Slipping Through My Fingers | John B Little Sister

Chapter 6

T.W - implications of past child abuse 

When John B got home from school his sister was sitting cross legged in the middle of the yard. She was carefully stacking a pile of sticks together, wriggling her bare feet into the dirt as she worked. 

It wasn't unusual for Lu to sit there.

The four year old was often content for hours to just sit on the ground and play in the dirt. But it was a Tuesday and Lu only came over on weekends. 

John B rolled his bike closer to her, and glanced around the backyard for any sign of her mother. And while he was thankful that he didn't find her, he did take note of the police station wagon that was pulled up near the front of the Chateau. 

"Lu?" He cautiously asked the girl, as if checking if it really was his sister.

Lu's face shot eagerly up from her unstable tower and gave him a giddy gap toothed smile as he approached. 

"Heyth Thohnny!" She chirped scrambling to her feet and wobbling slightly when she got upright. 

John B paused, his eyebrows furrowing at the peculiar sight of her. 

She was smiling like a lunatic and her mouth was full of cotton balls. She was missing several of her teeth that he definitely recalled her having on Sunday. And a deep stretching bruise had bloomed from her swollen lip up to beneath her left eye.

"What the hell happened to you?" He questioned in shock, putting a hand out and gesturing vaguely at her whole face. 

Lu began to ramble out some long winded answer as she trotted past her tower towards him. But her words were muffled by the cotton balls and by the end of it John B was more confused than when she'd started. And definitely more concerned since her gums were now bleeding.

Then when she got close enough, Lu threw out her arms and wrapped him in a tight hug. 

John B stood frozen in disbelief. 

Lu never hugged him. 

Lu never even hugged her mom. 

"You okay?" He murmured truly disturbed now, carefully cradling her head against his stomach with one hand and holding his bike upright with the other.

Before she could respond with any more muffled nonsense their dad's voice rang out from the porch. 

"Red!" He called out, his tone tense. 

"She's out here!" John B hollered back.

"Bring her over here to say goodbye to the Deputy." 

The Deputy?

"Come on Luey." He pressed a strong kiss to the top of her head and then extracted himself from her hold. 

Lu hummed happily and stumbled amiably behind him as he lead her by the hand round to the front of the porch. 

Deputy Peterkin was standing on the first step her arms crossed and her dark features etched in concern. Their dad was standing on the landing, he was running his hands harshly over his face like he wanted to wipe off his beard. 

When he finally withdrew his hands from his now red face John B could tell he had been crying.

"Come up here Bird," He waved him over, arms open for a hug. Not one to question an open offer of affection John B skipped eagerly up the stairs and into his fathers arms.