Tobias: Book One of the Cantrell Brothers Series

Chapter Thirty-Three

"Work on your maths, honey," Mommy said to her, sliding a bowl of carrots over to her across the table.

"Okay." Jane grinned and ran into the living room, her bare feet not making a sound on the soft, blue carpet. "Teddy," she secretly whispered to her teddy bear, casting a glance Mommy's way to make sure they weren't overheard, "you'll help me, right?"

The glassy oculus of Teddy's last remaining eye gleamed back at her, reflecting the sunlight from outside. It was snowing today, and Mommy had helped her and Teddy make Mr. Chill, the five foot tall snowman that had a carrot for a nose and coal for eyes. Yes, her friend seemed to say to her, and then she worked on her equations.

The big, front door opened a few minutes later, and Jane ran over to go hug Daddy. His glasses were foggy again from the snow, and he smiled lightly as she flung herself into his waiting arms. No matter how many times she asked him what was wrong, he never told her, only walking down to the basement to do grown up things by himself.

"Hi, sweetie." He kissed her cheek, spinning her around a couple of times.

"Daddy!" she squealed happily, loving how the world was spinning wildly.

"Graham Horowit," Mommy snapped, propping a hand up on her hip.

Daddy stopped spinning her.

"What's wrong now?" he sneered, and Jane walked into the kitchen with him, watching as Daddy took out one of his grown up drinks from the refrigerator and downed half of it in one swing of his skinny arm.

"You didn't pay the bills again. Spent all of our money on your fucking alcohol!" Mommy screamed and abruptly closed her mouth, looking over to Jane with wide, angry eyes. "Jane, go to your room."

She began to protest, "But-"

"Now, young lady," her mother snapped.

Scared, Jane walked to her room, Teddy trailing behind her. She sat down on her small bed and put a pillow over her side, trying to block out her parents' screaming. They fought like this every night. Sometimes glass was even broken. A sickening crunching sound erupted again, alerting her to the plates and dishes that would be missing tomorrow.

"Stop it," she whimpered into her pillow and curled up into a ball while at the same time, squeezing her eyes shut until they became sore. So sore that she fell asleep.

"Jane," her father cried softly, stinking of cigarette smoke and the bitter grown up drinks that were kept too high in the fridge that she couldn't reach.

"What's wrong?" she asked sleepily, rubbing those little things out of her eyes.

"Nothing." He kissed her cheek and hugged her close before pulling back again. "Nothing's wrong. Go back to sleep, honey. I love you."

"Love you too, Daddy. Good night." She yawned and then hugged Teddy back to her chest.

Her door closed quietly, blanketing her in darkness. Getting up to find her night light, she stopped short upon hearing two very loud pops from down the hall.

Gasping, Jane bolted upright out of bed, all breath having escaped her lungs. Shivers wracked her entire body, making her want to just cave in on herself and for once in her life, experience a nightmare-free sleep; instead, she was faced with the harsh slap of reality. The nightmares were getting so much worse, and there was nothing she could do about it.

The dreams would never go away, and neither would the constant restlessness that accompanied them. Making a move to get up from the bed to do some mundane activity that occupied her mind, she immediately stilled at the sight and sound of a snoring Tobias Cantrell.