Behind Closed Doors

Behind Closed Doors

They didn't know that I knew. Nobody thought I knew. But I did. It all happened on one rainy summer night...

'*~

I woke up at midnight one night to my rumbling tummy. I got out of bed and started walking to the kitchen when I heard it.

"You always have to lose something don't you? Honestly! You would forget to eat if I didn't make you your meals!"

I'd never heard my mother yell, so it scared me. Suddenly I wasn't that hungry anymore. I silently crept up the stairs to their room and leaned against the door so I could hear.

"Oh, come off it, Molly!" Daddy yelled. "I'll find it somewhere! It's not like you never lose anything! Remember at the supermarket five years ago with Ginny?"

What? What about me? I leaned closer to the door to hear more.

"Don't you ever bring that up again!" I could tell that Mum was crying and all Dad could do was yell at her.

Deciding I'd heard enough, I walked slowly back up to my room, although I knew I wouldn't be falling asleep for a long time.

'*~

Their fights went on every night for at least five weeks. I know this because when everybody would go to sleep at night, I would get out of bed and listen to them fighting. Listening to them, I learned a lot of things. For instance, Dad had once cheated on her when they were at school and they had been on an on-again-off-again relationship ever since Fred and George were born. Mum used to be on drugs and a lot of other things I never thought my parents had gone through had actually happened.

Then their fights would stop and Mum would turn the lights off before going to bed, at which I would go back to bed and think about the next night when I would be listening to them fight again.

'*~

The next morning, I walked down to the kitchen. It smelled of eggs and sausage. Everyone was sitting around the table eating, my brothers oblivious to what I knew. They didn't know Mum and Dad were fighting.

"Morning Weasleys'!" Dad said as he came down the stairs, brushing past me and into the kitchen. A chorus of "Morning Dad" rang through the kitchen and took the coffee Mum was holding in her hands for him, not even giving her the soft peck on the cheek he always gave her. Something must have happened after I left last night. Even when they were fighting, he would still kiss her.

They didn't even say 'good morning' and Mum didn't even say 'have a good day at work.' They acted like this in front of everybody. But my brothers didn't notice anything abnormal. Only I noticed that.

Dad left without saying bye to Mum, and I could tell she was about to cry. I walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek. "Good morning Mum," I said softly. She looked at me and smiled. She dropped her plate and hugged me.

"God bless you Virginia Weasley," she whispered and she rocked me sideways. I hugged her right back.

'*~

They continued fighting the rest of the summer, and they probably did when Ron and I went back to school. Fred, George, and Percy no longer lived there so no one knew if they were fighting.

I guess it's true. Everything changed behind closed doors.