Somewhere Between Two Houses

This is a story I have been working on for a while now. I decided to post it on here to see what others think. I'm going to try to post part of this story at least once a week. Please, tell me what you think, I love feedback!:)

Mandy ran through the woods and burst in the door. “Mommy, mommy, guess what!!”

            “What baby?”

            “I got the main part in the play!!”

“The princess part?”

“Yeah, the one where I get to sing, all by myself!”

“That’s great. Mandy, I’m proud of you.”

Mandy hugged her mom hard then ran up the stairs to her room. Throwing her backpack on her bed, she gently pulled her journal from its hiding place. She loved to write about her life and tried to add a little to her journal every day. At 8 years old, no one ever took her seriously in her writing except her mom. Carefully unlocking her journal, she sat down at her desk and picked up her pencil. Before she could begin writing, she heard the front door slam. Uh oh, that was dad. Hurriedly, she closed her journal, locked it and slipped it back into its hiding place. Scurrying across the room, she had just gotten to the door when she heard a booming voice. “Mandy!!”

Mandy ran down the stairs as fast as she could. She knew she was supposed to be at the table when Dad came home, but today she got home unusually late because of auditions. Stepping into the living room, she took and a deep breath. “Yes?”

“Come and eat, please,” her mom called from the kitchen.

When she had seated herself, her dad asked her, “Where have you been?”

“I got home ten minutes before you did and then I went to my room to write,” Mandy said cautiously.

“And where were you all day?”

“At school.” Mandy wasn't sure where this was going. Dad knew she went to school every day.

“Why did you come home so late?”

“I was trying out for a part in in a school play, the one with the princess and her prince. And I got the part of the princess!!”

“A play?”

“Yes, the one that our school is doing for a competition.”

“And you entered this without asking me?” For the first time since she had sat down, Mandy noticed the anger in her father’s voice. Glancing up, she found her father’s glare on her. She opened her mouth to answer, but her mom cut her off.

“Andrew, she asked me weeks ago about it and I told her yes. I didn't realize you would have a problem with it.”

“You didn't even bother to ask me about it first?”

“Like I said, I didn't realize you would have a problem with it. It is a school play, after all.”

“I don’t want my daughter flaunting herself in front of everybody and making a fool out of herself!”

“Andrew, she’s eight, not fifteen and this is a school play, not a beauty contest. She is not going to make a fool out of herself. Mandy is very capable of being in this play and doing it well. It’s not that big of a deal!”

“I-“

“Mom, dad, stop fighting!! That’s all you guys ever do anymore! I won’t be in the play if it makes you guys happy. That settles it, now stop fighting!” Rushing to her room, Mandy slammed her door and flung herself on her bed. Why couldn't her parents agree on anything? Why did they always have to fight?  Tears streaming down her face, she reached for her journal. Beginning to write, she lost herself in a story where parents never fought and little girls could be princesses.

Back in the kitchen, Christi and Andrew were silent. Holding her head in her hands, she began to weep. Without even looking at his wife, Andrew got up and, stomping all the way, slammed the front door. Christi stood up, smoothed her hair, tried her tears and headed upstairs. How could they do that to Mandy? That conversation should have never happened and she was sorry Mandy had to see that. Arriving at Mandy’s door, she took a deep breath and knocked. When there was no answer, she tried again, still no answer. Trying the knob and finding it unlocked, she stepped in. Mandy was lying on her bed and, with tears streaming down her face, was writing furiously.

“Mandy, honey, “Christi said gently. Not having heard her mother come in, Mandy was startled. Glancing up, she quickly shut her journal. “What are you writing?” Sitting on her bed, Christi reached for her journal. Shrugging, Mandy pulled it out of her reach.

“Nothing, really” Looking at the floor, Mandy slipped off her bed. Still looking at the floor, she asked,” Mommy, why do you and Daddy always have to fight?”

“Oh honey, sometimes we don’t agree on things and we get a little carried away with our opinions.”

“Do you still love me even if you don’t love Daddy anymore?”

“Of course, I’ll always love you. And I still love Daddy. We just had a disagreement, it happens sometimes.”

“Does Daddy still love you?”

“Of course he does and I know he loves you too.”          

“I love both of you.”

"And we love you, too." Getting up, Christi, walked over and hugged Mandy. "Now come downstairs and help me clean up. Then you need to get to bed, it is way past your bedtime."

When Christi headed downstairs and found Andrew was still gone, she breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn't deal with him right now.

Christi pulled into the driveway and parked the car. She took a slow breath and stepped out of the car. Maybe today would be better that the past month had. Christi stepped through the door and flipped on the hallway light. Glancing at the time, she tossed her purse on the table and kicked her shoes off. Thirty minutes before Andrew came home; that was just enough time to throw together a quick meal and maybe, if she hurried, clean up a little bit. As she prepared the meal, she thought about Andrew.