The end of the line

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

   I knelt outside of the front window and listened to mum and the person talking. The woman arrived at twenty five to three and after saying 'hello' to mum, she said she was sorry. The two of them sat in the lounge and drank cups of tea.

   At first, they just spoke about small things, how us kids were doing, how she - mum - was doing, and stuff like that. After about twenty minutes, mum said "How did it happen?"

"He had a heart attack." The woman replied.

"Was he alone?"

"No. I was there with him all of the time the paramedics would let me be. He passed away late in the evening."

"Ah." Mum whimpered, putting a hand to her mouth, her eyes welling up. The woman moved next to mum and put an arm around her shoulders. She said soothing things to mum and said "He told me to make sure that I came and told you and Kat." I hate the way she calls me Kat.

"How will I tell Kate that her dad has died?" mum said before breaking down in tears. I stood up and ran away. When I got to the park, I ran to an area that was full of trees, and fell to my knees. That was when the tears started to fall down my cheeks. I sat and cried on my own.

   I knew my dad until I was eight. Then my mum kicked him out after she found out that he was having an affair. He moved in with this woman and we arranged that I would see him once a month. We stopped that arrangement after I'd seen him twice in six months. Well, mum stopped it because she got tired of him saying that he had work or had a plan that he just couldn't cancel. I didn't see him after that. He sent me Christmas and birthday cards with a tenner in each year but that was it.

   Now, I'll never see him again.

   After a couple of hours, I got a call from mum. I ignored it. Later, Wesley called me. I answered it and muttered "Mmmm?" trying to keep my cool.

"Ummm, are you okay? Wesley said. "Your mum's tried calling you. She said she needs to talk to you."

"I know."

"You avoided my question - are you okay?"

"Spiffing." I muttered, sarcastically, a hidden cry bursting out.

"Hun, where are you? I'll come and get you."

"Under the trees in the park." I said, starting to cry.

"Okay, gimme' ten minutes. I'm on my way."

"'Kay." I lent back against the trees, glad that the trees were out of the way so I could cry in peace.

   When Wesley arrived, he ran over to me and sat down by me, wrapping his arms around my body. I fell into his chest and cried. "Kate?" Wesley said.

"Mmm?" I whimpered.

"What's up?" What made you this upset? You were fine earlier."

"Mum had a call from someone this morning. I heard her say that we'd all be out of the house. She said that she'd make sure that I was definitely out of the house. The person was gonna' come to ours and talk to mum. I went and listened to the conversation. I heard mum say 'How will I tell Kate that her dad has died?'. I ran away and then sat here and cried."

"Ahhh, babe, I'm so sorry." Wesley said and kissed me on the forehead. He sat and rubbed my upper arm muttering soothing things and telling me that he was here for me.

   After a while, Wesley said I should go home and speak to mum. He walked me home and asked me if I wanted him to stay. "No. No, I'll talk to her alone. Thanks for coming and sitting with me. I love you." I said. I tip-toed and kissed him on the cheek.

   I walked through the door and found Mum in the lounge. She looked at me and said "Kate, what's up? Have you been crying?"

I walked in, sat down on the arm chair, across from Mum, and said "How are you planning on telling me?"

"Pardon?"

"How are you going to tell me that my dad's dead?" I said, biting back the tears. "That he died of a heart attack? And who that woman was?"

"How do y-?" Mum eyes were starting to well up.

"I heard your phone call and I sat by the window and listened to the conversation. Well, up until I heard you ask how you were going to tell me dad was dead, anyway." I was now crying, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"I...I...I was going to...to tell you this evening. I...I was, I just wasn't sure...how to." Mum stood up and came over, her arms open, ready to hug me.

"No! Keep away from me, woman!" I yelled, backing away from her.

"Honey, I was going to tell you, honestly, I just didn't know how. I was going to wait for the right time. Honestly."

"What, the right time for me, or for you?" I shouted, going towards the stairs. I ran upstairs and packed a backpack of over night stuff. I then ran down stairs, went out of the door, pulled the spare key from under the plant pot and ran. I ran as far as I could. As far away from her as I could get.

   When I finally stopped, I was in the next town across. It was a good job that I was on the school track team. I was the best runner on the team and had won every race that I had ever entered. I sat on a bench and thought. I think I handled that badly. I felt tears run down my cheeks. I swiped them away and kept on thinking.

   I heard a voice and looked around. "Yeah. Yeah, you, beautiful." the voice said from behind me. I looked behind me and saw someone in the shadows. I stood up and walked away. I heard foot steps behind me. I started to walk faster, pushing myself. Still feeling tired from running."Oi! Oi, wait up!" The voice yelled, now starting to run. I was running, running as fast as I could, away. I didn't know where I was running to, just away. The person was still following me, I could hear them panting. I kept running, only feeling slightly breathless. I ran in to a mass of trees. When I came out at the other end of the trees, the person was gone. I sat down on the curb and tried to get my breath back. Struggling, I took deep and hard breathes before I eventually got my breathing to even out.

   I felt a pair of hand on my shoulders. I jumped away and saw a tall, muscular person. I started backing away, retreating to the other side of the road. He kept on following me, taking steps towards me as I took steps away, mirroring my movements. When I was on the other side of the road, I started to run again, terrified of what might happen to me. I ran back into town and made my way to the park. I sat in the same place I'd been earlier this afternoon. I sat and knew that I wasn't going to go home tonight. I couldn't. Not after what I'd said to her.