The Good Wife

Prologue

"Thanks a lot for stopping by, I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Of course Delancy, I'll be sure to come again."

Warmth and weariness filled my chest as I watched the last customer for the day leave.

I went back to the cash register, yawned and stretched tiredly but I couldn't complain because I knew it was due to all the work I did.

"Dad, we should close up now."

"In a minute." He answered.

I sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder but he didn't budge from what he was doing.

"Its past closing time and all our customers are gone."

"I know, just give me a minute."

"What are you doing?"

"Writing." He told me monotonously.

Curiosity picked away at me and I peeked over at what he was doing.

He was indeed writing something in a brown leather book he had on the counter but that only made me more curious about what it was.

"It's... About me?" I realized after leaning in closer and taking a glimpse at his writing.

"Yes, but It's just a little something." He confirmed.

"Why?" I inquired but he pulled the book away instead of answering my question.

"You're my daughter, can't I do this? Besides you're quite remarkable and writing eases my mind."

"Um, okay, But I still think it's strange. Why now all of a sudden?"

He ruffled my hair and I laughed a bit but I could tell he was just as frustrated and tired as me.

It didn't matter how much we worked, there was always so much to do.

"I still don't understand why you did that?" I continued as I tilted my head to look at the book.

"Because lately I've had this feeling." He explained picking it up off the counter.

"What kind of feeling?" I asked and after a few moments of watching him stare at the book and run his hands over it he smiled.

"That you're going away."

Something about his words hit my heart but I only smiled back at him.

"Dad, you're tired. Let me close up the store so we can go and rest for the night."

He was working harder than usual and I was fearful his health wasn't going to keep up with him, so since it was closing time and all the customers were gone, closing up was the best thing to do.

"Okay, alright." he conveyed before sighing.

As soon as I was finished closing the store, I held him by the arm and lead him up the flight of stairs that brought us to our home right above the store. He wasn't too pleased by my action, leading him up the staircase, but he didn't really complain much.

I was well aware that he wasn't old and weak or anything, it just concerned me that maybe he was too tired to make the journey by himself.

When I finally made it to the door, I opened it with my key before leading my father to his armchair where he sat back and sighed.

"Delancy, I think I'm getting too old for this." He bickered and ran his fingers through his greying hair.

"Old?" I chuckled and turned to my father. He thought he was old just because he had a few grey hairs. "I don't think so, you've got at least twenty years left in you. Now let me make you a cup of tea so that you can sit back and relax for tonight."