T h e F o r g o t t e n

C h a p t e r O n e

© Amber Kalkes 2014

Song: "You Don't Know What Its Like" By Tom Petty

C h a p t e r O n e >

{S i x  Ye a r s  L a t e r}

It was supposed to be Robin’s day off.

Her dickhead of a boss, Hank had called her in last minute and now she was rushing to her dad’s house like a bat out of hell. Of course that didn’t bother the light of her life grinning in the backseat. His shaggy black curls are framing his little cherub face as he laughs at how silly mommy is being.

“What so funny back there?” She asks with a mocking stern look.

He giggles, “You are, mama!”

“Oh yeah? And why would that be?”

“You have a funny look on your face.”

She quirks an eyebrow, “Really? Show me.”

Robin watches with amusement in the rearview mirror as her son contours his face to narrow his emerald eyes and stick his tongue out the side of his mouth. Trying to suppress her own giggle she tries to keep her face straight as she stops at a stop light in the center of town. Turning to look at him over her shoulder he grins at her making her heart warm at the sight of it.

“That isn’t right, Charlie.” She playfully scolds, “It was like this.”

Robin makes a hideous face at him making Charlie burst out in laughter again. She smiles turning back to look out the front window but its not until the person behind her blares their horn does she notice the lights gone green. Pushing on the gas she gives an apologetic wave out the window.

“Hey, mama, why are we going to grandpa’s?”

Robin grimaces at the question, “Because mommy’s boss is a meanie and is making her come to work at the last minute.”

“I don’t like your boss.”

“That makes two of us, Button.”

“You were supposed to spend the day with me.”

She smiles briefly at his vocabulary, all those years of reading to him has really paid off, she thinks. “This is true but I will make it up to you.”

“How?” He demands sullenly.

Robin shrugs innocently, “I don’t know. Perhaps we will go to a movie or maybe go get some ice cream or maybe if you’re really good for grandpa and grandma we can go to the woods.”

He visually perks up at the mention of the woods, “Really?”

“Yup.” She grins, happy with her bribe.

“And then we can get ice cream?” He asks wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Robin scowls, she’s going to beat the shit out of her brother for teaching him that. Still she peeks at him in the rearview mirror, “You’re really, really good than yes.”

“Cool!”

Robin rolls her eyes and drums her fingers on the steering wheel to a Tom Petty song that starts playing on the radio. She begins swaying a bit to the song making Charlie copy her movements in the back with his dark mop of hair bobbing up and down. Robin grins at the sight before turning to stare out the window going on autopilot. She can’t thank her lucky stars enough for Charlie. He was a total accident but he was an accident she came to quickly love having.