Chapter 10 - Quality time

April stops into a small general store, picking up a few odds and ends, salt-water taffy, and a gallon of strawberry ice cream before heading home with Robert.  By the time they are walking  towards  April’s front door, afternoon is giving way to early evening, the sun just starting to dip towards the horizon.  

Having experienced Boothbay for the day, Robert had to admire the culture, and how it was  bustling down by the bay, but peaceful where people actually resided. The architecture stands in Robert’s mind as a testament to days long gone.

“We’re home!” April huffs, carrying a few bags over her shoulder.  She places them down by the door, and digs for her keys, unlocking the door and swinging it open.  The cool air hits Robert, and it isn’t long before he is parked in the living room, by the staircase.

“Samathaaa! we’re home!”  April calls out as she trudges into the house, and towards the kitchen with the groceries.

Robert turns his head towards the open door, looking at the outside world longingly, but then looks down at his bound ankles, realizing he had completely forgotten about the tape that holds his feet together.  He sighs and adjusts himself in the carriage, yearning to be released from the torturous device.

“Oh god.” April huffs as she walks back into the living room, closing the door, and slipping a pair of pink flip flops from her gigantic feet.  “My feet are killing me! My little toys are so on foot duty tonight!”  April chimes happily, reaching into the stroller and pinching Robert’s cheek harshly.  Robert turns away grunting a bit before the hand is removed.  He rubs his cheek and looks out on April with a grimace on his face.

April bends down and lifts Robert from the stroller.  “Hi, how are you?” She asks playfully, rubbing her index finger beneath Robert’s chin. A moment of silence ensues before April frowns.

“I asked HOW you were...” April growls through clenched teeth.

“OK! I’m OK!” Robert stammers fearfully, leaning back in April’s arm.

“Good, are you excited to rub my feet?” April giggles.  “If you’re anything like Sammy, you’ll be heading for the hills, too bad for her she never gets very far.” April grins deviously.   

April places Robert down on a loveseat in the living room, grabs a remote control, and flicks the huge Television on.  She then walks up the steps, humming to herself, leaving Robert to watch some random episode of the simpsons.  

Robert leans his head back and sighs, grateful for a moment of not being smothered by the domineering woman. A few minutes later he hears Samantha’s tiny voice, coming closer and closer. The tiny voice frantically attempts to reason with April as the large woman waltzes down the stairs into the living room, holding her out on an open palm, her green dress flowing gently from the sides of her huge hand.  

“April, Can..can..can we not play tonight? I’m feeling a little tired...” Samantha stammers, fear creeping into her tiny voice.

April smiles deviously as she walks towards the loveseat.  “Well here, rest up with Robbie while I cook us some dinner. Grilled cheese, your favorite.” April says calmly as she stands over Robert.

“Hold out your hand.” She commands, and Robert complies, accepting the tiny girl, and quickly pulling her into his lap.  April smiles and walks away towards the kitchen.

“Oh god, oh no! oh no! oh lord!” Samantha whimpers, running her hands through her hair frantically and kneeling on Robert’s thigh, her whole body shaking uncontrollably.  Robert moves his finger towards her, to comfort her, but before it even comes close to her, she shrieks, falling backwards.

“Easy easy easy!” Robert whispers.  The tiny girl starts to sniffle as tears streak down her cheeks.

“What’s happening?” Robert asks, fear creeping into his own voice.

“Every night... she is relentless.” Samantha sobs.

“You have to do something! You have to! you have to...hide me!” Samantha begs Robert, clasping her hands together and shaking them up upwards at him, pleadingly.

“I can’t...” Robert says nervously, motioning his head down towards his bound ankles, which rest just on the edge of the couch cushion.  Samantha looks down the length of Robert’s legs and then back up at him, her mouth moving wordlessly, her tearful face contorted in mental anguish.

April hums within the kitchen, happily, moving this or that around as she prepares dinner.

“She said...We were on foot duty tonight.” Robert stammers.

“Robert...” Samantha says sternly, suddenly shooting to her feet, and wobbling a bit on the uneven surface of his thigh.  “I need you to break my leg.” She says, her tone full of conviction.

“What?!” Robert snaps.

“Do it!” She screams.

“No!” Robert says, firmly.

“Please?!” She pleads, falling to her knees once more and running her hands through her hair.

“What is she going to do to you?” Robert asks, his heart beginning to race.

“She’s going to...” Samantha shakes her head back and forth, her jaw hanging open.

“What, tell me...” Robert insists.

“She’s going to torture me.” Samantha breaks down, curling into a small ball on Robert’s thigh, and bawling her tiny eyes out.  

A few moments later April is sauntering into the room with a plate, holding two toasted grilled cheese sandwiches.  She smiles and places them down on the end table, sitting next to Robert on the loveseat.

“Aww Sammy, shhh.” April coos, wrapping her left hand around the girl.  

“I love you...I love you...” April whispers at the writhing girl between her finger.

“I...love..you...” Samantha manages to stammer, between her sobbing.

“We love Robbie too, don’t we wittle Samantha?” April says in a baby talk voice, scrunching her giant face in front of the girl.

“Y...es..” The tiny girl sobs, looking over at Robert.

“Do you love us Robbie?” April asks, curling her free hand around Robert’s shoulder and pulling him tightly into her flank.

“Yes...” He stammers, a slight yet familiar headache entrenching itself within his skull.

“Ohhh...” Robert moans as it intensifies the slightest bit.

“What’s wrong?” April asks, in a serious tone.

“My head hurts.” He admits.

April smiles widely, rubbing her hand atop Robert’s head.

“At this rate, you’ll both be going to the special place together.” April says happily.

Robert and Samantha exchange glances, and Samantha actually stops crying, smiling at Robert.  “That...that would be something, wouldn’t it Robbie?” The tiny girl’s grief stricken voice flutters towards Robert’s ears.

April picks one of the sandwiches off of the plate, and brings it towards Robert’s face.  “Eat... you’ll need your strength.  

“I’m not hungry.” Robert says in a depressed tone.

“Eat it!” April demands, her voice rising just the slightest bit.

“OK.” Robert responds obediently, taking a small bite of the sandwich.  He instantly realizes why April’s grilled cheese was a hit with Samantha, it was incredible.  

April rips a tiny piece of crust off of the sandwich and brings it to Samantha.

“Num num!” April coos.  “No April that’s too-mmmph!” The tiny girl’s protests are cut short as the bread is ruthlessly shoved into her face, smothering it. When the bread is pulled away, Samantha’s face is covered in cheese and crumbs, which cascade down and around the top of April’s hand as the girl chews, swallowing what she had managed to take into her mouth before moaning miserably.

“Now you!” April sings happily, bringing the sandwich back to Robert, who takes another small bite and chews, his stomach bubbling and growing tighter.  

“April...” Robert starts to hyperventilate.  

“Yes sweetie?” April asks in a mirthful tone as she smothers Samantha’s face with the piece of crust once again, causing the girl to writhe and thrash within her grip.  

“I’m..I’m...” Robert stutters

“Yes Robert, you are having an episode.” April coos gently, placing the sandwich back onto the plate and running her free hand through Robert’s hair.

“Are you scared?” April asks as she bends down, dropping Samantha to the floor, between her gigantic feet.  She wiggles her toes as the girl climbs wearily onto her hands and knees. 

“Yes...” Robert admits.

“Good.” April grins as she leans over Robert, positioning a pillow against the arm of the couch and pushing him down onto his back. His feet rest on her thigh, her hand wrapping around them, engulfing them, completely.  On the floor Samantha is shrieking and running away.

“No Samantha, that’s a BAD girl!” April mocks as she extends her left foot, catching Samantha’s leg between her big and second toe, which causes the girl to fall flat on her face.  She shrieks and claws at the carpet as she is nonchalantly dragged back towards the couch.  

“You know you can’t get away, you silly little thing you!” April coos, releasing her toes from Samantha’s leg and lifting the ball of her foot over the tiny girl. Samantha rolls onto her back, holding her tiny hands in the sky above her.  April reaches for a sandwich, brings it to her lips, and bites a large chunk away, chewing.

“April please, no don’t! April I love you, don’t do this to meeeee!” Samantha shrieks, her voice cracking as she arches her back.

“No one gets away.” April says in a cold tone as she slowly starts to lower her foot down towards Samantha’s shrieking form.