Home Sweet Girl

Chapter | Twenty seven

The term brings Mary out of her regression. Never have Angeline yelled at her before. And why did she call her Ebony?.

"My name is Maryanne!" The girl yells. It has finally occurred to the woman that her outburst did not go unnoticed.  The said name has a significant meaning that is yet to be revealed. Rather than shamefully admiting to her faulty behavior and give the young girl a suitable explanation, she dares to cover it up with an halfhearted apology.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, I didn't know what I was saying. You are Maryanne. Now, can I have the pacifier?" she opens her hand, motioning for the girl to surrender the pacifier. By choice, Mary throws the pacifier across the room as opposed to handing it over in a civil way. Angeline is stunned.

Abruptly, Dario walks in on the action, "That wasn't very nice," his New Yorker accent seeping through the slightest.

"She's not very nice," Mary hops off the bed, darts out of her room and head straight into the kittens' room—locking the door behind. She hides her face in her folded arms—sulking. She can't understand what she did wrong. She thought she would be able to open herself up to Angeline and Dario. Instinctively allowing her confusing headspace to unleash. She couldn't remember when, how or why she initially started experiencing these switches of emotions and behavior that she's never had full control over. To say the least, it has spiraled more recently. She felt embarrassed and triggered from being yelled at, reminding her of those moments when her father went through lengths to correct the behavior and she could never understand why. For that reason, she solely confided in Elaine. The only person who understood her.

Starting now, she vows to suppress these urges the best way she can.

Angeline park herself on the little girl's bed. She sighs—holding the rejected pacifier in her hand. She rubs her forehead.

"What's going on?" Her husband ask. "I heard yelling then I seen Mary throwing something across the room," Dario then realize that the item in question is in the palm of his wife's hand. "What was she doing with that?" It felt like a long time since he laid his eyes upon it. She kept it for all these years.

"I called her Ebony," she confess. Dario present a poker face. Still, Angeline can easily read his mind after knowing him for over a decade.

He sits next to her,"Did she say anything?".

"She yelled back at me," Angeline has Mary's voice on repeat. "She had this in her mouth. I cannot say why because I'm not so sure myself. She said she found it. I asked her to give it back and she refused, so I yelled at her," she puts her head down.

"There are sensible options to rely on, Angie. Yelling at her does not solve anything".

"I know, I was in the moment. I was wrong, but you of all people should understand how I feel". Dario can see the tears in his wife's ocean eyes. He grieved the loss just as much as she did and he never intended to brush it aside. In spite of, having to press on and manage a business for the sake of his family.

"I do understand what those things mean to you. Regardless, her feelings are just as valid as yours. You've upset her and I think you owe her an apology and an explanation ," He express to his wife. "-and I will have a talk with her as well".

"She probably, hates me now," she was finally able to convice Mary to be comfortable with her. Angeline is worried that if Mary back tracks it will dampen things.

"Don't say that, you have to stay positive. Come on" he takes her hand, driving her out of the bedroom.

Maryanne's tangled beach hair is splayed out on the only piece of vinyl flooring in the house. Her arms and legs are stretched out. She looks like a starfish. Dried up tears marks on her face. Lola the kitten climbs down from the cat tree and scopes out the young girl. She licks Mary's hand with her sandpaper tongue to get her attention. Mary jumps at the reaction before settling down again. The kitten proceeds to lay on her back and make air biscuits.