Jar Of Hearts

"Rain, rain, go a-way. Come again a never day," my younger sister, Brooke sang as she drew a frowning face in her coloring book. It had been raining for weeks. It wasn't coming down in buckets, so there were no disastrous floods, but it was enough to keep the warm-weather loving children inside.

It was June 16th; the day after we got out of school. It was also the day I promised Brooke I would take her to the new pool in the town over. Our old community pool didn't have anyone keeping it up, so instead of just fixing the original one, the Mayor thought it would be a good idea to spend a quarter of a million dollars (which we don't have) on making a new pool. "Holly?" I broke out of my trance and looked at Brooke. "Yea, sweetie?" "Why can't we go to the pool?" "Because the pool is closed." "Why?" "Because it's raining." "Why?" I sighed and said, "Because the atmospheric pressu-" "No! I mean, why can't we swim when it's raining?" "Because it's not safe." "Why?" Instead of enlightening her on the possibilities of being electrocuted when it's lightening, I just said, "Just because." Luckily, she took that as a valid excuse, for she looked back down to her coloring book and added a tear - or maybe a rain drop? - to her frown.

Dad rushed down the stairs, attempting to tie his tie. He has a job interview today, which he has had planned for weeks. But of course, I wake up an hour before his interview to find him asleep on the couch, or should I say his bed. Because of dad's lack of a job, we took the best apartment we could afford, which was a one bedroom, one bath, piece of trash in the middle of the city. He promised that if he got this job, we would move to the house of my dreams; a light yellow farmhouse with white shutters. The people who lived there before always put light pink carnations on the window sill in the spring, and in the winter there would be a layer of snow covering the landscape. Brooke didn't really care where we moved to. Though, if she could choose, she would pick to live in Hawaii, where 'it doesn't rain and the pools are open all the time.'

I walked up to dad and said, helping him with his tie, "Good luck dad. You're gonna be awesome." "Thanks, Hol. And don't forget Brooke has to be at Jenny's birthday party in half an hour!" "I know, dad." He kissed me on the forehead, then kissed Brooke. "Are you gonna be rich, daddy?" He smiled at little Brooke and said, "I'll try for you, baby. Bye." "Bye daddy!" She said hugging him. He walked out and I yelled after him, "Knock 'em dead!" then closed the door. "So Brooke, you ready for Jenny's party?" "YEAH!" I turned around to see she had gotten grape juice on her party dress. "Brooke! What did I saw about drinking grape juice in your pretty dress?!" Her lower lip jetted out. Oh no. "No, it's okay Brooke. I'm not mad. I have another pretty dress for you. Come on." I said, picking her up and bringing her to her room.

It's times like this when I wish mom was here. When I was a baby, she always knew what to do. If she was here right now, she'd get the stain out of her dress, and dad would have never even gotten fired from his former job. Mom died a year and a half ago. I was 14, and Brooke was 2. Back then, we were living in an actual home, and dad was working part time as a Geek at Best Buy. You know, the Geek Squad? He was the Chief Geek. Mom was a lawyer at a firm downtown. But she wasn't the typical all-work-no-play type of mom you automatically think of when you hear the word 'lawyer.' When she wasn't in her business suit or at a hearing, she was in her sweats and over-sized shirt, playing with Brooke or helping me with my Geometry or Civics homework.

On a rainy but warm December morning, I woke up to get ready for school. Usually, mom would already be up making pancakes or eggs or something. But she wasn't. I went up to her room, but dad was alone in bed. I went back downstairs to see if she left a note i the counter. Nothing. I heard dad coming downstairs. I turned and said, "Dad? Where's mom?" Panic went across his face. He ran around the house mumbling 'no' and 'this can't be happening' to himself. Meanwhile, I went upstairs to get Brooke so she wouldn't be scared. Since she started walking, we kept her door closed so she couldn't wander around at night. She hadn't grasped the concept of sleeping at night yet. I picked her up and walked downstairs to see dad on the phone. "Honey, it's me. Come home. We can talk about this!" He hung up when he saw me standing there. "Daddy? What's going on?" I whispered. When he didn't answer, I choked out, "Where's mom?" He broke down crying. With the next word he mumbled, I felt my heard break; "Gone." A week after she left, I found a necklace in my drawer. It was her locket. Inside was a note: "Holly, this is yours. I was going to give it to you for your 16th birthday. I love you. Give Brookey a kiss for me. All my love, Mommy." I cried as I put the heart shaped locket around my neck. Why would she do this to Brooke and I? was the only thought that went through my mind.

To this day, I don't know why she left. I don't think I will ever know. But if she were here right now, I know she would be able to find a suitable dress for Jenny's party as oppose to the now-purple one. I, though, can't. Her closet meant for clothes is mostly filled with toys. Her clothes, however, are strewn across the floor. Brooke walked up to me and said, holding up a dress, "Here's this one." It's gonna have to do... I thought. I helped her change and said, "Okay, Brookey, let's go." We ran outside through the rain, I helped her in the car, ran around to my side, then drove to Jenny's party, which was at the park.