Divorce

Word Count: 654

Divorce

"What are you crying about now?" Kaitlyn asked without glancing up from her book.

Elizabeth sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes with the palms of her hands, but more took their place. "Can't you hear them?" she asked, turning a watery gaze on her sister.

Kaitylyn sighed and set her book down. "Of course I do. But crying about it won't change anything. Mom and Dad will still get a divorce."

Elizabeth's tears fell faster. "Don't say that!"

"Well it's true," Kaitlyn shot back, trying to make her sister see. She was sick of what a baby Elizabeth turned into as soon as their parents' argument started drifting up through the floorboards of the room the sisters shared. "They fight all the time," Kaitlyn pointed out. "Susan from school told me that's how it starts. Then one day, dad just won't be living here any more."

Elizabeth's eyes widened and she pulled her blanket up to her chin. "Daddy can't leave us."

"He can and he will," Kaitlyn stated with thirteen-year-old finality. "And then Mom will find a new husband and we'll have an evil step-dad. That's what happens so just accept it."

"You're lying!" Elizabeth accused.

Kaitlyn shrugged and picked up her book, trying to find her place.

The room was silent for a few minutes.

"What do they fight about?" Elizabeth asked. She really couldn't make out any words, all she could hear was raised voices, and she had never considered eavesdropping on her parents.

"Money, probably. Us, I bet."

"Us?" Elizabeth repeated.

Kaitlyn nodded. "Sometimes."

"How do you know?" Elizabeth asked.

"Those're the two things parents fight about the most: money and kids." Kaitlyn set her book down on the bedside table, deciding that she wouldn't be getting any more reading done. "It doesn't matter what they fight about, though. The results will be the same."

"I don't want a new daddy." Fresh tears gleamed in Elizabeth's eyes.

Kaitlyn pushed back her comforter and sheets to get out of bed and cross the short distance to Elizabeth's bed. "Move over."

Elizabeth scooted over far enough for Kaitlyn to join her.

"We'll still get to see Dad on weekends and holidays and stuff," Kaitlyn said, trying to calm her sister down. It seemed like the wrong thing to say, though. Elizabeth's tears turned into sobs. Kaitlyn put her arm around her sister, letting her cry out her fear and frustrations. "It'll be okay," she soothed.

"No, it won't!" Elizabeth cried. "We won't be a family anymore."

Kaitlyn squeezed her sister's shoulders. "We're always going to a family, Lizzie. I never should have told you all that stuff. I didn't know you were going to get so upset." Kaitlyn sometimes forgot that Elizabeth was only eight. She couldn't handle adult matters.

Elizabeth's tears slowed, although she was still sniffling.

"I'm always gonna be here for you, Lizzie. It really is going to be okay. Worrying about it won't change anything. We have to let them work it out. You want them to be happy, don't you?"

Elizabeth nodded, her head never leaving Kaitlyn's shoulder.

"All right then. You can see that they're not happy now, right?"

Elizabeth nodded again. "They used to be happy."

"Sometimes people's feelings change. Or maybe they just can't hide how unhappy they are any more." Kaitlyn patted her sister's shoulder. "Now get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll ask Mom and Dad what's going on, okay? Together."

Elizabeth yawned, realizing how tired she was. "Okay. Thanks, sis."

Kaitlyn kissed her sister's forehead and then rolled out of the bed. She crossed the room and turned off the lights before returning to her own bed. The house had fallen silent. Kaitlyn wondered how the argument had ended. Was Dad sleeping on the couch again?

She sank into her bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, remembering her words to her sister. Worrying about it won't change anything.