Karma's Dirt

Anabelle's POV.

  I could feel the cold sweat drip down my body as I tossed and turned in my sleep, I was dreaming about that night again. That unfortunate night that left me scarred for the rest of my life.

  I lost everything that night; My parents, my siblings, my family, my friends, my home and a huge piece of me.

  A light tap on my shoulder wakes me up from my dreadful sleep. It was my daughter, Bianca, the only good thing that came out from that night.

  "Why are you crying mummy?", she asked in a meek voice which immediately melts my heart,

  "I'm not crying honey, I just had something in my eyes", I tell her, wiping my face with the hem of my cotton night gown,

  "I know you're crying mummy, please tell me why you're crying", she said as her eyes started to water as well. She was pretty smart for a four-year-old and that made my love for her increase beyond limits,

  I sit up on our shared bed and drag her small body closer to me, "You'll understand someday sweetie but not now, you're too young", I explain to her and gently kiss the top of her head.

  "Until then?", she looked up at me with her big brown eyes which was nowhere similar to my light blue eyes,

  "Until then", I promised and ruffled up her deep brown hair which was as well different from my dirty blonde hair. In fact, she hardly had any of my features. The only thing we had in common was a beauty spot that laid right below our lips, other than that, nothing.

  "I love you", she yawned out, getting comfortable on my chest,

  "I love you too honey.  You should get some sleep", I said, running my hand through her silky brown locks, she hummed and lets out a small sigh,

  "Mummy?", her tiny voice called and I hummed in response, "Can I ask you a question?",

  "Yes sweetie, go ahead", I urged her,

  "Do I have a daddy?", my hand which was rubbing her hair immediately froze as I thought about the question. She had been asking about him a lot lately and even though I had always expected her to be curious, it was just too soon; it was too early for her to know why her father wasn't here.

  "Yes, you do, he's just not here", I stuck to the safest answer, what else was I meant to say to an inquisitive toddler?

  "Then where is he?", she asked and I started getting annoyed with her questions, why can't she just accept me alone? Why does she want a father figure so bad?

  "Look Bianca, I don’t know", I said, trying not to snap at her, she's only a curious four-year-old. I can't exactly blame her. "Why are you asking these questions?",

  "Well, today at school, my teacher was talking about family and she mentioned that every family has a dad, mum and kids", she paused for a moment, "She told us to stand up and describe our family but when it got to my turn, I could only describe you. The teacher asked about my dad but I couldn't say anything about him so the other kids started making fun of me and calling me names", she started to tear up and I felt really sad for her,

  "Names like?", I questioned her raising an eyebrow up, I need to have a word with her teacher,

  "Bastard, Dumbo, Stupid, Wedlock born", she sobbed out and I felt my vision blur in anger. How could toddlers say that? What in the world are their parents teaching them? How can they just go around calling people names like that?

  "Its alright sweetie. Go to bed", I assured her and she fell asleep slowly on my chest. I really need to have a word with that teacher and maybe the headmistress of the school because I will not hesitate to pull her out if I have to.

***

  Bianca was my little ray of sunshine in the morning, she was always happy at this time of the day which surprised me a lot since I was always grumpy in the morning. When you have to deal with numerous nightmares at night, your morning won't be exactly as blissful as you want it to be.

  To top it off, I had to get Bianca ready for school, get dressed for work and make breakfast before seven o'clock. I worked at a small diner just a few blocks away from Bianca's school so I can drop and pick her up just in time. The pay was good and enough to fend for both Bianca and I but my boss was a total pain in the ass, he always tried to make passes at me even though I make it quite obvious that I will never be into him.

  I didn’t exactly have a car so I made sure all the places I visited was a trek able distance. My apartment building, to Bianca's school to the diner and back. I was very much afraid of going to anywhere else other than those three places after what happened to me.

  I changed towns five years ago immediately after the incident, I haven't seen my parents or anyone else since then. That night, I just kept on running through the woods, running and never looking back. I looked dirty, I felt dirty, I was dirty and also used. I couldn’t bare the shame so I ran, as fast as I could. I didn’t know where I was going but I ended up here and I have been here ever since then- a small town with small people.

  I came across a lady and she was the only one who had helped me when I came into town, six weeks later, I found out I was pregnant with Bianca. I was so scared; I wanted the baby out of my system but the woman didn’t allow me to have an abortion; she believed strongly in morals and that there was always a reason for everything.

Her name was also Bianca. Sadly, she died right before my childbirth so I decided to name my daughter after her to remind me of her and her kindness. She had helped me with a lot of things while she was alive; she had helped with my pregnancy cravings, helped me recuperate, she was also a big help when it came to the nightmares and she had gone as far as adding me to her will before she passed away. She had a very big heart and I pray everyday that she is doing well and watching over me.

  We got to Bianca's school in good time and I went straight to her headmistress's office in hopes of locating the teacher. I knock on the sturdy door and walk in once a voice asks me to enter.

  The lady which I guessed was the headmistress, looked to be in her late forties or early fifties as she had grey hair that was tied neatly into a bun, tiny reading glasses that sat gently on the tip of her nose and a couple wrinkles here and there making her look strict.

  "Can I help you?", the woman asked, glaring at me,

  "Yes", I replied matching her gaze,

  "Have a seat", she gestured and I place my butt on the soft, leathery office chair in front of her desk, "What can I do you for?", she asked again, removing her glasses and placing them on the desk.

  "I'm the mother of one of the kids that attends this school, Bianca Richards. She's my daughter and I'm a single parent. Last night, my daughter told me that her teacher, Miss. Greyson was talking about family. She told them to talk about theirs and she could only talk about me. The children in that class started calling her names like 'bastard' and making fun of her", I explained and she narrowed her eyes in shock,

  "I'll send for her teacher right away", she said and picked up the phone, "Miss. Greyson, come to my office", she slammed the phone back in its place making me startled.

  "It'll be a shame if I have to pull her out and report to the press that this school teaches children how to use vulgar language, wouldn't it?", I threatened, folding my arms across my chest,

  "There would be no need for that Miss. Richards, I promise you that", she seethed, looking at me with a death glare for threatening to run her school out of business,

  "Good then", I rest my back on the chair when a middle-aged woman walks in.

She stands beside the desk not taking a seat and with the way here hands were trembling, I knew she was afraid, she cleared her throat, "You called me Mrs. Malborne?",

  "Yes, I did Miss. Greyson. Do you know why?", the headmistress asked, beating around the bush. I. hate. this.

  "No ma'am", she squealed in fear at the look the older lady was giving her, if I was in her shoes, which luckily, I was not in, I would've pissed my pants by now.

  "This is Miss. Richards, the mother of one of your pupils, Bianca Richards", Mrs. Malborne gestured to me,

  "Nice to meet you, Miss, your daughter is very intelligent", she said placing a smile on her face,

  "I wish I could say the same", I muttered lowly, "Considering that my daughter was insulted by some of the kids in your class yesterday and you didn’t bother to do anything",

  Her smile faltered into a frown and she looked at me with dread, "I am absolutely sorry for that. I didn’t mean for it to get out of hand", she pleaded,

  "I'll let it slide just this once but next time, I won't be so nice", I told her, looking her right in the eye so she'll know that I meant every single world I said. I stood up, "Thank you for your time ma'am, hopefully, I won't be coming here anytime soon".