Janita Lawrence - Why You Were Taken

He has a new life too, despite not changing his name. She pictures what she guesses they are doing now, sitting on the couch in front of the homescreen, Baby Marmalade asleep in his arms, Betty/Barbara the Beagle snoring in her usual spot, her snout on Seth’s lap. The wooden floor littered with nappies and wipes and teething rings and toys.

A different kind of family, James had said.

An unusual family, but a family nonetheless: waiting for her to return home, and anticipating its new addition.

She thinks of her Black Hole, which is still there but has been sewn up to the size of her skin-warm silver locket. It’s the smallest she can ever remember it being, but it yawns when she thinks of James.

She watches her mother pack up, shake the blanket, fold it, put it away, and start walking back in the direction from which she came. Kate reaches for the door handle, then stops herself.

No, she tells herself. No. But when that feels too harsh, she allows herself a concession, thinks: At least: not today.

After a few steps, her mother turns on her heel, looks directly at the car in the distance. Kate can’t see the expression on her face. A moment goes by; she turns back and continues her walk home.

Kate takes a few breaths with her head back and her eyes closed, then snicks her safety belt in and starts the car, swinging it into reverse. Her back is aching again, her ankles puffy. She adjusts her position, rubs her swollen belly.

‘Time to get you back home, little one.’

Born seven months apart, her babies would be almost like twins. A different kind of twin.

She pops the car into Drive, and puts her foot down.

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Thank you!

Janita

• The Memory of Water

• Bridge Gate (A Short Story)

• Sticky Fingers (coming soon)

• The Underachieving Ovary (coming soon)

• Grey Magic (coming soon)

My thanks: –

To Mr L, for your generous mentoring, and most of all, for giving me the courage to embrace the writing life.

To my writing group, The Rotten Writers, particularly Dave and Shirley, for improving my work.

To my better half, Michael, for allowing me time to write, even when it is not easy, and to my two adorable monsters, James and Robin, who were not yet conceived when this book was.

To Bernadette, Nolakhe, and Thabisa, who took care of said monsters while I scrambled to get the words down.

To my mom, Sue Thiele, unwavering in her love of books (and me).

To my dad, Keith Thiele, and his better half, Gill, for proof-reading the manuscript and weeding out the errors.

To my business, Pulp Books, for bankrolling my writing time.

To Julia-Ann Malone at SAFM for believing in my stories.

Copyright © 2015 JT LAWRENCE

All rights reserved.

WHY YOU WERE TAKEN

Published in 2015 by Pulp Books

Company Reg No 2007/161215/23

Parkhurst, Johannesburg

South Africa 2193

info@pulpbooks.co.za

https://pulpbooks.wordpress.com/

JT Lawrence has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic without written permission from the author.

ISBN-13: 978-0-620-65557-6 (Print) ISBN-13: 978-0-620-65558-3 (ePub)

Cover design by author @pulpbooks / Polygon art by @monkee-boy

Set in Bell MT