Chocolate Footprints

From Chapter 1                   Uncle Dave

Father was about to dump me again. I was so scared as we walked to the front door.

“Whose house is this?” Father had refused to tell me where we were going.

“That’s my brother’s house, Dave.”

The door opened.

“Dave,” Father said, “I want you to meet my daughter Sophie.” He pushed me through the door toward a man with dark hair and blue eyes. I held my head down. “I have an emergency. Look after her till I come back.”

Father turned and ran to his car.

“Andy? Stop! Get back here. You can’t just show up after ten years and…” Uncle Dave ran after him but Father drove away.  He waved a fist in the air. “I had plans you know.”

My uncle walked back inside, brushed his fingers through his hair and stared at me. I wanted to run away; instead I looked down at my shoes.

“He always says that,” I whispered. “But he doesn't come back.”

“How old are you, Sophie?”

“Thirteen, almost.” Aunt Janet used to tell me how scrawny I looked. She hated my blonde hair because it was frizzy and tangled. She said I looked and acted like a spoiled eight year old.

“The last time I saw you we were celebrating your first birthday. You were wearing a pink dress with strawberries and you had a red ribbon in your blonde curls. I used to come visit you a lot, you know. I’d bounce you on my knee and you would talk to me; baby talk. You laughed when I played peek-a-boo with you. Right after your birthday, your mother and father moved to a little house in the country and wouldn't let me visit. I’d call him to ask about you but he wouldn't talk to me.” Uncle Dave looked sad, but then he smiled at me. He won’t smile once he gets to know me.

“Come, let’s sit down and tell me about yourself,” he said. I followed him to the living room and sat down. He hadn’t noticed yet.

“Mom died when I was four. Father didn't want to take care of me after that. He dropped me off at Grandma’s house. She’s my Mom’s stepmother. I stayed with her till I was eight, but she was mean to me. She told me all the time that she didn't want me. So Aunt Donna took me in. After a year she didn't want me either so she sent me to Aunt Janet. She was nice at first, then she kept trying to get Father to come and take me away. The other day she told him she was kicking me out and I could live on the streets for all she cared. So Father picked me up and he brought me here.”

I peeked at Uncle Dave. His eyes were wide open, staring in the distance. I swear I saw a tear in his eye.

“Well, these women ought to have their heads examined for not wanting such a pretty young lady. You and I will get along just fine.”

Uncle Dave underestimated me. I knew I looked tiny and shy, but what he didn't know would hurt him. Just the thought of what would happen next made me laugh. I looked at Uncle Dave, pointed to his hair and laughed even harder.

“What, do I look funny, or something?”

I nodded. He got up and walked to the hall mirror. He gasped. He was staring at his now blond hair.

“What the … Sophie that’s not funny.”

I stopped laughing and his jaw dropped as he watched his hair become dark brown again. So, I decided to laugh and make his hair blonde again.

“Sophie, are you doing this?” His hands trembled.

I sighed. Now it was over, he would not like me, just like the rest of them.

“Do weird things always happen when you laugh?” He brushed his finger through his hair.

I nodded. I got up and walked out of the living room. I wanted to see the next house where I would feel like a stranger. I suddenly realized his carpet was off white and looked brand new. I covered my ears. I knew what was coming next.

“Sophie,” he screeched, “take those filthy shoes off.” Yep, he saw them, he saw my footprints. He came up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder.

“Take your shoes off, right now!”

I kicked my shoes off. “It’s not mud. It’s chocolate.” The carpet felt soft under my feet. I glanced back at my uncle. He had dipped a finger in a footprint and smelled it. Yes, now he knew I had chocolate footprints.