Young Writers Society

“Happy birthday!” two birdlike voices cried in my ear as I dragged my eyes open from a restless night of sleep. I heard the footsteps of my dad climbing the stairs as I cracked a smile at my seven year old twin sisters.

“Cecilia, Ashling, leave Everlie alone,” Dad cringed, knowing that this was not a day that I was keen to celebrate. He kissed me gently on the head and took my eager sisters by the hands, dragging them out of my room. I let out a big puff of air and leaned back on my pillow. It was too hard for Ashling and Cecilia to understand that the day that my birthday fell on was not one to celebrate. Dad tried to conceal their excitement every year, but I could feel it growing around me. To them, birthdays were nothing but candy, cake, and presents. I did not feel the same.

I swung my legs over the side of my bed and immediately felt the cold air cover me. Reaching for my robe, I heard the doorbell downstairs ring. Hope sprang up inside of me. I really couldn’t help myself. Maybe she’d come back for my birthday. I ran down the stairs quickly, hoping to reach the door first.

“Everlie!” A voice sighed, but I already knew it wasn’t her, “Is your dad here?”

“Yes,” I replied, nodding to the post-woman and retreating into my home calling for Dad, “Do you need him to sign for something?”

The woman must have eyed my small talk as an intrusion because she almost seemed to be glaring at me. She had been a pretty close friend of my family when I was younger, but our families grew apart with age. I giggled awkwardly at the strange interaction and turned in relief to my dad.

“Maura, good morning,” He nodded to her and put his arm around me. She gave him a short hello and turned to me as if she expected me to leave. I turned on my heel and snuck out of my Dad’s arm, and walked into the living room where the twins were lounged out on the couch. I pressed my finger to my lips in silent direction and stood with my back to the wall in attempt to hear the conversation at the door.

“I know it doesn’t make sense, but I swear its him,” Maura’s voice almost shook with frustration.

“Maura, he’s been here once. Why would he come back now, if she isn’t even here? Certainly not to visit the girls. We already know his feelings about that.”

“I’m telling ya. I’ve seen that man one time, and he’s not easy to forget. Take my advice, Aedan, watch for him. He’s here,” She insisted one last time, retreating from the door quickly. My dad closed the door behind her and rubbed his face with one hand, as if trying to comprehend the life that he’d been handed.

“Ah!” I screamed suddenly as I felt something heavy land on my back. Somehow in my concentration I hadn’t noticed Cecilia climbing up on the book case solely to scare me. Dad came rushing in and saw quite a sight. Me standing up against the wall with a seven-year-old on my back, while Ashling only sat on the couch, howling with laughter.

Instead of anger, my dad looked at us with nothing but expressions of love. “What would I do without my girls?”

I smiled and laughed, transferring Cecilia from my back to my front, hugging her close. Cecilia was the wild one, where Ashling was quiet. The red-haired twins balanced each other out perfectly as built in best friends.

“I’ve got to take you two to school,” I smiled lightly at my siblings, looking to my dad for permission. He nodded and turned to go into his office. He usually hid in his office on this day, hardly coming out. It was almost a silent agreement that I would take the girls where they needed to go on this day. It didn’t bother me. It helped me get my mind off things.

I laced my sisters’ boots and helped them into their winter coats, hustling them outside into the cold. The twin’s elementary school was less than a mile away, so I usually walked them. Taking each of their mitten engulfed hands, we braced through the cold air.

“What presents do you get today?” Ashling asked simply.

“I don’t want any presents, Ash. I’m just glad I get to spend time with my favorite sisters,” I answered, squeezing each of their hands. They didn’t understand that this wasn’t a ‘good’ time in the Jaynes family. This day represented more than just a birth of a child, it represented the leaving of another member of the family.

“Who doesn’t want presents?” Cecilia exclaimed, utterly shocked by my answer, “You could at least ask for a donut or something!”

“Well, yes, a donut would be a magnificent present, Lia. Maybe I’ll grab one on my way home.”

“Home? Do you have school?” Ash asked.

“No. My school was cancelled for today. They are doing something called a teachers’ conference. You’ll have those days too when you get to high school.”

We arrived at the front door of the school and helped the bundled up children into the front door.

“Miss Jaynes! You brought your sisters today, how sweet,” The receptionist greeted me from behind the plastic desk, “You might need to help them fill out medical history for the new nurse starting today. Right through that door.”

“New nurse,” I squinted at her, “Can I fill it out or does my dad need to?”

“You should be fine, dear. Just don’t sign where it says parent or guardian. We will have him sign that tomorrow.”

I nodded in thanks and hurried Lia and Ash through the door to the Nurse’s office, knocking to obtain her attention.

“Hi,” I smiled slightly, as she looked at each of my sisters, “I’ve got Cecilia and Ashling Jaynes here.”

“Ah, yes. Now a couple of questions,” Nurse said, cutting right to the point, “Ages?”

“Seven.”

“Birth place?”

“Uh, Belfast, Maine.”

“Parents’ names and email?”

“Aedan Jaynes and ajay@gmail.com.”

The Nurse eyed me curiously, “And a mother?”

“I don’t have a mother!” Cecilia suddenly shouted, pointing at the nurse’s paper.

My face turned purple, and I looked down at my hands, trying to clear the quickly forming tears from my eyes. I thanked the higher powers that my dad hadn’t been here to witness it.

“You have a mother,” I quickly said, turning to Lia and then back to the nurse, “Her name is Cadence Jaynes. She does not currently live with us. Please do not attempt to contact her.”

Lia poked me in the side, “Where is she then?”

I shushed her quickly and continued answering questions. Avoiding the three gazes staring at me. I wouldn’t be answering any questions about my mother today of all days. The girls were too young to understand, and I certainly wasn’t going to tell a stranger my life story. I kissed my sisters quickly and walked out of the school once I was done with the questionnaire. I pulled out my ruby necklace and rubbed my finger over the stone for comfort. All I could think of was that day six years ago. The feeling of my dad’s strong hands holding me back from running after her. The tears that streamed down my face as the unthinkable tore apart our family. People would gossip, telling each other that she cheated on my dad and left with her supposed ‘boyfriend’. But what could I believe? Nothing she ever did could make me think that she would leave. Her three children and husband that she acted as if she loved more than anything.

The cold air brought me back from my memories as I stood in front of my old school. I knew that I should go home and relax on my day off, but I didn’t want to. I walked down the street away from home and just let my feet carry me. I didn’t know what I had done before I was standing in front of the woods that stood before my old house. I knew that I shouldn’t but I wanted to anyway. I pushed through the trees and watched the road behind me retreat. This home was mine, as far as I considered. I grew up here until I was ten. I sat under a tree that had guarded the earth below, free of snow.

“This is private property,” A voice startled me out of my peaceful cocoon.

“Who are you?” I asked the boy standing in front of me. His brow furrowed in confusion at my abrupt question, as if he should be the one asking the questions.

“Who am I? I’m certainly not the one trespassing on someone’s property,” He laughed, gesturing to the trees around us.

I stood up quickly, realizing why I really shouldn’t be here. Someone else owned the land now, “Oh gosh. I’m really sorry. I lived here a couple years ago.”

He cracked an amused smile, “So you aren’t just some thug attempting to take my trees.”

I grinned back and stuck out my hand, “Everlie Jaynes.”

He eyed my hand and took it gingerly, “Rowan Neven.”

After standing awkwardly for a moment, I decided I should probably leave, “Sorry for trespassing, I just got caught up in the moment I guess.”

“Its fine,” He shrugged, “Just wanted to make sure you weren’t some killer in the woods.”

“Well,” I laughed awkwardly, “I’m certainly not that. Just a girl looking for lost memories.”

“That sounds a bit more morbid than I expected,” He nodded, looking quite uncomfortable.

I told myself to shut up inwardly and nodded lightly, walking away from the uncomfortable teenager.

“Goodbye, Everlie Jaynes,” He shouted from the distance, and I smiled lightly. I didn’t realize how cute he was until I was already halfway through the woods and towards the road. He had dark brown hair and brown eyes, and a sweet smile that lit up his eyes. I hoped that maybe he just moved here and would be in my class at school. I could use a friend, after all.

I ran back up to the road and walked along it all the way back to my house, where I could hear my dad on the phone in his office. His words were too muffled for me to make out but I could guess that he was only talking to his sister. She usually called him on my birthday and calmed him down, but didn’t bother to wish me happy birthday. She knew well enough that we didn’t celebrate anymore. He must have heard me because I heard him hang up and walk over to the door.

“Ever,” He poked his head out and ran his hand through his red hair, “Wanna come talk?”

That was strange. We hardly ever talked about things on my birthday. I actually avoided it at all costs, just like I thought he did.

“Um,” I back up slightly, “Why?”

He huffed slightly and dragged his hand over his face, “Just want to talk to my new sixteen year old.”

I nodded suspiciously and walked into his office, curling up on the sofa, “So, what’s up Dad? Is everything okay?”

“I’m just fine, sweetheart. I was only wondering how you were doing. I know this usually isn’t the best day for us Jaynes.”

“I don’t really want to talk right now, Dad,” I answered gripping my ruby under my shirt. Talking about her was the last thing I wanted to do right now.

“Honey,” He looked at me strangely, “We’ve never talked about it. I’m worried that I haven’t given you a chance to tell me what it’s like for you. I’m sorry.”

“No, dad, its fine. Really. I’m fine,” I nodded convincingly, “I’m just tired so I’m gonna head upstairs and get some sleep.”

I smiled at him and he still just looked at me as I stood. I crossed the threshold only to hear, “She did love you. I swear.”

I froze in the doorway, “Does it matter if she loved me or not? She still left us. She didn’t care that she had two babies, or a ten year old, or a husband. She didn’t even care that she left on her daughter’s birthday. If she truly loved us, she wouldn’t have left us. You know that. That’s why you shut yourself up in your office every day that reminds you of her. Maybe you try to convince yourself that she still loves us, but I can’t. Yes, I remember her more clearly than even you. But, that doesn’t blind me from seeing that she still left. She’s gone, and it doesn’t matter.”

This is only the first part of Chapter 1 of my Nano novel 2017. I don't want to overwhelm the reviewers! Will be posting the next part soon. Thanks for reading and reviewing :)