do with Annabel.
‘’What’re you doing up here, Mrs Kitson. I didn’t see you come up.”
‘’We were here before you got home and we crouched under your –‘’ Mother tapped me on time before I finished blurting out.
“What?!’’
Everyone busted out.
‘’I’m sorry, Mr Clarkson,’’ Mother began, ‘’we stole into your house looking for a proof to get you people out of here –‘’
Mother had begun to sob.
‘’But we found just enough proof for us to leave.’’
‘’You are leaving!’’ Melissa beamed happily.
‘’I don’t understand any of all these Mrs Kitson.’’
Mother began to sob violently. Her finger quivered like strings of guitar that were played on. I placed my hands on her shoulder and felt the vibration so hard against myself. I knew she would kill me for all this.
‘’Mr Clarkson, you are a wonderful man. So nice and easy going and gentle and I must tell you, you don’t deserve all this Melissa and Isabella put you through.’’
Mother paused. Mr Clarkson looked at his wife and Isabella. There heads were buried in shame.
‘’Ever since Kyrie’s death, your wife and her sister had been --.’’
‘’Can I add something here?,’’ I interrupted, ‘’since this is confession time, I want to say that I... I killed Kyrie.’’
‘’What?’’ Every one thundered. I felt I will be swallowed.
‘’Willie, you killed my dog!’’ Annabel’s eyes were misty.
‘’I am sorry, Annabel… I just wanted to I see you.’’
‘’Shut up!’’ she interrupted tearfully.
‘’I just wanted to see you, but the dog was all over me. I feared it will bite me. I did not know what to do. I am sorry Annabel.’’
‘’Shut up! Leave me alone!’’ she said running out of the room.
‘’Why didn’t you mention this earlier?’’ John asked.
‘’ I was scared sir.’’
‘’ Mr Clarkson, I am really sorry for everything thing, but its all over. Tomorrow I leave Santana bay with Willie and I hope you have a lovely time here… you and your family.’’
Mother dragged me along but stopped at the door. She turned to Isabella.
‘’Isabella, it is really shameful for you to give your self to Jack just to get us out of here.’’
I yanked my hand free from Mother’s as she was about pulling me along and ran to John.
‘’Mr Clarkson, what do naked women do on top of each other?’’
Mother dragged me out of the room by my ears. Through my screwed up eyes I could see the spiteful eyes of the two sisters.


Mother ordered me to begin parking. By six we would leave Santana bay with the early train and hopefully never come back. She wants me to turn a new leaf where ever we are going or she will send me to Grandma. I promise to turn a new leaf because I don’t want to be with Grandma. If only mother would let me see Annabel before we leave.
I went to the window. The blinds were still open at the Clarkson. Melissa and Isabella were still in the room Mr Clarkson was saying some thing. He is furious. Isabella is unconcerned, biting her finger away. Melissa is crying, she probably isn’t wearing anything. She’s is clinging to the blanket desperately Annabel isn’t with them. Were could she-- oh there she is in her room, poor little thing if only she could forgive me. If only I could see her one more time to say how sorry I was. Mother shot the blinds before my eyes and that was the last I saw of Annabel and the Clarkson.