My New Daddy

Second grade

Chapter 2

"Hi what's your name?" the girl in front of me asked. I walked outside of my house to find my parents. Instead I found a girl who appeared to be my age standing by my driveway. She looked at me curiously with her big brown eyes. Her face was framed with short, dark brown curly hair.

"Brooklynn," I replied. "Who are you?" I couldn't figure out why this girl was in my yard.

"There you are Jessica! Don't wander off like that! Mama was so worried!" A woman started walking into our yard towards the girl. She looked just like who I figured must be Jessica with the exception if straight hair instead of curly.

I knew I wasn't supposed to talk to strangers so I ran to my back yard. I was correct to assume my parents were there since the sun was setting. On weekends they would sit around a fire with some drinks. As I was running I nearly tripped twice. I did better than normal considering how uncoordinated I have always been. "Mommy! Daddy!" I yelled. "There are people in our yard!"

As if on cue the woman stepped around the corner with Jessica. "I didn't mean to scare your little girl. We just moved in across the street. Jessica here decided to go snooping," she frowned down at her daughter, embarrassed.

"This is my daughter Brooklynn, my husband Frank, and I'm Jennifer," my mother said. "And don't worry about it. Kids will be kids."

"Thank you. I'm Patti," she said while walking over to shake my mom's hand. "I should probably go finish unpacking. I need to find my pots and pans still."

"Were about to make burgers on the grill. Would you like to join us?" My mother was not one to be shy.

"Sure! Maybe Jessica will start the year with a new friend."

***

After we ate Jessica and I were playing with my Barbies on the sidewalk. I kept quiet for the most part. Playing to a minimum while I watched to make sure she didn't get my Barbies dirty. The last time that happened I got in big trouble.

I had been playing with them in the mud, acting as if they were camping."I'm falling into the quick sand!" I pretended to be Barbie. "I'll save you!" I made Ken reply. I had him pull her out and accidently dropped him in the mud with Barbie.

"What the hell are you doing!" I whipped my head up to see Frank standing over me. I started at him in silence, afraid of the tone he just used. "Speak when you are spoken to!"

"I'm ju-just p-playing" I stuttered out of fear.

He grabbed me by the shirt and yanked me up. "Little girls don't play in the mud!" Frank screamed. He slapped me across the face. I cried out painfully and much to my disdain fell straight into the mud that started it all. "You like the mud so much do ya!?" He lunged at me as I started to cry even harder. My face was now being grinded into a mud just like he does to the dog when he pees on the floor. I was struggling to breathe as my head sunk further into the mud.

Just as I couldn't take it any more and about to pass out he suddenly stood up. "Go clean up before your mother gets home. She wont be happy if she finds you like this. It will be our little secret." With that he walked away. Leaving me crying in the mud.