Soundscapes: Endurance Episode 4

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🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹"Doh trouble trouble until trouble trouble you.”🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹

Mei opened the front door of her home and placed her purse on the hallway table close to the door. She dragged her backpack off her shoulders and dropped it down in the corner next to the front door.

“Honeybee, I have lunch waiting for you at the kitchen table,” her mother, Song Paulard, announced as Mei entered the kitchen. Song approached her daughter, observing that something seemed to bother her. “Sweetie, what’s wrong?” She asked.

Mei thought about telling her mother what had happened in her last class, but a lump formed in her throat. Memories of her previous traumatic vision resurface, believing that her mom would not believe her.

“Did you dream about your dad again?” Song inquired as she led her daughter to the kitchen table. She took Mei’s silence as confirmation and gave her a hug. “It’s been ten years, and I still cannot get over losing your father. Every morning I pray it was a bad dream, and he's here.”

“Yea, and where would your husband and daughter be?” Mei said as she pulled away from her mother.

“I know I disappointed you when I married your father’s best friend, but I know he would be relieved to know that we are with someone he trusted.” Song tried to explain. However, Mei remained silent.

“I get you don’t like him, but he loves you. It breaks his heart that you don’t feel the same about him. Mei, please just try, give him a chance. You can learn a lot about your father if you just spend time with Thomas.” Mei remained silent. “He intends for both of you to go on a camping trip next week. Would you be interested in going?”

“Is Ariaha coming too?” Mei asked.

“He wanted to spend quality time with you. And Ariaha has a recital that weekend.”

Mei’s brows rose as she observed her mother. “It’s not strange to you?” she asked; the sound of her heartbreaking escaped her lips.

“What’s wrong with a stepfather wanting to spend time with his stepdaughter and the cherished daughter of his best friend. He misses Jacob too.” Song replied.

Mei moved closer to the kitchen table, dumbfounded by her mother’s ignorance. Was she wrong? Was she mistaken for the advance that Thomas had already made towards her? “Maybe this is all my fault?”

“Just sit down and eat my honeybee,” Song said as she spun around to fetch Mei some water.

Mei eased down into a chair at the kitchen table and ate her lunch. It became a natural reflex to force her thoughts on something or someone else. Lately, it had been Max Martinez. Her mind reflected on the haunting experience she had had earlier that day. It was strange; she was sure it was Max Martinez’s voice. Mei felt like a bigger freak as she could overhear people's thoughts.

Mei replayed the words in her mind. Come back to me? He was arguing with his girlfriend. Maybe she is trying to break up with him, and he wants to be with her, Mei speculated to herself. “This doesn’t explain why he looked at me.”

“How was your day? “ Her mother asked.

“It’s fine, mother.”

Song wanted to make her see how much her stepfather loves her. “What, Mom?” Mei became agitated by her mother’s silent stare.

“Nothing,” Song fell deeper into thought. She wanted a perfect home, but with Mei and Thomas at each other’s necks, it was an impossible dream.

Mei returned to eating her lunch, continuing her thoughts about Max. As much as she hated to admit it, she lusted after him, like every other girl in high school, desired him. “If only I were prettier.”

Her nine-year-old sister, Ariaha Paulard, rushed through the front door with her two school friends, Brittany and Jessica, in tow.

“Food is on the table for you, Araiha!” Song spoke in Chinese as Ariaha flew past the kitchen.

“Not hungry, Mom!” Ariaha heads up the stairs.

“Girls,” Song said as she walked into the living room to finish her chores.

Mei jolted as she felt the sudden vibrations of her cell phone. Scrambling, she pulled it from her front pocket.

“Hello?”

“Mei, it’s Cora.”

“Hey, Cora… what’s up?”

“What are you doing tonight?”

“Ah, nothing; sitting home, I guess.”

“No, no, no! There is a big party tonight at Zack Gilman’s house. His parents are out of town for the weekend.”

“I don’t know about that. What if they come back or something? I got enough problems.”

“Mei, come on! We’re teenagers! We’re supposed to get in trouble.”

“I don’t know, Cora, but I guess I can think about it.”

“Okay, I will call you back in two hours to get your answer. It better be ‘yes.”

“Okay, bye,” Mei ended as she pressed the end button on her cell phone.

She finished her lunch and headed upstairs to her bedroom, locking the door behind her. She Kicked off her shoes; Mei flopped down on her full-size bed and dosed off.

“Come on, baby, breathe, breathe, please, baby!” Brandon did everything in his power to resuscitate the newborn lying limp in his arms. Since Justina had placed the baby girl in his arms, he couldn’t help but fight for her life. Brandon turned the baby onto her back again. Her skin was so cold, and he was clueless about what to do next. He turned the baby back over and swaddled her in a baby blanket. “Now you listen, little girl. I don’t have the power over life and death, but I know who does.” Brandon prayed from the depths of his heart as he paced the wooden floors of his home. Brandon was so deep in prayer that he hadn’t noticed that the baby warmed up; her cheeks turned a rosy pink. At the sight of the infant, Brandon exploded with excitement. “Yes, wake up!” The infant’s eyes sprung open, displaying a fiery red color.

***

Mei woke up to lock-picking sounds at her door, feeling like no time passed. Fear gripped her as she glanced over at the alarm clock on her nightstand.

“No!” It is after nine. Her stepfather had been home for an hour, and her mother and sister were at Ariaha’s gymnastics practice. Mei jumped to her feet and grabbed her purse and cell phone.

Then she paused. “Wait, how did this get up here?” She knew she did not bring her purse upstairs with her.

The sound of the doorknob being jingled brought her back to reality. She had little time to think. Mei could hear something being shoved between the door and frame, trying to pry it open. She grabbed the emergency ladder, thanking her mother once more for insisting on one in every upstairs bedroom.

Mei lifted her bedroom window and threw the ladder over the windowsill. She didn’t care if it was secure enough to climb down. Mei looked back at the door. He was still attempting to enter her room. Seeing his success, she hurried down the ladder to the lawn beside the house. She overheard her mother and sister enter the front door. They had just missed her. Mei pulled out her cell phone as she scurried away from her home, relieved to have yet again escaped his unwanted touches.

An inappropriate, dark image of Thomas touching her flooded her mind. Mei could not stand another grope from him. He was bound to act on his destructive desires.

She called her best friend, Cora Pennington. “Cora, come get me, please!”

“Sure, girl! So, you’re coming to the party with me?”

“Yeah, whatever would keep me away from him.” Mei fought back the tears.

“Oh…okay! I’m coming! No! Meet me at the gas station,” Cora realize her best friend was in trouble.

Mei ended the call and started walking towards the corner gas station at the end of her block.

She reflected on all the pain she had endured at home and throughout her life. Tears flooded her eyes as she watched a father and daughter holding hands while they passed her. She still remembered the walks she took with her father when they lived in Atlanta. Mei wished he could be there. She missed him, and she felt alone without him.

Mei made it to the corner store; she headed straight to the restroom to wash her face. After pulling herself together, she bought a water bottle while waiting for Cora. Standing in line to pay, she couldn’t help but glance over at the beers and alcohol in the fridge. It enticed her, beckoning for her to have a sip. Mei was excited to attend the house party to escape her problems by getting drunk. It seemed like a gift.

She paid for her water and stood outside, hoping the fresh air would do her some good. “It shouldn’t be much longer.” The tears fell again, and she couldn’t stop them. Mei felt pressed for a time. She needed to get away before her stepfather succeeded. But how could she win? How could she ruin his success?

She let her long wavy hair out to hide her face from everyone. People were noticing. Then Max pulled up to the gas station. Mei rolled her eyes. “The football team guys are obnoxious, and I don’t want to be seen.” She was not up for any games. “Thank God.” Mei turns her head to see Cora pulling up into the parking lot.

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