His weakness

John Twenty years ago The new neighbors have moved in. I really hope that they are friendlier than the old man that has lived here before. From what I can see there are three people, a woman and a man with a little girl. The girl looks to be my age, with blonde hair that reminds me of an angel, her eyes are so green that they look like two emeralds even from this distance. She has a yellow dress on and before today, I hated yellow, but it has just become my favorite color. Her feet are bare, and she is running around on the grass with a soccer ball, kicking it all over the front lawn while her parents are trying to get all the heaving boxes moved out of the loading truck. I wonder if I should go down and ask her if I can play with her or if she prefers playing on her own. “John, are you going to come down for breakfast?” My mother asks, opening my door and popping in her head, or at least that is what she usually does, but I am too focused on the angel playing outside to turn around and look at her. “Yeah mom, just give me a few minutes and I will come down.” I tell her and then I hear my door closing. After a few minutes, the girl’s parents call her and she runs inside the house, and I decide to go downstairs to eat. My house has always been busy, with two older brothers that can’t seem to sit still or be quiet for more than ten seconds, there is never a quiet moment in the house, but I don’t mind. My family is happy, always doing things together and after I saw my best friend Greg’s house and they way his family is, I have come to appreciate the laughter and the stories that never seems to end. “I see the new neighbors are moving in, do you think we should go introduce ourselves?” My mother asks my father as I walk into the dinning room. My eyes light up and I nearly jump with excitement, maybe I can go with my parent and then find out for myself if the girl would like to play outside with me. It would be nice to have a friend to play with after school as Greg’s parents won’t allow him to come here or anywhere for that matter. “I think we should give them the day to actually move in. We can go over tomorrow.” My father says and my shoulders drop. “Nonsense, we can offer to help them carry all their things or maybe bring them some refreshments as I am sure they will be exhausted after unpacking.” My mother says with a wave of her hand. I don’t understand why my mother really asks my father for anything when she always ends up doing whatever she wants, but today I won’t question that as I really want to follow my mom out the door to meet the new neighbors. “John dear, quickly eat your breakfast and then come with me. I see they have a daughter, maybe you can make her feel more welcome, maybe even help her out at school as it is starting soon, and I am sure she would be more comfortable with a friend on her first day.” My mother says and let me tell you, I have never eaten my breakfast so fast, hardly chewing. Twenty minutes later, my mom has some of her homemade lemonade in hand and we are walking across the lawn to greet our new neighbors. My brothers teased me for putting on my favorite jeans and red t-shirt that I am told brings out the blue in my eyes, but I couldn’t care less about their teasing. My palms are sweating as we make our way over to the moving truck where the angel’s father is busy taking out a box that is almost as big as I am. “Hi, I am Sally, we live next door and wanted to hear if you are in need of anything, we would be happy to help.” My mother says, sticking out her hand but then thinking better of it when she realizes that in order for the man to shake her hand, he would need to drop the box. The man is big, but not as big as my father. He has light brown hair that is cut close to his head. His eyes are green but not as brilliant green as his daughter’s and he has veins sticking out of his arms, just like my father does. “Good morning, sorry I would shake your hand but. “ He trails off, looking down at the box in his arms. He gives my mother a friendly smile, but something about it seems off. I can’t really place my finger on what scares me about him, but I really don’t like this man. “Honey! I need some-“ A woman steps out of the house, her hair is almost white, her eyes a light brown. She is small, far smaller than my mother, it almost looks like she doesn’t like eating. What kind of person doesn’t like eating? “Oh, hi. I am Abigale.” The woman says, first looking at her husband before taking my mother’s outstretched hand. My mother misses the exchange, doesn’t see the fear in the woman’s eyes as she looks at her husband, waiting for him to approve of her greeting my mother, but I don’t miss it and I really don’t like it. What is wrong with being polite and greeting your neighbor? “Hi, I am Sally and this here is my son, John. We just wanted to come over and welcome you to the neighborhood. We also brought some homemade lemonade.” My mother says with a big smile on her face. I watch as the woman’s eyes flick back to her husband, wait until he nods again before smiling brightly and accepting the lemonade from my mother. “Mommy, mommy!” The angel screams, running out of the house and taking my attention from the couple. There are tears running down her cheeks and I have this overwhelming need to find out who dared to make the angel cry. “Mommy I am so sorry, I kicked my ball over the wall and now I can’t get it back.” She says and I realize that she is sad because she thinks she has lost her ball. “I can get it back for you.” I tell her, wanting her to stop crying because I really don’t like to see tears running down her cheeks. Angels shouldn’t cry. Instead of waiting for anyone to give me an answer, I quickly run to my house and go through the side gate, hoping that her ball landed in our yard and not the house on the other side of them as that would make it a bit more difficult to get the ball back, I probably should've asked her first before running straight to my yard, but that is alright,, if I can't find it here, I will just knock on the other neighbors door. The lady living there isn't so bad.Thankfully, I see the ball she played with earlier, about two feet from the wall and I let out the breath I was holding in, hoping that I didn’t just make a fool out of myself. I quickly grab the ball and run back, finding the angel looking at me with hopeful eyes, her hand held tightly in her mother’s. “Here you go.” I tell her, handing her over the ball and the smile on her face make my tummy feel strange, but in a good way. “Thank you.” She says before grabbing the ball and running back in. I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed, I was hoping she would play with me. “Sorry, Jena is a bit shy.” Her mother says, fear in her eyes as she looks at her husband again. “That’s alright. When school starts she will get more comfortable.” My mother says, also starting to see that something isn’t quiet right with this family. It saddens me, knowing that Jena, the angel, isn’t growing up in a house like mine. “Well, we better get going. Call if you need any help.” My mother says, taking my hand and waving at the couple before walking towards the house, nearly pulling me behind her. “And, how is our new neighbors?” My dad asks when we walk into the house. “Something isn’t right there. I spent less than twenty minutes with them and I could already tell that the woman is scared to death of her husband. I really don’t like this, Mark.” My mother says and my father gets up to rub her arms, knowing just what she needs. “If there is any proof that there is abuse in that family, we will call the police, alright?” My father says and my mother nods. “That poor girl, I hope she will be alright.” I hope for exactly the same thing.