Moment of Reflection

Chapter 1

A/N: If you are reading this because it said I have updated the book, it is because I am currently in the process of editing it. So my apologies. Enjoy :)

"Daisy, there are a couple officers at the door." Marie, Audrey's mom, informed me, interrupting our Wii game.

I paused it and set the remote down, padding across the living room to the front door. My anxiety had my mind racing and stomach churning. Why would there be police here? I haven't done anything wrong.

"Good afternoon. Are you Daisy Jarvis?" The older officer questioned, pulling the cap off of his head.

"Yes..." I trailed off. "Am I in trouble?"

"No, you aren't in trouble at all." He seemed to hesitate. "Do you mind if we come in?"

I glanced back at Marie and she nodded her head, signaling it was okay. "Not at all. Come in."

The two officers stepped in and I pulled the door shut behind them.

"Ms. Jarvis, I am Office Myers and this is my partner, Officer Grey. I'm sorry to inform you that your father was part of a horrible accident on the I-25 this afternoon."

It felt as if my heart sank into my stomach. I couldn't breathe. I felt Audrey's hands on my shoulders, but I was at a loss for words.

"I-Is he okay?"

"That's the reason we're here. He was hit by an oncoming semi and the paramedics were surprised he wasn't killed on impact. When he was hit, his truck was sent over the guardrail and into the ditch. Your mother insisted he had a Do Not Resuscitate order and because he has no will and this was so unexpected, she claimed he had no documentation. When we were in the process of admitting him into the emergency room, his heart failed."

I felt my knees go weak. A strange numbness took over my body and I just couldn't fathom the words he'd just said to me only seconds ago.

I couldn't stop the sob that followed and could only lay on the floor feeling devastated, worthless, empty, victimized even. My vision blurred from the hot, salty tears pooling in my eyes. They ran down my face and fell pathetically to the floor.

My entire life with him flashed before my eyes.

"Daddy, higher!" She squealed when her father chuckled, pushing her even higher on the swing.

"I love you more," He told her as they sat on a hill, watching the clouds.

"No, Dad, I love you more." She responded, looking over at her father who smiled down at her, his green orbs filled with love and happiness.

"I'm not going to argue with you about how much I love you," he laughed and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Dad!" She exclaimed, running towards her father who had a gratified look on his face.

"You're growing up too fast." He complained, pulling his eleven-year-old daughter into a strong embrace, "I can't believe you're already done with elementary school."

"Some ice cream for a great season?" He asked his daughter, now fourteen and finishing her last season of softball.

"Yes!" She responded, walking beside her father while he carried her bat bag.

The two of them giggled as they laughed and laughed, wrestling around the living room while having a tickle fight.

"Okay, okay!" She was breathless. "You win. If you don't stop, I'll pee."

"Mhmm," He said sarcastically, trying to hold back the smile that was creeping onto his lips.

"My baby," he said, clearly distraught from the frantic events that had just unfolded, "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I'm so sorry, dad," She cried, fatigued from the medications the doctors had been forcing into her body, "I shouldn't have done it. I-"

He cut her off, hugging her tightly. "Don't apologize, darling. It's all my fault. I knew something was wrong when we got off the phone." He insisted as he comforted her.

Time became irrelevant to me. When I managed to come back to reality, I was still laying on Audrey's floor. She was sitting next to me, rubbing my back in soothing circles. The officers were nowhere in sight so they must have left.

I sat up, rubbing my eyes, feeling completely lost and bereft. "He's gone."

"It'll be okay," Audrey promised and pulled me into a big hug, trying to get me to calm down. "My mom got the information needed from the officers. Do you want me to take you to your house so you can get some of your things?"

I nodded, still upset from what just happened. I watched as she stood up, grabbing our shoes and her keys.

I felt the blood rush from my head to the rest of my body as I stood up, ready to go.

***

It wasn't until we had pulled into my driveway that I had remembered that it was my mom who had caused all of this. Her car was parked in the driveway and I didn't pay attention to Audrey, who was sitting in the driver's seat, as I climbed out of her car and marched to the front door.

Storming into the house, I spotted the woman sifting through his belongings and I couldn't stop the flow of hostile that came spewing out of my mouth.

"You! You caused this. Don't. You. Fucking. Dare." I snarled as I approached her. She was holding one of my father's pictures and she didn't seem at all affected by what had happened. "You didn't fucking care at all. You did this for the money. I can't believe you. He was my father. He was my everything and you took it all away from me!"

"Oh no. No, no, no. You have it all wrong, missy." She started as she set the picture frame down, approaching me. "I loved your father with all of my heart. But I couldn't stand letting you ruin our relationship with your sick mind. And it shows when you come barging in with your demented attitude."

At that point, I didn't care what she had to say to me anymore. Instead of gathering my things, I turned straight around.

"Leave it to me to get rid of his belongings then. At least put them in a storage unit or something. I will take care of them." I spoke in a completely calm, monotone voice.

Walking outside, I re-entered the passenger side of the car.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it. Can we go?"

"Sure." She said as she shifted into reverse, backing out of the long driveway.