Dimming

Mad Man

        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?"