Fan Fiction |
by Hibiscus
She felt restless in the storm. A suddenly alive part of her ached for Daniel. And another part wanted to run into the rain and keep on running as long as the rain accompanied her. She wanted to run to the empty field and dance in the mud, crazy like the world, crazy like her mother.
Tuesday sighed. But she couldn’t. She had promised Daniel that she would behave.
Suddenly an urgent voice intruded on her meandering thoughts. Tuesday turned to see her sister, Amelie framed in the doorway.
“Tuesday, are you awake?” She asked softly, hesitantly.
Tuesday sat up, surprised. Her sister almost never acknowledged her existence.
“Amelie?”
“I need you to do something for me.” Amelie walked into Tuesday’s room. Her arms were full of a bundle. The baby?
Amelie had had her baby five days ago. Tuesday hadn’t been allowed to see the child for fear her mere presence would cause it bad luck.
“I need you to look after the baby for me.” Amelie said thrusting the warm bundle into Tuesday’s bony arms.
“What?” Tuesday’s eyes widened as she registered the sleeping baby in her arms. “Where are you going?”
Amelie clasped and unclasped her hands.
“I have to go find him!” She finally said, desperation tinged her words loud.
“Amelie, he didn’t even call you once. It has been 9 months.” Tuesday said simply.
“I don’t care. Something must have happened to him. He loves me. He wouldn’t abandon me like that.” She clutched Tuesday’s arms. “I can’t take the baby with me, she’ll slow me down.”
Amelie’s eyes filled with tears and she cried, keening softly. The baby stirred and Tuesday looked down in alarm.
“Okay.” Tuesday said finally. Amelie stopped crying immediately and beamed and Tuesday thought that was as the sun came out.
“I have my things packed. I’m going to leave now.” Amelie stood up moving determinedly towards the door.
“What? It’s storming outside. Why are you going now?” Tuesday protested.
“It’s the only time grandma won’t notice that I have left.” Amelie replied looking distracted. “One of my friends agreed to pick me up from the front driveway.”
Amelie picked up her bag which she had left just outside the door and looked briefly at Tuesday. “Thank you.” And she was gone.
Just as her mother closed the door, the baby opened her eyes and stared at Tuesday. Tuesday stared back. They stared at each other.
“Hello.” Tuesday whispered.
Then the baby yawned, grabbing Tuesday’s night shirt with a small fist. The baby fell asleep in the next second.
Thunder boomed and Tuesday started. She thought back to her sister’s words: “The only time grandma won’t notice…”
It was because their mother had lost everything on a stormy night: her true love, her happiness and her sanity. The night she had been raped and Tuesday had been forced onto her, into her.
“You don’t even have a name.” Tuesday whispered to the baby.
Tuesday had asked her grandmother why she was called Tuesday. Her grandmother, not mincing her words had replied, “Ruby was raped on a Tuesday, you were born on a Tuesday and that was the first thing I thought of when the nurse asked me your name so you could be registered.”
“Oh.” Tuesday had replied.
Tuesday looked down at the sleeping baby.
“I know I’m not your mom. But I’ll try to take good care of you. Okay? And since no one else is here and since you smell so sweet, I’m going to give you a name. You are Sugar.” As though hearing her words, the baby smiled a sweet little smile in her sleep and Tuesday beamed.
Placing her carefully and very gently on the bed beside herself, Tuesday curled up by Sugar and they both slept the storm away.