The New Light of Hope: Books I to VI.

Chapter VI: Talking to Dad.

Abigail:

Date: June 6th, 2020.

One day, my siblings and I decided to talk to our father on the phone after some time--he worked the day shift at the Police Station and we planned on talking to him during his lunch break which is exactly what we did.

...

"Hey, mom, when does dad go on his lunch break?" Darson asked our mother. She looked up at her and she answered: "From around 2:00 to 3:00, I think."

Abigail: "Noted."

Beatrice: "How come you ask, son?"

Darson: "Well, I asked because we're trying to find the right time to talk to him. He is our father after all and we at least have to stay into contact with him even if he no longer lives in this house. And it doesn't hurt to contact him whenever he's free, whether it's face-to-face or calling or texting."

Beatrice: "Kids, just because your father and I are divorced doesn't mean I'm just going to cut off all communication between the four y'all. You can talk to him during his free time whenever you wanna talk to him. I don't have anything against it."

Bellatrix: "Now, I told you that beforehand, Darson, but did you listen? Noooooo."

Darson: "Well, I didn't know! I forgot, okay?"

Abigail: "Boy, yo friends told you the same thing as ours did. How can you forget--?"

Beatrice: "All right, you three, cut it out."

We stopped after that and waited until 2:00 to call him.

...

Bellatrix:

Time: 2:00 p.m.

It's 2 p.m. and dad's now on his lunch break. Darson grabbed the family phone and called his phone and we waited for him to answer--it did not take long until we heard a familiar voice on the other line say: "Hello?"

It was none other than the voice of our father on the other end of the line and we answered back by saying: "Hey, dad!"

Devin: "Hey, kiddos! How're y'all doin'?"

Abigail: "We're doing good. How about you?"

Devin: "Good! God, I'm so glad to hear your voices again!"

Bellatrix: "Same. Things haven't been the same since, well, you know..."

We all fell silent at that moment when I had brought up the divorce and how hard the past few months of that hellhole years with having to stay inside of our homes in an "attempt" to prevent the spread of a virus that was already spreading at like a conflagration at a fast rate and already so many innocent people -young and old- had died from it with only a few who were lucky enough to survive it if they were to receive it.

Our father then spoke up about the situation: "Kids, I know it's been hard for you three ever since your mother and I ended our marriage, and with the lockdown that's been in effect since February. But know that none of you are to blame for us splitting up."

Abigail: "We know. But, we're still having trouble adjusting to this new way of life."

Devin: "I know, Abby Gurl."

Abigail: "What have you been up to?"

Devin: "I've been working pretty much what I've been up to. What about y'all?"

Bellatrix: "Nothing much aside from the whole Forest thing on me and Abby's side."

Devin: "Understandable. What about you, son?"

Darson: "Well, on my end, pops, I've made the Decision to wait next year to become a fireman. But it's not like I don't really have a choice but to wait next year to do so anyway."

Devin: "Yeah, I know it sucks. But just remember that we are all in this together."

Bellatrix: "Yeah, tell that to the United States."

Devin: "I know, right?"

We laughed. We spent the past hour talking to, joking, and laughing with our father over the phone until his lunch break was over and he went back to work. Afterwards, we all felt better about the situation knowing that we would always have some sort of contact with our father remotely or in person.

Even to this day, we still stay into contact with him.