See You at the Library

Chapter 4

As the phone rang, Alice explained in little detail what was going on to the twins. They were both still so confused and it was written all over their faces.

"Hello, this is Elizabeth Farms."

"Um. Hi, Ms. Farms...this is Caelee. You told me to call you when my mom got back."

"Oh hello, Caelee. Okay yes, I'll be there momentarily. Thank you."

Then she hung up the phone without another word. Caelee looked to her mom who was staring with an anxious smile and tried to force a smile herself but it was just impossible. Alice walked over to Caelee and took both of her hands. "Honey, we will get through this. We will be okay." Caelee shook her head, squeezed her mother's hands and then walked over to sit with the twins a wait for Ms. Farms to come back.

Ms. Farms was back not even five minutes after the phone call which made Caelee wonder if she ever even left. Alice welcomed her in and they both sat down at the small, dark wooden, round table. Caelee sat in the old chair in the corner and the twins were sent to the old, worn down, motel playground right outside the room, across from the parking lot. Caelee sat as silent as a mouse in her chair listening so intently. Praying that no one would try to take her and the twins away from their mother.

"So Mrs. Diller, do you know why I have come? Have you gotten a call from my office?

"Oh, no. No, I haven't gotten any calls from anyone."

"Oh. I apologize about that. I'm not sure where the miscommunication happened. That's why I was expecting you to be home earlier when I came and only Caelee was here. Well, I have put that in my notes and I will most defiantly speak to someone about that."

"Ms. Farms, I'm really not wanting to seem rude but I'm just wondering what was the reason for your visit? Have I done something wrong?"

"Oh no. Not that I know of at least." She replied with a slight sarcastic laugh. "I'm here about your husband."

Caelee sat up in her seat. She hadn't seen her father in over a year. Ever since he tried to kill himself by setting the house on fire, she wanted nothing to do with him. He had written her letters but she never even opened them. She always put them straight in the trash. He was the reason her mother was struggling, he was the reason they had nothing. "How could she forgive him? He was so selfish." Caelee would always tell herself. But it was her father. She was always a "daddy's girl" growing up. He was the type of dad who would take her out to fancy dinners and spoil her rotten, but one day that all changed. He started not getting out of bed. He was fired from his job a week before his attempt of suicide. She just didn't understand why this lady would come for him. What could he possibly gain from her coming here? Finally, her mother regained her composer, cleared her throat and responded.

"Ex-Husband. But what would he have to do with DSS?"

"Well, his 16-month sentence ends next month, October 18th. And once he's released he wants visitation time with his children."

Caelee jumped up from her seat. "He can't do that!"

"Caelee Hope!" her mother shouted. "Do you need to go outside with the twins or are you going to sit down and stay calm?"

Caelee looked to Ms. Farms who was writing something down on her clipboard. "I'm sorry." She sat back down silently.

"Would he be allowed visitation after what happened?"

"That's why I'm here. I'm hoping to talk to the kids and make an assessment on their wanting and needing to see him."

"Well, I'm not sure if I would be okay with the twins spending time with him. They were so young when it happened and they still don't fully understand the circumstances."

"And I will definitely put that in my notes. I completely understand your hesitation but I have also met with your husband...ex-husband. And while he has been in prison he has also been attending therapy and has gone through a great deal of change."

"Change? Are you kidding me?" Caelee thought to herself. "someone like him could never change." Caelee sat there as the voice of her mother slowly started to fade and she started to drift. Drift into a world that she wished she lived in. A world where there was never a fire. A world where the daddy she used to adore never disappeared.