Page 37 - Reason To Sing by Kelita Haverland

Chapter Six

“But why do you need all our supplies?” This didn’t make
any sense at all.
“Just do as I ask, please, Honey. I want to see everything
that’s in your desks.” Her tone was suddenly much nicer. But
still firm.
And now a day later, we’re being rushed out of the house
like it’s on fire!
We squish ourselves into the overstuffed car. Billy sits in
the back and Vian and I cram into the front with Mommy.
Everything feels frantic and my nerves are beginning to rattle.
“Mommy, there’s not enough room for me!” There is too
much stuff everywhere. Vian is almost on Mommy’s lap!
“Then you’ll just have to make room. I need you to hurry
up!” She spits the words sharply. “Kelita, please! Just push those
blankets on the floor and close the door. Slide over closer to me,
Vian!”
My sister and I are squished in like sardines. We both have
pillows on our laps and Vian is holding onto her doll tightly. I
hope Mommy packed something for me to play with too.
We still have no idea where we’re going. But our mother
obviously does. We pull out of the driveway going way too fast,
and hit the highway heading north on the #2. No one says
a word. The only sound is the whirring of the wheels on the
pavement, over and over, droning on as our home fades farther
into the distance.
I close my eyes and focus on the thumping of my heart.
Nothing about this feels right. Why isn’t Mommy explaining
anything? And where is Daddy?
A sudden memory jolts me into high alert. Something I
saw in the kitchen. When I was rushing back outside from the
bathroom, I noticed a thick white envelope on the table. It was
addressed to Daddy, in Mommy’s handwriting. It just said ‘Ivan’.

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