The Rift

Chapter Thirty: Without

It's been a long time, I know. I've been a little troubled but now that I'm on winter break I can most likely write more. Thank you for your patience.

TEN YEARS AGO

"All done?", I ask a four year-old Lisbeth as she pokes at a few leftover green peas with her fork. Lisbeth sits at the dining table across from me in bright pink pajamas, her long dark brown hair hanging freely with a few strands in front of her left eye.

"Yes", she answers politely, sliding her plastic plate forward with her hands.

I chuckle and tell her, "Alright then."

I take Lisbeth's plate and carry it over to the kitchen sink, accidentally getting a little steak sauce on the front of my dark blue t-shirt and placing the dish with the other dishes that need to be washed later. I look through the kitchen window into the night, seeing my wife Hannah pull up in the driveway in her gray colored Honda Civic. I turn away from the window and pick up Lisbeth up out of her chair. She immediately rests her head against my chest.

"Let's get you to bed", I say aloud with a soft voice.

Lisbeth responds with a small yawn with her eyes shut. It's barely seven in the evening but she's all tuckered out from a day she had with me.

I didn't go to work today, so we went to the zoo while Hannah was working at her usual office job.

During a normal week, Hannah and I both work while Lisbeth goes to preschool, then my teenage cousin Haley, who lives close by, picks up Lisbeth from school a little past noon. Haley works in the Philadelphia police department as an officer so she can't really stay long, and Hannah doesn't really have any family in the city so we had to hire a babysitter. I get home from the WalMart an hour before Hannah comes home an hour after I do.

Well, at least I used to come home from Walmart but not anymore.

I was let go yesterday, and I haven't told Hannah but I plan on telling her tonight.

I trek up the stairs of our two-story house and into Lisbeth's bedroom. I step inside and look around for a few seconds, gazing at all of her different toys and plush animals. I set my daughter down gently on her bed, the bedding matching the color of her pajamas. I put a blanket over Lisbeth to keep her warm, lean down and plant a kiss on the top of her head.

"Goodnight, wildflower", I whisper.

I don't ever want her to grow older. It's inevitable that she will, but right now she's the most precious thing to me.

I exit the bedroom, gently shutting the door behind me. I head downstairs where Hannah is waiting for me at the kitchen table with her arms crossed. She wears black work pants with a white short sleeve shirt under a dark gray jacket. Her dark brown hair is tied up in a bun, a very professional looking hair style if you ask me.

I try to ignore this abnormal behavior and say with a smile, kissing her, "Hey, honey."

"Hi", Hannah responds in a monotone voice, not even smiling.

"How was work?", I ask, trying to make conversation.

"It was fine, but...I need to talk to you about something", Hannah says, leaning back against the refrigerator.

"What is it?", I ask.

"I called your boss today to see if you were at work, and he said that you weren't. He told me that you were let go yesterday. Is that true?"