Aurora Magazine 2017

house. As soon as they had made it inside Adelaide pulled off her sneakers, threw them down the hallway, and screamed at the top of her lungs, “I hate you, Preston! You always ruin everything, you little cry baby!” Becky couldn’t believe the way that Adelaide was acting and couldn’t stand the sight of her for another minute. Losing all hope of being the composed and proper caregiver that she had al- ways considered herself to be, screamed at Adelaide, “Go upstairs right now and don’t come back down here until I decide to come get you!” Adelaide turned on her heels and dramatically stomped up every single step until she reached the landing and flew to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. The loud noise scared the little boy who had lulled down to a constant sob, and he wailed out again and started crying even harder than before. Becky took Preston into the kitchen and sat him down on the counter. She knew she needed to make sure that he wasn’t hurt so badly that he needed to go to the hospital. There had been a considerable amount of blood, but now looking more closely at the little boy’s face she realized that it had seemed worse than it really was. There was only a small cut on the inside of his little lip. After she calmed him down and cleaned his face she took him with her into the living room. Preston snuggled up to her on the sofa and she let him lay in her lap until he fell asleep. She knew that he must be exhausted and although she didn’t usually have the children lay down for a nap until after lunch, she decid- ed since Adelaide was already in her room and Preston had fallen asleep that she would take him up to his room and lay him down. She carried him upstairs to his room and tucked him into his bed. She peaked into Adelaide’s room before she went back down stairs. The little girl was stretched out across her bed breathing softly. “Please, stay asleep for a little while,” Becky whis- pered, as she pulled the bedroom door shut. As Becky walked down the stairs she realized she had forgotten about the blood all over her t-shirt. She sighed as she turned the corner into the hall- way. She hadn’t done her own laundry for a few days, and decided it would be easier to grab a dirty t-shirt out of the hamper than to go rummage through her room upstairs and chance waking up the children.

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