englishmuffin
Babyface
Monique just stood there. She couldn’t believe what she was just told.
“What?” she repeated in a whisper. Her mother wiped her eyes and sighed,
“Monique sweetheart, I can’t afford to take care of you and your brother anymore. What with your father going to jail and me divorcing him.”
Monique’s eyes filled with tears,
“So you’re just getting rid of me and Miles? Just giving us the boot?”
“No, sweetheart that’s not it at all.”
“Then what is it, Mum? Are we too much? I could get a job, I’m sure Mariah, Nicole or Katrina wouldn’t mind….”
Monique’s mother held up her hand, telling Monique to stop.
“That’s just it. Mariah’s family said they would take you guys in. There’s enough rooms, I would’ve asked Nicole but she’s got all of her siblings and Katrina’s got her brother, Mariah’s an only child and her parents said that they’d love to have you and your brother. This isn’t forever, honey. Just until I can sort out this mess with your father.”
Monique turned her back on her mother. She didn’t understand. Why did she have to leave? Her mother had a good job. Was her father suing her mother? And what about Miles? He was only nine and he was being dragged into this big mess.
“A-a-and what about you?” Monique finally said.
“I’m going to Galway where your grandmother is. That’s where the court thing with your father is too.”
Monique let her tears fall. Galway? That was all the way on the other side of Ireland. All sorts of thoughts entered her head, would my mother die? Would I ever see her again? What if my father did something to her? She pushed all these thoughts aside for the time being.
“And how are you getting there?” Monique asked turning back to her mother.
“Your Uncle is coming to get me. He should be here in the morning. I’ll be fine. You’ll be fine! You’re smart, you’ll keep your head through this I know you will! You’re strong enough.”
Monique wasn’t so sure. When her father hurt her she couldn’t take it, so she fled to Katrina’s. If that was strong then she wondered what weak was.
“Does Miles know?” Monique wondered.
“Yes he does. I’ve already got yours and Miles’ things,” She said gesturing to the suitcases near the front door. Monique looked at her feet, ashamed of crying after her mother had just said she was strong.
“Hey,” her mother said pulling Monique into a big hug, “It’ll all work out. I won’t be gone long. I promise. Before you know it I’ll be right here, and we’ll all be happy.”
Monique just let her tears fall. She didn’t want her mother to leave. She didn’t want her parents to divorce. She wanted to fix all of this. But she couldn’t, she just let her mother hold her, until she couldn’t take it anymore.
Monique let go of her mother.
“I’m- I’m gonna go for a walk ok?” she said looking up at her mother.
“Ok, sweet pea.” She whispered kissing Monique on the forehead,
“Just be back within an hour.”
Monique nodded.
Monique ran. She knew exactly where she was going and who she was going to see.
Adam.
She hammered on his front door trying to hold back her tears.
Adam’s mother answered the door.
“Oh, hello Monique dear. Please do come in,” she led Monique into the house, “Are you alright?” she asked looking at Monique’s face.
Monique hurriedly wiped her eyes.
“Yes, I’m ok. Is Adam here?”
“He’s up in his room, here let me take you.” Adam’s mother said taking Monique by the elbow. She led Monique up the stairs to Adam’s room at the very end of the hallway.
“His room’s right here. I’ll leave you.”
“Thank you very much.” Monique said.
Gently Monique knocked on Adam’s door.
“Adam? It’s Monique.”
The door opened and there was Adam. Monique couldn’t hold in her sadness and frustration any longer.
She threw her arms around Adam’s neck and cried into his shoulder.
He sat down next to his bed with her on his lap, sobbing. He didn’t ask immediately what was wrong he just let her cry. He held her close and didn’t let go of her.
Monique managed to stop crying long enough to tell Adam what she herself had just heard.
“My mother has no idea how long she’ll be gone. So just wants Miles and me to stay at Mariah’s. Adam, I’m worried.”
Adam started to wipe Monique’s tears away,
“About what?”
“Well, what if my dad tries to do something to her? Or me?”
Adam pulled Monique closer “That’s what I’m here for. I won’t let him or anybody lay a finger on you.”
Monique smiled. She looked up at him.
“You promise?” she asked wondering if this was the right thing to ask.
“I promise.”
“What?” she repeated in a whisper. Her mother wiped her eyes and sighed,
“Monique sweetheart, I can’t afford to take care of you and your brother anymore. What with your father going to jail and me divorcing him.”
Monique’s eyes filled with tears,
“So you’re just getting rid of me and Miles? Just giving us the boot?”
“No, sweetheart that’s not it at all.”
“Then what is it, Mum? Are we too much? I could get a job, I’m sure Mariah, Nicole or Katrina wouldn’t mind….”
Monique’s mother held up her hand, telling Monique to stop.
“That’s just it. Mariah’s family said they would take you guys in. There’s enough rooms, I would’ve asked Nicole but she’s got all of her siblings and Katrina’s got her brother, Mariah’s an only child and her parents said that they’d love to have you and your brother. This isn’t forever, honey. Just until I can sort out this mess with your father.”
Monique turned her back on her mother. She didn’t understand. Why did she have to leave? Her mother had a good job. Was her father suing her mother? And what about Miles? He was only nine and he was being dragged into this big mess.
“A-a-and what about you?” Monique finally said.
“I’m going to Galway where your grandmother is. That’s where the court thing with your father is too.”
Monique let her tears fall. Galway? That was all the way on the other side of Ireland. All sorts of thoughts entered her head, would my mother die? Would I ever see her again? What if my father did something to her? She pushed all these thoughts aside for the time being.
“And how are you getting there?” Monique asked turning back to her mother.
“Your Uncle is coming to get me. He should be here in the morning. I’ll be fine. You’ll be fine! You’re smart, you’ll keep your head through this I know you will! You’re strong enough.”
Monique wasn’t so sure. When her father hurt her she couldn’t take it, so she fled to Katrina’s. If that was strong then she wondered what weak was.
“Does Miles know?” Monique wondered.
“Yes he does. I’ve already got yours and Miles’ things,” She said gesturing to the suitcases near the front door. Monique looked at her feet, ashamed of crying after her mother had just said she was strong.
“Hey,” her mother said pulling Monique into a big hug, “It’ll all work out. I won’t be gone long. I promise. Before you know it I’ll be right here, and we’ll all be happy.”
Monique just let her tears fall. She didn’t want her mother to leave. She didn’t want her parents to divorce. She wanted to fix all of this. But she couldn’t, she just let her mother hold her, until she couldn’t take it anymore.
Monique let go of her mother.
“I’m- I’m gonna go for a walk ok?” she said looking up at her mother.
“Ok, sweet pea.” She whispered kissing Monique on the forehead,
“Just be back within an hour.”
Monique nodded.
Monique ran. She knew exactly where she was going and who she was going to see.
Adam.
She hammered on his front door trying to hold back her tears.
Adam’s mother answered the door.
“Oh, hello Monique dear. Please do come in,” she led Monique into the house, “Are you alright?” she asked looking at Monique’s face.
Monique hurriedly wiped her eyes.
“Yes, I’m ok. Is Adam here?”
“He’s up in his room, here let me take you.” Adam’s mother said taking Monique by the elbow. She led Monique up the stairs to Adam’s room at the very end of the hallway.
“His room’s right here. I’ll leave you.”
“Thank you very much.” Monique said.
Gently Monique knocked on Adam’s door.
“Adam? It’s Monique.”
The door opened and there was Adam. Monique couldn’t hold in her sadness and frustration any longer.
She threw her arms around Adam’s neck and cried into his shoulder.
He sat down next to his bed with her on his lap, sobbing. He didn’t ask immediately what was wrong he just let her cry. He held her close and didn’t let go of her.
Monique managed to stop crying long enough to tell Adam what she herself had just heard.
“My mother has no idea how long she’ll be gone. So just wants Miles and me to stay at Mariah’s. Adam, I’m worried.”
Adam started to wipe Monique’s tears away,
“About what?”
“Well, what if my dad tries to do something to her? Or me?”
Adam pulled Monique closer “That’s what I’m here for. I won’t let him or anybody lay a finger on you.”
Monique smiled. She looked up at him.
“You promise?” she asked wondering if this was the right thing to ask.
“I promise.”
Can't wait for the next part! 
