Chapter 4: Back Home Again

Uncle opens the door again. My heart starts beating faster. I brace myself for whatever uncle might do.

“Wash your hands, let’s eat! I am hungry”, he says as he turns and walks away immediately.

I am surprised. Maybe Dad is around. But that didn’t stop him before!

I change my clothes and then wash my hands and sit at the dining table.

Uncle comes with the food and starts plating them. I see two sets of plates.

“Where is Dad?”, I say suddenly, frightened at the possibility that Dad is not here.

He looks at me and his eyes scan me from top to bottom and then licks his lips. Then he quickly shakes his head like he is trying to stop a thought.

“He will join a little late ... we can start eating”, uncle says with a villainous smile.

I am too scared to ask anything more. Why are we not waiting for him? Why is uncle smiling? And why is uncle not using this time alone with me? He is sitting two chairs away! He has never done that.

“Come on, eat up!”, he says.

I start eating. I want to finish as fast as possible and then just lock myself in the bathroom for as long as it takes for Dad to come back.

He doesn’t say or do anything but just starts eating.

After I am done, I keep the plates in the sink, wash my hands and start walking towards my room.

“Wait! Your dad wrote a letter to you...”, he says.

He takes out an envelope. I recognise my father’s handwriting on the top.

Suddenly my mouth dries out, hair rises behind my hair and a sense of doom fills my body. Dad has never written a letter to me! Why would he write a letter? Why was he upset in the morning? Why is uncle so happy?

“Or you know what ... just wait in your room ... I will come and we will read it together...”, he says.

I try to grab the letter. He moves his hand away from my reach.

“Please...”, I beg.

“Just wait a few minutes ... let me finish eating”, he says with his disgusting smile.

My hands are shaking. What is in the letter? Why am I so scared?

I wash my hands and sit on the dining table chair. Uncle doesn’t do or say anything. He just keeps eating.

He takes eternity to finish eating. After keeping his plates in the sink and washing his hands he comes back and looks at me with a villainous smile.

“Let’s go to your room...”, he says and starts walking towards my room. I follow him.

He sits on my bed.

“Come on ... sit on my lap ... we can read the letter together”, he says.

I am dying to read the letter. I don’t know why but I have never been more anxious than I am now.

I move into my uncle’s lap. I can feel his hardness on my back. I try to ignore it. He wraps his hands around me, breaks the seal of the envelope, pulls out the letter and spreads it open.

It’s Dad’s handwriting and is written to me.