Daddy

P r e f a c e

O l i v i a W a l k e r

I always hated it when I got tea over my dress. It would leave my dress looking dark and nasty. Daddy said I was being a drama queen. That isn’t true. I’m a princess.

“Mommy, when is Daddy gonna come back?” I asked.

Mommy didn’t answer back. Instead, she too was staring out of the kitchen window.

I shrugged and continued to watch Sofia the First, because there was a new episode!

Just then, a sound of a car coming in filled my ears, then the sound was shut off. The doorbell rang, and I ran to open it.

“Daddy!” I yelled. I grabbed his leg and started to giggle as he tried to shake me off.

“Come play tea party with me! I have your tea nice and hot!” I said.

For once, Daddy didn’t seem tired. His hair wasn’t messy, his tie was straight, and wait... he was smiling! Maybe he was excited to our tea party!

I remember one time, when Daddy snuck into the house late at night--his face was covered in red marks, like he dipped his whole face into paint! He promised if I didn’t tell Mommy that he came home late, he would play tea party with me!

“So, how was work?” Mommy asked slowly. She moved into the kitchen and started to chop onions.

Daddy stopped smiling. He watched Mommy chop the onions fiercely with a nervous smile.

” Well, er, I didn’t actually go to work today..” Daddy trailed off.

Mommy’s face fell as she set her knife on the cutting board.

“So, tell me Andrew, where have you been for 8 hours? How come you smell like perfume? And why on Earth do you have a shriveled up rose under your armpit?” Mommy said her voice getting higher.

Daddy suddenly looked tired. He told Mommy to talk to him in the garage. Once they were both in, and the door was closed, I put my ear next to the door to listen in.

“Susan, I love you with all of my life. But love can be shared with another person... right?” Daddy said.

Mommy stayed silent.

“I’ve come to love Emily. She lightens up my dull days at work, she gets me coffee without me having to ask her and-”

Mommy burst into tears.

“So all these years meant nothing to you? What about Olivia? She cant grow up without a father!” Mom exclaimed.

"Susan, you can always hook up with a homeless guy just 3 roads down!” Daddy said in a sing-song voice, which sounded strange on him.

“HOW DARE YOU?” Mommy screeched.

I heard a loud smack. Then punches and kicks, and Daddy yelling for Mommy to stop, and he was only kidding. I heard the door unlock, and before I could pretend I wasn't listening, it hit me right were my tiara was. And it was broken.

Daddy ran out of the garage. He went upstairs, and when he came down, he had a bundle of clothing under his arm. He went out to the car.

“Daddy! Where are you going?” I yelled.

Daddy stopped in his tracks. He stared at me a second. Then, he shrugged and jumped into his car. I watched him as he drove away and turned the corner.

I heard Mommy come up behind me, I turned around to look at her. She was shaking and tears were pouring down her face.

“Mommy, where’s Daddy?” I asked.

She was pacing the room, breathing heavily.

“I knew it. He acted like.. a wild person!” She screamed to herself.

She grabbed the knife she used to cut the onions and rammed it into the cutting board. She grabbed onto the curls on her head, as if she was going to rip them out.

Then she stopped and looked at me.

“Gone.” Mommy said. She started to sob.