Fire and Ice

Chapter 30

I wake up and run to Thomas's room. Mom and dad were fighting again. And this time, it was bad. Really really bad!

    Opening his door, I run to his bed. I shake him. Tears running down my face.

    Thomas jolts awake. His eyes wide and his lips pulled in a tight pout.

    "Cami," he whispers harshly. "What do you want? It's not even light outside."

    I sniffle and point to the door that was wide open.

    "Mom and dad are fighting. It's really bad."

    His face relaxes into a sad expression. Pulling me into the bed with him he holds me tightly. Urging me to stop crying.

    "They'll stop in a few minutes. You know that."

    I nod. I did know that. I also knew that they only started this last year. The year I turned five. I was now six.

    Thomas was twelve. And he always made sure I was safe. Always there for me.

    "Just take a few deep breaths. Dad will come get you." Just like every night.

    Every night I would wake up hearing them argue. Every night I would run to Thomas. Every night dad would come take me back to my room.

    It was a constant loop.

    Except for daytime. During the day mom would act like I never existed. I tried hugging her one time and she pushed me off, making me fall off the porch.

    I broke my arm and dad glared at her, taking me to the hospital.

    She wouldn't pick me up from school. She would pick Thomas up, but she always forgot me. So I had to sit there until dad came and got me.

    Thomas held me there, but he gripped me tighter when we heard mom scream out, slamming doors.

    He got up, holding me in his arms, and ran out his room. Dad was standing there, trying to calm her down.

    "Dad? Mom? What's wrong?"

    She looked over and her eyes widened when she saw me. I gripped onto Thomas tighter. I didn't like the way momma was looking at me.

    She never looked at me with such luck. With such hope.

    "Camellia, my darling, come to momma?"

    I shook my head. "I-I wanna stay with Tom-Tom."

    Her face scrunched up in anger. Her hands clenched tightly.

    "Damnit, you ungrateful brat! I said come to momma!"

    I whimpered and tried to get out of Thomas's arms. If I went over to her she wouldn't be mad.

    But Thomas wouldn't let me down. His eyes glanced at dad as he took a cautious step back.

    "Thomas," dad said calmly. "Run."

    Thomas ran out the front door. The last thing I saw before he did was dad grabbing onto a kicking and screaming mom.

    Now I was sitting outside the school waiting for dad to pick me up.

    Dad said mom went away. And that she would come visit sometime. She was always so mean to me, but I really missed momma.

    She was my momma.