No, Not Mommy

A Taste for Life Prompt #4: Deadly surprise

Swoosh. Swoosh. Angel’s footsteps rustled the leaves scattered across the lawn. It was late. She knew her mom would be angry. I hope Ma is sleeping. Angel continued walking along the stone path to the front door of her home. She pulled her purse from the left side in front of her and unzipped it. “Keys. Keys. Ugh! I know they are in here. I hope I didn’t leave them in my room again. Ugh. Now I’m going to have to knock on the door and wake my mom up.”

Clink, clank. Her keys tap together in her purse. “Found ‘em’. Yes! Phew! That would have been the worst.” She sorted through the keys on the ring and found the one for the front door lock. She raised the key to the lock and put it in the keyhole. She turned the key at a snail’s pace hoping her mom would not hear anything. “Almost there.” Click. The lock turned. “Got it.” She grabbed the doorknob and slowly turned it to the right and pushed the door open.

As she stepped in the doorway, she kicked her right shoe off with her foot into the corner by the front door. Then the left. She tiptoed inside and gently closed the door behind her. “Almost done. Now, I just need to get up the stairs without making a peep.” She takes a few steps to the stairs and a light upstairs flicks on. “Shoot!” She tiptoes toward the back of the house into the kitchen.

“Angel, is that you?” her father calls from upstairs.

Angel takes off her jean jacket and tosses it in the oven. “I’ll get it in the morning.”

“Angel?” her father calls again.

“Yes, Daddy. It’s me.”

“Are you just coming home?” He walks down the stairs stretching and rubbing his eyes.

“Huh!” Angel acts like she did not hear his question.

“I know you are not just walking in the house young lady,” he says sternly walking into the kitchen.

“Why would I do that Daddy? I don’t want to get in any more trouble,” she smiles. The right side of her mouth turns up and she blinks several times.

“Did you put the car in the garage as I asked?”

“Oh no, sorry! Can I do it in the morning?” Angel asked.

“Did you go out in the morning?”

“No Daddy,” Angel shrugs her shoulders.

“Well get back outside and put the car in the garage.”

Angel walks to the right toward the laundry room to turn on the garage light. Click. The garage door beings to raise. Angel opens the inside door leading to the garage to walk out and put the car inside. She steps down two steps onto the garage floor.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Angel screams.

“What? What is it?” her father zooms down the stairs. “Where are you, Angel? What’s wrong?”

“MOMMYYYYYYYYYY!” Angel cries. “What happened?”