Protecting Cecilia

Moving in with the Grandparents

Song: I found myself by Anne Clendening

I tried to tell them that I have nothing but they insist that we go by the house anyway. I don't want to go back in there but they assure me that he is gone. As a matter of fact they go in with me. We walk through the house. It's a mess and looks like something went down; I'm sure he put up a fight.

I open my bedroom door. "I told you I had nothing."

My Grammy shakes her head. "Where is your bed?"

I laugh, "I haven't had a bed in a long time. I sleep on the floor."

When we walk back out my Pops is staring in the bathroom.

"What is it dear; everything alright," Grammy asks him.

I see what he is looking at. The shattered mirror. There is still some dried blood that I had missed. He looks angry in disbelief.

"Can we just go?" I ask.

"Yes...let's get you out of here." He says and wastes no time getting out of the door.

I'm shocked to find out that they live in the same county. I can't believe they have been this close to me all this time and I never knew it.

The moment I see the house, memories flood back to when I was little. I loved coming here when I was little. It's an older country home, two stories with a wraparound porch. They live on a small farm. There is a barn out back and if memory serves me right they have a horse and a few other animals.

When we step inside a furry little thing comes running up to me, sniffing, barking and trying to lick me. I reach down and pet his furry head. "What's his name?"

"That's Chipper...you can pick him up; he will try licking you."

I pick him up and stand back up holding him in my hands. He has a mess of white hair and his little black eyes stare back at me. Then suddenly he is licking my face and I burst out giggling.

"I've never had a puppy...he is so adorable."

"Consider him yours then." Grammy smiles. "Come on dear, I'll show you your room."

We go upstairs. The room is the first on the left. There is a bed, not just a bed but a huge bed with tons of pillows. I so just want to go and crash on it. There are two dressers, one is bigger than the other and has a mirror. There is also a desk and a shelf..everything is empty.

"You don't like it?" she looks at me with sad eyes.

"No just the opposite...I love it. It's fantastic really."

"Don't worry...we will go shopping. Soon this place will be just the way you like it."

I walk around the room taking it all in.

"We can even paint it a different color...as long as it's not black alright."

I laugh....

"Come on I will show you the bathroom."

I follow her down the hallway.

"Well this is it. Kitchen and the living room of course is downstairs. My room is across the hall from yours. Make yourself at home. Really we want you to feel comfortable as possible sweetheart. So if you are thirsty, hungry whatever you find it's yours to eat. If nothing you like we will go shopping later in the week to get things you like. Also the television is downstairs if you want to watch TV alright." She smiles and starts walking down the hall.

"Well dear I will leave you alone...maybe if you are up to it we will go shopping tomorrow for a few things alright."

She is at the top of the stairs and I call out to her. "Wait."

She turns around to look at me. "Yes dear what is it?"

I hug her. "Thanks Grammy...thanks for everything you don't know how much this all means to me. I will never be able to repay you."

"Nonsense...you don't worry about a thing. You want to pay me back you make good grades and graduate school."

When she leaves I go back to the room, my new bedroom and walk over to the bed. I lay down and I feel like I am in heaven. I wanted to run and jump on it like a normal teen would however I do have a healing rib and my arm is still wrapped with stitches.

Unfortunately, I don't get to see Weston or Mrs. Banks and I don't have a way of contacting them.

***

I'm asleep in the big bed; it's so freaking incredibly soft. For once I actually sleep. The door bursts open and a huge dark figure stands in the doorway. I can't breathe. I can't yell as if my vocal cords have been ripped from my throat. His weight is on top of me. Hands around my throat. I can't fight back. All the air is escaping my lungs. Tears stream down my face. I'm almost gone. I know he wants me dead. I scream to the top of my lungs... "GET OFF ME! GET OFF OF ME!"

***

The lights come on in the room and Grammy runs over to my bed. She wraps her arms around me. "Shh! Shh! Now...now...it's just us honey. He is not here. It's just us."

Pops checks the windows and looks in the closet just to reassure me that no one is there. "He is not here Cecilia; believe me he won't come here. He knows that I will kill him." And that's when I noticed that Pops is holding a rifle.

I don't want to be left alone. "Don't leave me...please stay." I beg her. So she lies down beside me and for the rest of the night she sings me back to sleep and she never let's go of me.

When morning comes she is still there.

"I am going to go fix breakfast how about you take a shower and get dressed and then we will go into town."

I do as she says. When I get downstairs breakfast is ready. Eggs, bacon, toast with jelly and even a glass of orange juice is waiting for me. I sit down and eat. When I'm done I start to put the dishes in the sink and was going to wash them but she shooed me away.

We get to the mall and Pops finds a chair out in the middle of the mall to wait on us. He says shopping is not his thing. I laugh. Grammy and I go in several stores to find me clothes....new clothes.

Then they take me out for lunch. As we are getting ready to leave Pops stops into a phone store. We go in and he says he has to pay his bill but comes to find out he is getting me a phone. Not just a phone but an I-phone.

"Pops this is too much I can't take this."

"Too late just bought it." He grins at me. "Look I know how you teenagers can be can't live without a phone."

"I don't know what to say?"

"Just say thank you."

I smile. I give him a hug. "Thanks Pops you guys are the best...I love you."

"We love you too kido. Consider this all the birthdays and Christmas's that we missed alright we are just making up for lost time."

On the way home I am drained from all the shopping. Pops looks back at me from the rearview mirror. "So when you plan on going back to school?"

"I guess tomorrow."