WICKED WOMAN

ELIJAH

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

7:02 PM

Hiding the truth about Grace's disappearance from Kimberly seemed to be working until I asked her to bless the supper Chloe had prepared. She jumped off her chair and closed her eyes with her small hands. "Lord Jesus, please bring Mom back. Help her run away and leave the monsters holding her. Amen."

"Amen." I gazed at Chloe across the table. But she was also staring at me, asking the same question I had. Just like her, I thought she was the one who told Kimberly the whole truth even though we had agreed that we will conceal the whole matter from the child. I suspected Karen did it.

"Let's eat," Chloe said as she rose and dished Kimberly's food first.

I took a white plate and loaded rice, beef stew, potato and lettuce salad. I swallowed lots of saliva as I loaded the fried chicken. It was golden brown and crisp. Its aroma brought me back to the dining room, because Kimberly's prayer had thrown me out. I kept on thinking about who really told the child such disturbing news about her mom when Chloe and I hid the whole thing from her. My mind kept on saying Karen, Karen. Evidently the problem was really troubling the child. I asked her to pray for food, she prayed for her mom's return only. I laughed - laughter of unbelief.

Simultaneously, Chloe and Kimberly stared at me.

Kimberly said, "What is funny, Dad?"

"I'm laughing at you," I said and started eating. The food was superb, but I couldn't enjoy it. I had to push myself to eat for my appetite was not existent.

Kimberly peeped at herself. "What's funny on me?"

"You are eating the meat only."

Chloe said, "Start with the rice and salads, Kimberly."

She looked at her and laughed. "What if I eat the rice and someone comes and steal my meat."

Chloe and I laughed. "Where will that person come from?" I asked, thinking how much of a burden a child could be. The mood ought to be somber, but we had to create a simple one for her. And that was demanding for me. I wished I was in my bed, crying.

Kimberly said, "Even the people who stole mom can come."

Chloe and I quickly looked down at our dishes.

"When are they going to bring Mommy back, Dad?" Kimberly asked. "Why did they take her from us?"

Chloe raised her eyes to my face. I coughed even though there was no need.

I said, "What did you do at school today, sweetheart?"

"At school?" Kimberly said.

"Yes, at school," I said.

"We were singing the song which says Swish Swish," Kimberly said.

Chloe looked at Kimberly, "Don't stop eating. Eat and talk, baby."

Kimberly bit a piece of the chicken. Quickly she glanced at us as she recalled she wasn't supposed to eat the meat first. She spun her eyes like a cartoon, not knowing what to say since we caught her. Chloe and I laughed.

"Swish Swish, Dad. You don't know that song. You didn't sing it when you were young?" Kimberly said.

"Remind me, I have forgotten it," I said.

Even though she wasn't joyous like when her mom was around, but she jumped off her chair and sang the song:

The wheels on the bus go round and round.

round and round.

round and round.

The wheels on the bus go round and round,

all through the town!

The people on the bus go up and down.

up and down.

up and down.

The people on the bus go up and down,

all through the town!

Chloe joined her. I wished, but I couldn't pretend that much.

The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep.

beep, beep beep.

beep, beep, beep.

The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep.

all through the town!

The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish.

swish, swish, swish.

swish, swish, swish.

The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish,

all through the town!

The signals on the bus go blink, blink, blink.

blink, blink, blink.

blink, blink, blink.

The signals on the bus go blink, blink, blink,

all through the town!

The motor on the bus goes zoom, zoom, zoom.

zoom, zoom, zoom.

zoom, zoom, zoom.

The motor on the bus goes zoom, zoom, zoom,

all through the town!

The babies on the bus go waa, waa, waa.

waa, waa, waa.

waa, waa, waa.

The babies on the bus go waa, waa, waa,

all through the town!

The parents on the bus go shh, shh, shh.

shh, shh, shh.

shh, shh, shh.

The parents on the bus go shh, shh, shh,

all through the town!

The mommy on the bus says, I love you.

I love you, I love you

The daddy on the bus says, I love you, too.

All through the town.

I wiped tears from my eyes and gave her a little round of applause. That's the best I could do. Kimberly sat down and proceeded with eating. I almost cried again when a thought hit me that the child was trying to act strong like an adult. But also anger kindled within me. I was angry at the one who stole Grace from us. I was angry at Karen. I couldn't wait for dawn. I longed to start haunting her like a crazy ghost.