Birds chirps a melody, my eyes widen to the ceiling, the window draping down a warm dew of sunlight through the thinly lit curtains.
I twist my head to my left, my wife, May, a print of shuffle sheets is left in her spot, covers flipped over, sloppy.
She's gone... She might've decided to run away, giving no thought of confrontation.
Were you that afraid of me, though I couldn't bring myself to kill you... -Parker... How am I going to explain why another one of her mother's went missing.
Touching the floor barefoot, my heart aches, and my head falls over, slippers hidden. One is laid against the wall and the other, God knows where.
My heels drag behind each; Sluggish, building in my throat the thought of May's escape being reality. Arriving along it, a sharp headache. I haven't felt this of a heavy heart, not since...
Since.... -What the heck is that smell?
- Wearing the white gown, a gift to her on our honeymoon; What I believe to be a phantom, May, cupped a mug of coffee in her hand, brewing another in the corner near the plugged in toaster.
This smell isn't the ordinary scent of coffee, but the hot chocolate special she specifically makes on holidays or our anniversary...
It should be near impossible, "What is this?" My mouth moves before my thoughts.
You fled, but here you are? You are brewing coffee as if last night you didn't discover our daughter's music teacher on the table, eyes gouged out to the floor.
"Making coffee..." Hold on, "Why, not in the mood?"
You... She doesn't drop the mug, she isn't startled... Do she not remember-
-"Daddy, why're you barefooted?" Parker voice wakes me out of wonder, munching on a pop tart, toast and eggs on a plate and milk in a single glass cup, legs swaying underneath the table, in a jolly shine.
May is staring at me; My daughter is at the table enjoying her breakfast. I expected to come to a broken home, however... All is more radiant. Dream like... Can I sweep all of this under the rug? I'm giving a second chance. - I wipe away the dreading clouds above my head, throat clearing, heart ache lifting.
"Daddy, couldn't find his slippers..." I reach pass May arm, taking the coffee that's already poured. I check the time. "...You have everything ready for school?"
And Parker goes back to eating her pop tart, but in tinier bites, pouting as her eyes dodges mines.
"I don't wanna go..." May have the same face as mine. This is the third day in a row.
Pie... I can't give you another day off. I can't take another day off. I have a body to hide, and a wife to interrogate.
"Don't give me that look, Pie. You just recovered; your friends have to miss you by now."
Her pouting face falls to scraping the plate of left-over eggs with a fork. "I don't have any friends..."
Hugh, Parker... I love you, but the clock is ticking, who knows when Dorthey will be claimed missing.
I sit my mug down on top of the table, pulling up a chair across from my daughter. May watch, lips shut, sipping out her coffee, still new to parenting. Parker, she gives me the silent treatment, staring at the white rose incased into the table on her side. I glance down to the white one on my side, sliding my mug over it a nudge.
My first wife planted these flowers, and I had a professional plaster it inside this table. Something well designed is now her distraction to avoid giving an answer.
My hand hang under my chin, looking to Parker, her food becoming cold. "...What about Joseph, I was sure the other day you two pinky swore to build the next box of Legos together." Unless my eyes had deceived me, they're best friends who been at each other hips since birth.
She falls her head at my amusement, ".... I want to stay." into a mumble, hands pressing down her skirt.
I sense she's about to whine. Parker, she really doesn't want to go to school today. Maybe t's my fault. Parker always is unable to see me afterschool, there's not a single time that I'm free then. And, if I am, I'm asleep, trying to gain energy for the next call. The one time she does get to see her father is when she's sick or taking a break from school.
I understand. "How about," Tapping the table twice, I gain Parker's full attention, rubbing my fuzzed beard, which I should consider cutting, looking to the chandelier. "You go to school today, and I can take you out tomorrow. A dinner of your choice."
Her head raises to the offer, taking any excuse to skip school and spend time with me. I easily see May's lips crack to a smile along a snicker. I spoil this girl way too much.
...In my eyes, Parker deserves the world.
