Annoyances, Accents and Heartaches ✘

IV

"It's just that the floor hates me, the table and chairs are bullies and the wall sometimes gets in the way" - Harper

C H A P T E R F O U R

FOR THE NEXT three days I'm lucky enough to avoid both mum and Andrew, but I'm afraid on Thursday night my luck had run out.

"Oh there you are!" mum says popping her head into the small lounge room not long after she had come back from dinner with Andrew, the tv illuminating me.

I'm sitting on the white, fluffy rug in front of the tv, my maths book half opened on some random page which had been long forgotten thanks to one of my favourite tv shows, Arrow.

"Yep." I am still annoyed with her about the other day so I keep my comments short and straight to the point.

My mother doesn't seem to notice my annoyance and breezes into the room, taking a seat in her armchair and resting her arms on her rather large stomach watching me calmly.

"I haven't really seen much of you lately," she starts the conversation. I shrug before releasing that she is waiting for me to use this thing called a voice.

Thankfully an ad has come on so I don't miss anything as I turn my head to face her.

"Yeah well I've been running early in the mornings and showering at school, and I've been staying back to complete my art assignment," I lie easily enough.

"Oh.." mum says raising her eyebrow at me before smiling and glancing down at her belly. "The baby is kicking, do you want to feel?" she asks me, her eyes bright.

I look across at her and then lower my eyes to her stomach, well it's definitely not a watermelon doing all that kicking. I slowly get up before I can change my mind, making my way over to her side and kneeling down beside the armchair.

"Where do I put my hand?" I ask unsure but mum grabs my hand and rests it upon her belly, her hand staying on mine as she guides me to the kicking.

As soon as my hand touches the thin layer of clothing, the baby stops kicking and I sigh. I guess we both don't like one another, I go to pull my hand back but mum stops me.

"You've got to talk to the baby, it doesn't hear your voice much," she tells me. I mentally roll my eyes but do as I'm told.

"Hi there," I mutter under my breath feeling like an idiot. "Uh I'm Harper," I continue but the baby stays put.

"Well there's always next time," mum says just as Andrew strolls in.

"Did I miss her kicking?" he asks, his eyes on mum.

"His kicking Andrew," she rolls her eyes in amusement.

"Come on honey.. you know it's going to be a little princess," he goes on as he heads to her side. I turn back towards the tv seeing that Arrow is back on.

"Little prince," mum says before suddenly she's squealing about something. I reach for the remote to turn the volume up, but it doesn't block it out.

"Your hands are freezing Andrew!" she exclaims loudly behind me as I hear him laughing.

Groaning I pick up my maths book and pen before standing up and making my way out of the room, ignoring the 'childish' couple in the corner.

"Oh I'm sorry sweetie, you can come back in," mum calls out behind me still giggling.

"We promise to be quiet," adds Andrew still laughing about something.

"Whatever."

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It's nearly two in the morning now and still I have not finished my maths homework from yesterday. If I'm being honest though, I kinda forgot about it as soon as I entered my bedroom.