Consequences - Grester

Chapter 2

Charlotte's POV

Mom still isn't back. I don't know how long she has been gone, but it feels like forever.

"Come, Sophie. Let's go look for Mommy." I say and take Sophie's hand. I feel very brave. It is like I am the big sister now.

"She's coming back soon. We'll just wait here for her." Sophie says but she gulps like the cartoon characters do when they are scared. She pulls her hand out of mine.

"Well I'm going." I say and march to the door. I have to stand on my tippy-toes to reach the door handle, but I manage to do it.

Sophie doesn't say anything when I walk out. I feel a little bit lonely without her, but I keep walking. The hotel is very big. There are lots of doors everywhere. I try to count them, but I get muddled up when I get to the big numbers.

A round lady comes out of one of the rooms. She is wearing a strange apron and she has a funny little cart with toilet roll and towels on it. I am so interested in the cart that I walk right into the lady's leg.


"Sorry! I didn't see you there, sweetie." She smiles at me. "Are you lost?"

"I'm not lost. I'm searching." I say and she laughs and taps my nose.

"How charming! And what might you be searching for?" She says.

"My mom." I say and her smile goes away.

"Oh dear. When did you last see her?" The lady bends down.

I am just about to say that Mom left Sophie and me, when she comes up the stairs. I smile a little, because she is in her pyjamas, which is silly.

"Mommy!" I say. I run to her and she lifts me up.

"What are you doing outside the room?" She asks.

"The little one was looking for you." The lady smiles at me but frowns at Mom.

"Sorry for any inconvenience. I was just in the lobby for a while." Mom says, but the lady still has a frown.

"You really shouldn't leave her alone. She's still a baby." The lady says.

That makes me frown too. I am not a baby. I am already four years old. I can ride a bike with training wheels, but I like my tricycle best.

"I'm know. I'm sorry." Mom says and her shoulders go up.

The lady looks a little bit sad now.

"Don't worry about it. She's fine now. I understand how hard it must be to raise a busy little girl." The lady says and wiggles her finger at me.

"I'd better get going. I have another one waiting for me." Mom says and does a funny half smile.

"Bye, sweetpea." The lady says to me and I wave at her over Mom's shoulder.

Grown ups are strange.

Sophie's POV

My stomach is in knots. Mom and Charlotte have been gone for a whole half an hour. I gnaw on a loose piece of skin on my finger.

What if Mom left with Charlotte and they're never coming back for me? I picture myself as an old lady, all by myself, still waiting for my mother and my little sister and I shudder. Maybe they The thought makes me so nervous that I accidentally pull the skin off my finger. It stings, but I am too worried to care.

Suddenly, the door opens and Mom comes in, holding Charlotte on her hip.

All of a sudden, I am scared and upset. "Mommy, I'm sorry for phoning Daddy. I didn't mean to upset you. I was just try-" Mom interrupts me.

"It's okay. I know." She puts Charlotte down and sits on the end of the bed. She looks sad and she puts her head in her hands.

I can feel tears in my eyes, but I can't cry because Charlotte will mock me.

I walk over and climb onto her lap and cradles me like her little baby, and I cry on her shoulder. Mom doesn't even mind that I am getting all my snot and tears on her t-shirt. I can feel some of her tears falling onto my face, so I look up and she is crying too.

"I'm sorry, Sophie. I'm sorry I haven't been a good mom to you and Charlotte. I'm trying really hard to be the best I can, and I promise things are going to get better, okay?" Her shoulders are up close to her neck. I know she hates crying in front of people. 

Charlotte climbs up onto the bed and Mom wraps her arm around her too. She is still crying a little bit.

"Mommy?" Charlotte says.

"Yeah, peanut?" Mom says.

"When are we going home to Daddy?" Charlotte asks and looks up at Mom. I look up at her too, because I want the answer just as much as Charlotte does.

This makes Mom upset again. She cries harder and pulls us in tighter. It hurts a little bit, but neither Charlotte nor I move, because Mom needs hugs too.