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"Honey, what on earth happened to you?" Bobby's mother exclaimed as she grabbed hold of him, tipping his face up towards her own, tracing the bruises tenderly with her fingertips, "Sit down and I'll get some ice."
She stopped while walking towards the fridge, then yelled towards the dining room, "Robert really need to see your son!"
Heavy steps echoed in the quiet home as Bobby sat on the kitchen chair trying to figure his way out of this mess. Mary-Anne stood to the side, hiding in the shadows, praying everyone would simply forget she is there. Her counsellor will freak when she finds out about beating Bobby up and her foster parents - well, she'd probably have to move to another home! She was just starting to like this one and really didn't want to move again.
"Lisa! What's the…." Bobby's father's words stopped as he came around the corner and saw his son sitting there with a black eye, cuts on his face and bruises on his arms. He stomped over to his wife, took the ice pack and placed it on his son's eye. Bobby jumped back from the roughness of his father's touch as the ice quickly chilled his face.
"Son, what happened? Did that bully from down the road come over? Why didn't you holler for your mum or I? I told you the last time I'd take the baseball bat to that kid if he ever laid a hand on you again!"
"Robert, you're scaring him! And stop trying to put the pack through his face, he can hold onto it!" She glared at her husband, then turned back to Bobby, gently adding, "Ok, honey? Just hold the pack on your eye and tell us what happened."
"Look Lisa, I said we shouldn't have just let it go the last time! I said we should have called the police and charged the brat! But no, you and the school said give him one more chance. He just has to learn! Well, look at your son! Is that the lesson that punk is supposed to learn? That my kid is his own personal punching bag? That's it! I'm outta here and I'm going to teach that punk a lesson, once and for all!"
"Robert! Stop! Bobby hasn't even told us what happened! And here you are ready to be a vigilante on some 12-year-old kid! You move one step, just one and I swear, I'll take the baseball bat after you myself!"
No one noticed Mary-Anne slip outside and into the darkness as the parents raged around Bobby. Tears streamed from her troubled eyes as she ran blindly into the bush. Running away from the yelling, from the anger and from the demons that never seemed to far away from her soul these days. Mary-Anne ran, slipping quickly through the trees and deeper into the bush. Her lungs finally refused to release any more air and she collapsed on the ground in a crumpled heap. Her heart pounded loud and drowned out the night sounds with its' intensity. Mary-Anne pulled tightly into herself and became solid, no more tears, no more fears, and no more feelings.
"Fine! Ok, son, what happened then?" Robert yelled, trying to quiet his loud voice but the fear, tinged with anger refused to be surpressed.
Bobby looked up at his parents, shaking. Trying to make a story they'd believe without telling them about Mary-Anne. He looked at them; his eyes filled with unshed tears as he wrestled with the need to tell the truth and the want to protect his friend. After all, he had promised he'd never tell her secrets. He looked around and noticed Mary-Anne wasn't there in the kitchen. Where was she?
"Son, I asked you a question. What happened?" His father asked and noticed Bobby looking around, "and look at me when I'm talking to you!"
"Bobby, didn't Mary-Anne come in with you? Or did she walk home?" Asked his mother as she followed his glances around the room, "I already told her parents she'd eat here tonight. I thought you both would like some more time to play together."
"Mum, she was here. She was right behind me. I don't know where she went," Bobby answered, then taking a big gulp answered his father while crossing his fingers with his free hand, behind his back, "Dad, we were playing and goofing off. I didn't pay attention and stupid me; I fell off the tree fort! Don't blame Mary-Anne 'cause she wasn't near me. It was really dumb but I'm okay, really!"
Bobby's father looked at his son without believing the story. In all the years that fort had been up, Bobby had never fallen off even when he slept up there all night. Something wasn't right here and he intended to find out.
"Look Bobby, are you trying to tell me that you fell off your fort? I've seen you climb to the very top of that tree without slipping but today, you just fell right off because you were goofing around? Robert challenged his son on the statement as Lisa tried to keep him quiet. Whispering it wouldn't help matters to yell at their son and demand answers. Robert simply shrugged off his wife and continued, "I'm not buying it Bobby. Now you either tell the truth or I'm heading down to that punk's house and demanding an answer from him!"
"Dad, that's the truth! Honest! We were running around and I slipped! It was stupid and I should have called mum and I didn't because I thought I'd get into trouble and I was okay and it wasn't Mary-Anne's fault because she was on the other side and Dad, honest, that's the truth!" Bobby's words came out faster and faster, tripping over one another in their haste to convince his father of their validity. As he rambled, Bobby wondered where Mary-Anne had run off too and hoped she was ok.
"Robert, I believe our son! Now get off your high horse around Ted and let it go!" Lisa stated sharply, looking directly at her husband with a look that he quickly interpreted correctly - a look that said, "even if it isn't the truth, yelling at him won't get us any closer."
Lisa looked back at Bobby and got down to his level, looking him directly in the eyes. As she ran her fingers through his hair, she gently stated, "Honey, your dad is just worried because you look like someone really hurt you. And if you are protecting that person because you are afraid, we promise to keep you safe. But for now, let's find Mary-Anne and go eat. Supper is probably cold but I can heat it up quickly. Ok, honey?"
Bobby nodded as one tear escaped, falling down his cheek. His mother gently wiped it away and gave him a light kiss. When she got up she yelled out Mary-Anne's name. Puzzlement went over her face when there was no answer. She shivered then realized it was feeling really cold in the kitchen. She looked towards the back of the kitchen and realized the door was wide open. She turned back to Bobby.
"Honey, did you and Mary-Anne forget to shut the kitchen door when you came in?" She inquired and walked to the door, closing it tight.
"Mummy, we closed the door, honest." He continued, "Where is Mary-Anne? She was right behind me."
Lisa looked up at Robert and a glance of concern passed between them. He nodded towards his wife and walked to the phone. Picking it up, he dialed Mary-Anne's foster parents. He talked briefly, the concern growing deeper with each passing minute. Finally it all came together and he hung up the phone with more force than needed. Turning back to his son, he asked a question in a tone more aggressive than he intended, edged with concern for both Bobby and Mary-Anne.
"Son, this is really important. Mary-Anne's foster parents haven't seen her since noon when she was walking over here," Robert walked to Bobby and got down to his level, then continued, "We know Mary-Anne was here with you in the fort. We know she came into this house with you tonight. We know Mary-Anne has problems and she's not in trouble but son, I need the truth. Did Mary-Anne beat you up?"
Bobby burst into tears, unable to hold back the tide of emotions that had built up since Mary-Anne threw the first rock at him earlier today. Through sobs and tears, Bobby told his parents everything. He held nothing back. He told them the sad story of her life, watching her mother being murdered and having no one believe her. The ice pack fell to the floor unnoticed as his mother gathered her son into her arms, trying to protect him from all the pain he was feeling. Her tears mixed with her son's, tears of pain for a world that was so cold and unfair to children. Robert paced, his heart breaking with every word yet his macho attitude refused to let him cry. He remained solid and strong for his family. As he watched his wife and son rock in the middle of the kitchen, holding tightly to one another, he wondered where Mary-Anne was and hoped she safe.
A knock at the door startled Robert and he walked quickly to the front, throwing it open and saw Mary-Anne's parents standing there with the police. After they settled in the living room, he walked back to the kitchen and handed a wet cloth to his wife. As she washed her face and Bobby's, Robert explained in quiet tones the police had arrived with Mary-Anne's parents and everyone was needed. He rubbed his son's back, murmured how brave Bobby was and how he needed to stay brave because the truth had to be told. Bobby looked up at his dad, tears forming and his lower lip beginning to tremble, threatening to open the floodgates again. A lump formed in Robert's throat as
he saw his son stand there so small and vulenable. Robert picked Bobby up and held him tight against his chest. Without releasing his hold onto Bobby, Robert reached over and took Lisa's hand squeezing tightly, then together they walked into the living room, ready to face the unknown together.
© 2001
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