Jessica Brown's Diary

Nine

That morning, I woke up from my slumber. I was surprised that I didn't have that same nightmare, so I thought I was over it. So I stretched and stiffened a yawn, and went down stairs.
I saw my mother and father at the table, instead of being in there pajamas and having coffee, they had fancy clothes on and had their suitcases packed. "Morning dear." My father said, smiling.

Oh no, I thought to myself. I knew that today was the day...my parents were leaving for the Caribbean.
I shifted my weight and looked at my mother and father. "Hey." I began. "Are you...leaving?"

My mother nodded. "Yes dear, our ship leaves at six pm tonight." She answered.

Before either of my parents could say anything else, I leaped down the rest of the stairs and ran to my mother and father. I ran into their arms, causing my dad to shimmy. "Please don't leave!" I begged. "Who will watch over me?"

My mother looked at my father, then back at me and stroked my shoulder. "Shh, it's ok sweetie," she said.

"We will only be gone for a few weeks." My father added in, joining my mom in caressing my shoulder.

"But-b-but three weeks??" I yelled, beginning to sob.

"You will stay at Mrs. Elsie's house, my sister," my father said in a solace tone.

"Mrs. Elise's?? She's mean!"

"She is not mean, I already talked to her about it. She promised to take good care of you." My mother said sweetly.

My shoulders shook the more I began to sob. I didn't want my parents to leave. I already began to feel alone and scared. I felt one of my parents hand pet my cheek, then it said down to my chin, and the hand lifted my face up into view of my mother. She had a serious, but kind look in her eyes. "Hun," she said, staring into my eyes. "Nothing is going to happen to me or your father. I promise."

I stopped crying and looked at my mother. I rubbed my eyes and sniveled. "Y-yes mom...I-I'll...go pack my things."

My father smiled. "That's my girl." He patted my cheek and let me go upstairs to my room to pack my belongings.

        
                           *     *     *

Once I managed to shove my stuff into my old backpack, I zipped it up and left my room. I cast a glance over my right shoulder, looking around my room. Something kept bugging me that this would be the last time I would ever sleep in my own bed, or even see my room. I thought it was ludicrous, I shook my head and went across the hall and down stairs. My mother and father were waiting my the door, their suitcases in their hands. They waved at me and my mom gestured her hand towards the door, so I walked down the last two stairs and went out the door. I peered over my shoulder at our house. The trees were nearly wilted and I saw one half-dead petunia on the porch, in a pot. I sighed and turned around to the car. I bent down a little and slid into the car and shut my door. "Hey Jessica, do you want some Hardee's?"

I didn't have that big of an appetite, but I was just a little peckish, so I said I would like some and a chicken biscuit with tatter-tots. We reversed out of our paved driveway and turned left down the street. I looked at my house once more, yearning for it even though I have only been gone for thirty seconds.

So once we were out of our neighborhood, we took a turn onto the highway. My mother turned on some music from her iPhone, and put on Jennifer Lopez. She blasted music through the speakers as we drove down the highway. We passed by a hospital, and I saw a nurse wheeling in a man on a trundle bed. I turned away and pulled my phone out of my pocket after I heard a text alert.

Hey Jessica!
Did you leave?

Yeah, on the
Way to a
Hardee's