Linkie and I walked home from school together. She was jumping up and down with excitement, but my heart felt as heavy as my school bag. My father was a mining engineer. He often spent long stretches away from home. I think that was the cause of many of the problems between my parents.

“I think I’ll wear my new blue jeans to the game on Friday,” Linkie said. She was so happy. She threw her school bag into the air and squealed like a baby. “And you really must come, please please please Esther!” begged Linkie.

“Yes, your blue jeans should be fine,” I said, but did not make any promises about going to the match. Then I hurried inside my house. I didn’t want to hear any more talk about guys, dates or jeans. Dad had been away for two weeks. He was due home tonight.

Lizzie came running into the hallway when she heard me close the door. She threw herself into my arms. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Hi sweetie. Did you have a good day at school?” I carried her into the kitchen, even though she was really way too big to be carried.

“School was okay. I’ve got reading homework to do.”

“I’ll help you with your reading,” I said.

It was Wednesday afternoon which meant Ma wasn’t working at the hospital where she was a nurse.

“Ma’s asleep on her bed. She’s got a pain in her head. She said I could watch television until you came home.”

I started to feel cross with Ma all over again. She was always complaining that Lizzie watched far too much television. But now she chose to leave her alone, with only the TV for company.

“Have you had your lunch?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Lizzie answered vaguely, sitting with her eyes glued to the TV again.

It was then that I noticed all the sweet papers at her side.

She must have eaten all those sweets for ‘lunch’! Now I was really angry with Ma. She kept telling us how important it was to eat well. She always said that we needed plenty of fresh food with vitamins to make us grow properly.

I began to make myself a sandwich. Wednesday afternoons were usually always special. Ma cooked us a special lunch. It was the only day, besides Sunday, that we were allowed dessert. And it was always chocolate cake.

Today there was no lunch, no chocolate cake and no Ma to greet me. Tears sprang into my eyes. Why was everything so horrible now? Why did everything have to change?

All had seemed fine during our Christmas holiday. My parents were always holding hands and kissing. Now, every time Dad returned home Ma would shout at him. One time I even heard her asking him if there was someone else.

“Of course not,” he answered.

I didn’t want to think about Dad with another woman. Sometimes I thought I wouldn’t blame Dad for seeing someone else. Ma was being so mean to him. But when I thought that, I got frightened.

Dad would never leave us. He said work was very stressful these past weeks. Surely Dad wouldn’t lie? He wasn’t going to walk out on his family. No way!

***

Tell us what you think: What is the problem between Esther’s parents?