Charlie Swan: Vampire Hunter

1

She wasn't coming anymore. My daughter, Bella, was supposed to come live with me. But she'd backed out when her mother and that stupid boyfriend canceled their trip. I know that Washington isn't Arizona, the weather difference alone would be a shock, but we had both been looking foreword to the time together. At least I thought we had been. Any way, she wasn't coming any more.
——
I'd gotten the call the night before. Bella had called at around 9. I'd thought she was just checking in to make sure everything was all good before her flight. The conversation had been brief, she didn't like phones. Never had.
"Hey dad, how are you?" She'd said when I answered.
"I'm good Nessie." I heard the small groan at the pet name and smiled. "Everything is almost ready for you here. Do you know what time your flight leaves yet?"
"No dad, not yet. Actually I was calling about that."
This is where my heart dropped. I knew as soon as she said that she wasn't coming. I didn't know why yet, but I knew.
"Mom and Phil aren't going anymore. Actually they broke up. Anyway they aren't going so I can stay here. With my friends and school." She pause and her voice was thick with tears when she continued. "I know we were both really looking foreword to it, but I just doesn't make sense anymore. If I can stay with the people I've grown up with, and the teacher I know, I'd like to. Do you understand?"
There was a pause here, for me to digest the news.
"I get it Ness. I'll miss, you but I get it." I replied sitting back in my chair and sighing.
"Thank you dad. I love you."
"I love you too, Nessie"
I heard the dial tone and let my hand and the phone fall from my ear.
——
I drove my car the school. I had to cancel all the arrangements I had made for her in the past few months. She wasn't going to that school anymore, she wasn't staying in the room I had repainted for her. I was so lost I thought I didn't see the deer before It was too late. There were two thunks as my car drove over it and then silence. I skidded to a halt and ran back towards the accident. When I saw it, I stopped dead in my tracks. I hadn't hit a deer.