Ms. Tilly

Chapter 11

When I first met Helen, she had spiraled blonde hair. Her thin lips were usually painted in a magenta and her eyes dressed in brown. She was an incredible woman to look at.

And she knew that.

Right before Gary got the divorce, Helen went out more with her 'girlfriends'. She wore cocktail dresses all of the time, high heels, and very detailed mascara. She wore a smirk every time she drunkenly stumbled back home. Gary was unaware of her affair, well we all were.

She deceived us day by day. She pretended to be a good mother. When the girls came home from school, she'd always make a snack waiting for them. Her warmness, her bright smile. Everything she brought into this home was a lie. Her cooking, her cuddles, her 'I love yous'.  Everything.

One day, Helen said she was going to the grocery store. Apparently, she was going to make the girls' favorite dinner, green bean casserole, but she said she needed the ingredients first.

The girls were excited. They waited impatiently for her to come home. Then hours passed. The evening became dusk, and excitement became worried. Gary called her and called her, but she wouldn't pick up. Every bad thought passed through their heads. Then, Gary opened Helen's dresser drawer. Her clothes were gone. Her clothes in the closet were gone. She was gone. Except for one thing: a note.

Gary found the note when he opened the alcohol cabinet. I never heard what it said, but it was something horrible, I'm sure. It made Gary nearly cry. Nearly.

She left her three beautiful children, her husband, her perfect life behind for another man. A man that would never give her everything Gary had given. Helen had simply played Gary as a fool. I sometimes wonder if she ever loved him in the first place. What a heartbreaking disgrace. She doesn't deserve the title, mother. 

When I saw Helen again, she was a new person. Her hair was cut short, dyed dark brown like Gary's, and straight. Her lips were plump and red. And her eyelids colored an ugly green. Green. I've always hated that color, just how I hate her. I hope she burns in hell. No worse, rot in prison.

She held close to her new boyfriend, Brandon. He was nothing like Gary, kind and sweet. Brandon was kind of like mints, at first they taste good, then they sting the tongue. I could tell he probably had trouble keeping it in his pants with other women. Oh well, what comes around comes back around, Helen.

They both were in suits. Brandon wore navy blue, she wore a lavender. She should have worn red because red is the most used color from where she came from, Hell. Then again, I'm probably from hell as well. I'm just not actually Satan like she is.

Gary was extremely nervous. He knew one slip up could completely jeopardize his luck. He tried to act as professional as possible. He straightened his tie and sucked in his breath, he got himself together. He was different. He was a man in a suit now, but a father with fears.

The case took about four hours, but it felt longer. However, I didn't go. I had other things to do, like watch the girls and Ivan. But the girls, however, were a nervous wreck. Just like Gary.

"I hope Dad wins this," Mackenzie whimpered as she rubbed her arms. Her teal sweater seemed to not keep her warm because she was shivering. I decided to lie on her lap, to keep her warm. I hate being cold, so I could at least do this favor. She smiled timidly. She patted my head, I could feel the shakiness in her palm.

Taylor shook her head. She stood in the kitchen, studying everything that used to be natural to her. She studied every pan and pot. It's like she was going to kiss them goodbye. Like she was never going to see them again. Like she was never going to see the dried coffee stains on the counter. She acted like Gary was going to lose.

"Taylor, calm down. He's going to be fine," Mackenzie sounded unsure. Taylor looked back at her sister, her face worn out. Her eyelids were heavy. She was obviously missing sleep. Mackenzie made eye contact with her, only silence filled the room.

Then a tear dripped down Taylor's face.

It must have been the hardest on her. I mean, she did know Helen and Gary the longest. When the divorce happened, a car hit her. The pain must have screamed onto her. The shards of glass stabbing through her delicate skin. It was only imaginary, but the hurting was real.

Mackenzie jumped up, pushing me off her lap. She galloped to aid her sister. She knocked over boxes and puzzles. She destroyed everything in her path just to assist Taylor. "Don't cry, stop crying! You're gonna-you're gonna make Ivan cr-cry," Her words blubbered, her eyes filled with tears.

Taylor didn't say anything, but I knew what she would say.

Mackenzie broke and sobbed like a baby. Taylor quickly grabbed her and hugged her. She shook, well, both of them did. Mackenzie's wailing showed that she felt weak too. She was also scared. She didn't know what was going to happen. Was Gary going to win the custody battle? Or will Helen?

I felt tingly, and not the good tingly either. It was more of a shiver. A sense. A bad sense.

I know I can't predict the future, but why do I have a  bad feeling? Why do I feel a sharp sensation, like a stinging?

My nose stung, why was my nose stinging?

Suddenly, I felt some kind of wetness on my face. Taylor and Mackenzie turned to me. "L-look, Ms. Tilly's crying too," Mackenzie blattered. She faced Taylor's chest again and cried into it.

Crying? I'm not-I'm not crying. I don't cry. I never cry. Why am I crying? It's not like Gary lost. So why am I sad?

I asked myself these questions, only to find the answer later.

***A/N***

Sad chapter, eh? Good! Just wait for future chapters, haha!

-MissyKZV