Burn (Barlyle) (COMPLETE)

42

Barnum wandered, empty-headed, into his daughters' playroom. His daughters sat on the floor, playing with little wooden horses.

"Daddy!" Helen jumped up and wrapped her little arms around his waist. "Did you come to play with us, Daddy?"

"I - yes. Yes, I did."

Barnum sat on the floor with his girls. Helen took a horse and pranced it happily across the floor, making little neighing noises.

Caroline was silent.

Barnum half-heartedly played horses with Helen, but he stared at the wall. Every time he tried looking at one of his girls, tears formed in his eyes and he was forced to blink them away.

"Daddy?"

Barnum shook his head and blinked. Helen stared at him and poked her lower lip out into a pout.

"She's been calling you for two minutes," Caroline murmured.

"I'm sorry. Yes, sweetheart?"

"Why aren't you pla—?"

"Phineas."

Barnum turned around at the sound of Phillip's voice. He stood and strode quickly to the younger man.

"Phillip, I—"

"Daddy?"

Helen stared up at her father and held up one of her little wooden horses. His throat constricted, closed up. He couldn't say a word.

"C'mon." Caroline stood and took her sister by the hand.

"Where are we going?" Helen asked.

"Our rooms." Caroline looked back at her father and the hurt in those young eyes sent a stabbing pain straight through Barnum's gut. "Daddy wants to be with Phillip more than he wants to play with us."

Tears rolled down Barnum's cheeks as his girls left the room. He turned toward Phillip, who stared down at the floor.

"Phineas, I - I heard what Charity said."

"Phil—"

"I've overstayed my welcome and for that I apologize." Phillip's eyes shined with tears. "I just wanted to let you know that I'll be leaving now and, again - I'm sorry. Truly."

Phillip turned to leave. Barnum grabbed his arm.

"Phil, don't—"

"I'm sorry." Phillip tugged his arm away. Not viciously. Rather - resigned. "I promise to leave you and your family alone from now on. It was not my place to intrude."

Barnum's lips parted in protest as he watched Phillip, his partner, leave the room. He ached to call out to Phillip, to tell him to stay, please stay.

No words came out.

Phineas Taylor Barnum was alone.