A House Divided

It was one of those days that I just knew would be horrible. Not that anyone had suggested to me something bad would happen; it was just something about the cloudy, dreery weather that sent chills running up and down my spine telling me nothing good was going to come from this day. I was only eight when it all happened, but I can still remember every little detail as if it had just happened yesterday. While I was growing up, I knew the way we lived was a lot differet than most people. When I got to stay over at a friend's house, I finally got the chance to relax and be happy. In my house people were constantly fighting and shouting at each other.
That Saturday started off like any normal morning. I woke up, wearing my favorite pink bathrobe that my grandpa bought me for my birthday just a few days earilier. I sprinted to the pantry and snatched the Reese's Puffs like they would not have been there if I had waited another second to get them. I was starving, it felt like my whole house was enveloped with the smell of peanut butter and chocolate. At least that was all I could pay attention to. After pouring my cereal into a bowl, I followed my usual morning ritual of sitting on the big, brown couch in the living room and watching all the shows on TLC having anything to do with babies. A couple of hours later my sister woke up, looking like she had just come from a wind tunnel. Her hair was all over the place and sadly, her makeup was not in any better condition. As usual, we fought.
“Veronica, you always wake up way too early and watch TV at the same volume as an old, nearly deaf grandpa would! And you always wake me up!” my sister yelled.
“That's not even possible, Naomi! You sleep downstiars. There's no way ...

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... lap like I was still the size of a newborn baby, rocking me back and forth, while I was wrapped up in my favorite blanket. As soon soon as she told me she was leaving the tears came flooding out. I did not want her to leave me, I was afraid she would never come back.
“Mom please don't leave me, I need you with me. What will happen the next time I'm sick? You won't even be here to make me feel better!”
My mom did not say anything and she just gave me a kiss on the forehead, stood up and set me gently on the floor. We went downstairs together and she sat both my sister and told us, “I love you both very much and I will call you both everyday and come visit as much as I can.” Neither my sister nor I said anything because we couldn't stop crying long enough to talk. My mom went up stairs and packed a bag. She said goodbye one more time and walked out the door.