The Dawn of Realization.

Chapter Six.

 Some how, I had found some kind of sick comfort by visiting my dad's office when I could. The place was empty and quiet and good for when I needed a place to think.  I sat in his rolling chair, slowly turning myself as I scrolled through his phone once more.  I had went through almost everything, except for the contacts, which I doing now. 

     I scrolled through names that were vaguely familiar. I stopped at a particular name, my thumb wavering over the button. My eyes focused and refocused over the name.

     Baby cakes. 

     Thinking it was most likely my mom, I pressed send and put the phone to my ear. I had to make sure of this. Because my gut was telling me something.

     " Hello? " The voice was wary, concerned almost, but it didn't belong to my mom. It was young, sweet, and melodic. 

     " Hello. " I said, pausing. " Who is this? " 

     " You called me. " She said, growing impatient. " I know this isn't Rhett. "

     " Dawn. " I admitted. " I'm Dawn."

     She was quiet for a moment, I could hear her breathing. I sat there in the agonizing silence, waiting for her to say something- anything. 

     " Dawn. " She said. " I'm Wendy. " 

     " You were the only one in my dad's phone that I don't know. " I stated. 

      " I'd like to meet you, Dawn. We should talk. About your father. " Wendy spoke up, her voice changing from agitated to curious.  I didn't say anything. " I'll be at Cantrell Park in ten minutes. If you want to talk and find out about your father, I'll see you there. "

     She hung up the phone without another word and I pulled the phone from my ear, staring at her contact picture. Something about her reminded me of my mom, if she was twenty years younger. 

     I shut the phone off and tucked it away. I had to meet this " Wendy. " My stomach turned when my mind began realizing how she probably knew my dad, but I had to hear her say it. I had to find out what happened to him. I grabbed my bag off the desk and locked the office up, sprinting out to my car. 

     Cantrell park was nothing more than a parking lot, some swing sets, and a walking trail. I pulled in, putting my car in park, and noticing that the only other car was a shiny Mercedes.  She was leaning against the driver side door. 

     I climbed out, brushing my hair back, and slowly approaching her. The wind tousled her white blond hair and her green eyes squinted through the waves of air. She gave a little smile. 

     " Hello, Dawn. " She greeted me, holding out her hand, but I didn't take it.  I was probably coming across as stand off-ish, but I was uncertain. 

     " It's okay to be that way, I imagine your father hasn't told me anything about me and now he can't so, " she drug in a breath. " There's no easy way to say this..."

     " Say what? " I asked, feeling my brows arch. She chewed on her bottom lip, nervously. 

      Your father and I... we were... seeing each other. " She hesitated for a moment. " We had been seeing each other for a long time, actually. "

     " My father would never do that to my mother. " 

     " Your mother was in the middle of filing divorce papers, Dawn. " She stated, solemnly. I stared at her, deep in to her eyes. She wasn't amused to tell me this, she was sad. She was remorseful. 

     " Why would I believe this? " I asked. 

     " Because it's true. " She mumbled. " Your father and I loved each other very much. "

     " How do I know you weren't just after his insurance money and you're the one who killed him ? " I accused, blatantly, which was wrong, but how I felt nonetheless. 

     " I figured your mother would have told you by now. " She looked genuinely confused. " You're the beneficiary to your father's money. Your mother was never going to get any money and neither was I. It was only you and then I think it was his brother next. " 

     I stood there, dumbfounded. Why had my mother fail to inform me that all of my father's insurance money was to be handed over to me? That seem pertinent. 

     " Didn't you know? " She reached out, her fingers brushing my arm.  " I'm sorry, Dawn, this isn't what your father would have wanted. But it is what it is." 

     " I have to go, Wendy. " I said, turning away. " I can't do this right now."

     I took a few steps in the direction of my car, one foot in front of the other. It was hard to breathe for a few minutes, trying to take it all in. My dad had been cheating on my mom, my mom had been ready to divorce, and my mom hadn't told me that I was the main beneficiary on my dad's will. Why? 

     " If you find out who did it, Dawn, please tell me. I know Rhett would never do this." Wendy called to me and I paused for a moment. She believed he hadn't killed himself, too. I wasn't the only one. 

     I kept walking, though, all the way to my car. I watched her get in her Mercedes and drive away while I sat there a few more minutes, absorbing everything she had sad. I had just fallen down a rabbit hole and my mother wasn't looking to much like a grieving widow anymore.