Knysna is so beautiful and as I manoeuvre my way out of my sleeping bag I hear noises coming from outside the tent. I tiptoe outside. The sun is hurting my eyes and as I force my eyes into focus, I see a tiny animal sniffing around the fire. I move closer to it as slowly as I can and as I am about to reach out for it, it bares its teeth at me with a growl and runs away. My heart stops in my chest and my breath catches in my throat so that I can’t even scream. I run towards mom who has just walked outside and I feel her long, slender arms wrap around me.

I sink into the safety of her embrace. I can smell the soft lilac of her perfume. The smell is so familiar and so much a part of her that I am immediately comforted. As my head is burrowed into the crook of her neck a loud, booming voice echoes from behind us. That laughter is almost as comforting as the smell of lilacs and I escape from mom’s embrace and make my way to dad. I am completely enveloped in a bear hug as I feel his chest shake and vibrate against me as he laughs his unmistakable laugh. I feel so safe.

During supper, we are all teasing dad about how he always brings us camping and how he never splurges on a chalet or indoor accommodation. “You’re all brats, you know?” he exclaims. The angry tone is back in his voice and I see something unsettling twinkle in his eyes but before I know it, the booming laughter has taken over again. It is echoing in my head and my heart aches.

***

The sound of booming laughter that echoes in her mind melts into the sound of footsteps climbing the stairs. “Creak, Creak…” The sound that the girl has learnt to associate with a silent and unmistakable dread. The bolt in the door clicks open and Liza realises that she is holding her breath.

The Girl feels the familiar pressure on her body that often wakes her in the night. She closes her eyes as tight as she can as she feels a tear fall down on her cheek into the fold of her neck. She cannot face those deep, dark eyes that she has come to know too well. They are eyes of anger, of hate, of forgotten pain and so she squeezes her eyes closed even tighter as she focuses on how her heart is racing. She tries to steady her breathing by bringing up memories of Elizabeth’s world.

*****

“Ma! Please can I borrow your nail polish?” I call down the hall. It’s my first date with Brandon tonight and my stomach is acting like it is filled with an angry colony of butterflies. I try and steady my breathing as I stare at myself in the big mirror that hangs in front of my door. “Ma!” I call again. Still no answer.

I start walking downstairs and when I am three steps from the bottom I suddenly stop in my tracks.

I can hear crying and sniffling coming from the kitchen and if I’m not mistaken, it’s definitely my brother. I decide to casually stroll into the kitchen and pretend not to notice David’s red rimmed eyes.

“Liza! Baby, come here and sit with us,” mom says very gently.

“Ma, you know that I have a date with Brandon tonight. I don’t have time to sit with you guys now but can I please borrow your nail polish. Mine chipped.” Mom looks as if she is steadying herself on the table as she lets out a long breath of air.

“It’s in the second drawer in my room,” she sighs as I catch her sneak a look at David. I quickly disappear upstairs and try not to think about what I just saw.

***

Tell us what you think: What do you think the fight was about? Why was David crying?