Mommy & Daddy

I clutched my bear, as my black ribbon rustled in the wind. I looked up towards my mother, whose tears seemed almost like glass.

I looked at the fish in the pond, their tails swishing back and forth, as if on some kind of mission. This for once, instead of causing me to smile, made me cry, because they could never leave the pond.

My face furrowed, as I noticed a slimy substance in my hand, the one that held mommy’s. I looked to see red, as mom fell to her knees. While dad covered the hole that he had dug only moments ago.

Instead of staying by mother as she obviously wanted me to, I ran inside the house. I washed my hands and looked out through the sliding glass doors. My mother didn’t even seem to notice that I had left her side and my father continued to shovel. Realizing that my teddy was still outside I quickly went back to retrieve him.

My eyes couldn’t help but see a wooden box being covered by dirt. I didn’t understand what was going on. Why were mommy and daddy so upset, and what was daddy burying? I screamed for their attention only to find that they went on about their business as if I wasn’t even there. I grew frustrated, as I stared at this small wooden box that seemed so much more important to them.

I squeezed my teddy bear tight because he was the only one paying any attention to me. He didn’t care about a stupid box, he cared about my tears. I heard even greater wails ignite from my mommy’s vocal cords as my daddy placed the shovel on the ground and went over to her. Daddy told mommy “it’s not your fault.”

“I…I…I’m so sorry, my poor baby!”

“Shhh, it’s not your fault baby. It was an accident.” He held her tight as she rocked back and forth. I couldn’t help it I had to go and comfort them. I didn’t care that I was mad because both of them were ignoring me. I wanted mommy and daddy to be okay; I didn’t like seeing the pain in their eyes.

As I ran over to mommy and daddy I dropped my only friend to the ground, and he landed upon the loose dirt. I put my little arms around both of my parents, as far as they could go. Neither of my parents seemed to notice that I stood there holding them for dear life. I cried with both mommy and daddy for what seemed hours, until my daddy tried to be the strong one. Daddy took mommy in his arms and attempted to bring her into the house, so that they could wash up and get some rest. But mommy didn’t dare move from her spot, rocking back and forth, her bloody hands causing the rest of her to become red. Daddy sat with her a while longer, and so did I. Soon enough, though, daddy again tried to be the strong one and this time he went into the house without her. Daddy returned all cleaned up, with warm water and towels. As mommy continued to sob, daddy attempted to clean her up.

I couldn’t stand watching the two of them suffer like that. I kissed them both and whispered “I love you” even though I knew I would not be noticed. I picked up my teddy bear, but he wasn’t there. I cried out for him and pounded my fist onto the soil, confessing my regret because I had abandoned him as I had been. My teddy bear was gone for good. I couldn’t find him anywhere, until I found myself in a small wooden box with a bear.