I don't care what's happened, I'm going Home!
Johnny Tradeway, six, walks around the back of the sofa. His parents sit talking. They are deep in conversation with the Stewarts who they haven't seen in two years.
They won't notice I'm gone anyway.
Johnny rounds the sofa, purposely walks thru the foyer, grasps the doorknob leading to the outside and is free. This time I get to do what I want!
After walking two houses down on the left, he raises his fist and begins to bang away at an oak door.
In less than a minute the door opens wide. A woman in her early thirties stands with an apron on. Particles of flour dust her hands and hair.
“Can I help you?”
“This is my house!”
“Oh. Would you like to come in?”
“Thank you lady.” Johnny enters, making himself at home, sitting on the couch.
After the door closes the lady of the house plants herself in front of the little boy who sits erect, hands folded in his lap.
“Could I get you anything?” The smell of fresh bread fills both their lungs. “Would you like a piece of bread? I just made some.”
“Could I have two please?”
“Yes, of course, you must be very hungry.”
“They're not both for me, one is for my friend.”
Mrs. Anderson spins on the balls of her feet and exits through the dining room to the kitchen. Johnny begins to take in the scene. It is strange not seeing their old things here. The rocking chair in the corner is gone and the piano to the right of the hallway is replaced by a painting of a ship in a storm. But, there is the mantel where he found an Easter egg two years ago. Or a curtain, where he trapped the family cat Matilda, before she broke free and ran off. I wonder if Erin is still in the family room, I never got to say good-bye!
“Here you are young man. Can I get anything else for you?”
“No. Thank you. I need to see Erin.” Johnny marches into the family room and disappears behind a curtain. He folds to the floor by a front window.
Strange little boy! I wonder who he thinks he is. Where are his parents?
Johnny holds out a piece of bread, while he munches on the other one.
“Erin. Sorry I didn't get to say good-bye to you before we left. You must have felt real bad. Did you wonder what was going on? I know I didn't want to leave, but I'm glad I'm back and you're still here. You hungry? No? Okay I'll eat your piece.” Johnny crams the other piece of bread into his mouth. He looks into an empty fold in the curtain before him.
The doorbell rings twice. The front door swishes open and the sound of outside birds fills the house.
“Have you seen our Johnny? We are the Tradeways. We used to live here. Our boy has wandered off and we were wondering if he came here.”
“There is a boy behind a curtain over there.” She points. “He just said this is his house. Didn't say who he was. He went to see Erin?”
“Oh, that's his imaginary friend. Johnny, you come out here this instant!” Mrs. Tradeway bellowed at the curtain.
The curtain folds into a dense mass. A trembling boy steps out into the light.
His mother's curled finger points claw like at him. “Don't you ever put us through anything like this again. Who do you think you are? Wandering off like that and not telling anyone where you are going? Wait till I get you home.”
“I am home.” Johnny says shaking.
“Don't you talk back to me! You come with me now!” Ms. Tradeway's hand stretches out for him. Blood red fingernails shine.
“Sorry Erin, I'll be back when I get bigger. I'll buy this house and we'll live together always.”
