Spilled Milk: Based on a true story Read Online Free PDF Page A

damn wild animal.” Dad pushed his newspaper away and stood up to adjust his
bathrobe. “Sure, just stop on in anytime,” he mumbled. “Molly, get in here!”
    Mom appeared from the bathroom as she threw her head
back and popped two white pills into her mouth. I had trouble swallowing
medicine when I was sick but Mom could swallow multiple pills and without water.
    “What, Dave, whatdya want?” Her words sloshed around.
“I’m right down the hall, not across the street.” The comment made me cringe as
I waited for Dad to take offense to it but two heavy knocks on the front door
diffused the moment.
    “I’ll get it,” I said, sprinting towards the door.
    “Brooke! Honey here, take these bags.” Aunt Jean
handed me two grocery bags of food. “Go go, you know where they belong. Molly!
How are you, so good to see you.”
    The yellow plastic brushed along the ground as I
fought with the weight to get it into the kitchen in one piece. Adam and I
spent the next fifteen minutes dragging yellow bags inside as Mom put on tea
and Dad changed out of his robe. I loved visitors.
    “Dave, how’s work, keeping you busy?” Uncle Bruce
outstretched a firm hand.
    “Doesn’t need to. I got four kids at home to do that
for me.”
    Uncle Bruce smirked at the comment. “Yea, Jean is
about ready to pop any day now.” He rubbed his middle section. “Can’t wait to
meet the little guy.”
    “Mmm.” Dad chugged the last of his coffee.
    “I can’t believe how tall Adam is getting,” Uncle
Bruce continued. “Where’s Thomas? I must have missed him when we walked in.”
    Dad didn’t even try and guess. “Brooke, go find Thomas.”
    A statement more than a demand. Thomas had spent most
of his day out front yesterday poking ants with a safety pin, so I had a pretty
good idea of where he was. I left the chatter of the kitchen and pushed open
the front door.
    Alyssa was walking up to the house as I let my eyes
adjust to the sun. We had a bet going on how many people were living in the
blue house three houses from mine. Last time we counted there had been over
twelve people. This time I was betting on at least fifteen and Alyssa thought
maybe there would be eighteen.
    “Spanish families live like that, all of them
together,” Alyssa taught me, “This way they have more money and more people to
do the chores.”
    “Ohhh,” I nodded. “Maybe that’s what my parents are
trying to do, keep having kids, make a Spanish family.”
    “Maybe,” Alyssa said. “Aren’t you Irish?”
    Slurpee’s from 7-11 were riding on our bet, and I was
expecting an update. My quest to find Thomas was forgotten and we paid little
mind to the police car that pulled up in front of the house. Then I noticed
that Thomas was sitting teary eyed in the back.
    The police man was tall and brushed the sweat off his
forehead as he went around to the passenger side to fetch him. He opened the
door and said something in a lowered voice. My throat tightened.
    “Is that..?” Alyssa asked, staring through the summer
sun. She strained her neck to get a better view of the kid sitting in the back
seat. A piece of hair fell from her ponytail and she tucked it behind her ear,
her eyes never leaving the street.
    “I think…Ohhhh no, that’s THOMAS!” Alyssa gushed, wide
eyes shooting towards me.
    “Something’s wrong,” I said, heading toward the house
to get mom.
    “Yea something’s wrong. Thomas is in the back of a cop
car. Where’s his bike? Didn’t he ride his bike to 7-11? Hey, where you goin’?”
Alyssa’s voice trailed behind me.
    I had already reached the front door and was pulling
it open before I could answer. I knew that look on Thomas’ face. He wasn’t in
trouble, I knew. Something had happened to him. I knew when Adam was about to
cry, and when Kat was scared. The amount of time I spent with them, watching
over them, it was like I could read their minds now.
    I spared Mom the rush of panic that was bound to set
in and gushed out