In the previous chapter, Axi changed to a teenager en her father abandoned her, taking all the money with him.

As her father had left her, she was alone at home and she felt better than before. She could do exactly what she wanted to. Of course she had to take care not to stay outside late. She had noticed that already a couple of times.

After work at the bookshop she used to go to the cemetery to do her homework or just to read some book. She liked the cemetery; it was such a nice and quiet place.

Now and again one of her schoolmates asked her to do homework together but, one way or another she was not able to make real friends.

Often she needed to run when the police caught her in the evening or night roaming in the park or sleeping on a bench. She had been brought home a few times by the police.
Once the police saw how she stole one of the municipal benches. Then they took her to the police station. She was too young to be held in prison. The judge decided that she should be under protective custody. One of the social workers was paid to live with Axi night and day.

She wasn‘t very happy about it. Now she couldn‘t sleep in the big bed anymore and had to move again to her old bedroom.
Even during the week-end, the social worker, Miriam Legrand, always watched her, so Axi decided to stay up for hours during the night while Miriam was sleeping and she would go to bed at about 5 o‘clock.

Now and again Miriam woke her up because she said she was getting lazy. Then the girl would be bad-humored. The social worker had seen already that this girl was very good at cooking and at mending.

That morning had started very bad for the lady. The shower had to be mended and as Axi was sleeping, she tried to mend it herself but she wasn‘t able to.

Axi had already heard how Miriam was talking to herself: that bloody shower and I really should get more skilled at mending. The only thing she did then was cleaning the floor. She knew it was kind of silly because the shower was still to be mended.

Then Axi did the job in just a moment.

Axi is an ambitious girl and she was pleased with herself when she had finished the job.

Miriam said: “The TV needs to be repaired as well“. Axi asked her why she didn‘t call somebody to repair it but Miriam said: “Why should I; I know that you can do it very well.“

Axi thought: Another one who doesn’t want to spend money. That same day, the sink had to be repaired.

That saturday evening when Miriam had gone to bed, Axi sneaked out and went to the park. It was late and she was very careful that nobody would see her. Anyway, most of the people were already sleeping.

There she sat then on the bench, thinking that it was good to feel free. At about 4 o‘clock she fell asleep on the bench and it was dawn as the policeman found her.

He took her to his car and while driving her home, he said: “Well, well young lady, I don‘t even remember how many times I‘ve caught you. This is the last time that I take you home. Next time you will be taken to a reformatory… and I‘m not joking!

When she got out of the police car Miriam came already running from the house. She really was very angry with her.

Axi didn‘t understand how she could make such a problem out of it. It was already 7 o‘clock so she didn‘t see the problem.

But Miriam shouted: “Don‘t you understand what could have happened to you, you‘ve been out all night. When I woke up to go to the toilet, I noticed you weren‘t home, so I called the Police. This has been the last time. From now on you will come home right after school and even during the week-ends I will not let you get out of sight.“

Axi asked: “But how can I go to work if you won‘t let me go?“ Then the social worker said that she could go to her part-time job but she herself would pick her up after work.

Axi was thinking so at home I have to deal with her talking all of the time; at work people are talking all of the time; when can I be left alone?

She decided to quit her job and started a part time job at the cemetery. The social worker was not very pleased with that but Axi said: “nobody can force me to work where I don‘t want to, and I want to work at the cemetery“.
Miriam sighed with despair and accepted the girl‘s argument.

To be continued…