A Monster Lies Beneath

Chapter 1... Just Another Person

   I was a regular father, husband, brother, even son. People saw me as a nice, polite, hard-working dad and husband. The neighbors always waved at me, smiled along with it, as I mowed the lawn, or getting in the car for work, or even playing with Milani in the yard. They were always so respectful to me, always coming over onto our sidewalk, giving me compliments on my daughter, how beautiful and cute she was. I agree, her dirty blonde hair almost covering her eyebrow, her hair barely touching her shoulders, and her blue eye. Gosh, her eyes were so blue, it felt like you were diving into a ocean, you could get so lost in her eyes. Don't even get me started on her dimples, they were so deep, you could notice them from a mile away. Her freckles scattered across her face, they reminded me of the constellation.

As she played in the yard, other young boys that was playing in their yards, would watch her play. I'm sure all the young boys in the neighborhood had a crush on her. Everytime I mention a boy probably liking her, she scrunched up her nose and and stuck out her tongue. We would put our foreheads together and just sit there laughing.

"I don't need a boy, I got you daddy." She would say as she hugs me tight around my neck. I didn't expect her to want to have a "boyfriend," she was only four, going on five, going into kindergarten this fall, but it always made me feel relieved that she didn't want a boy to like her, or wasn't interested in any of them. I loved those late spring almost summer days, we would just lie in the grass after spinning a lot, almost throwing up our guts out, and watch the clouds drift by. I wish life would go by that slow, so Milani could stay small forever, and I didn't ever want her to grow up.

My life was perfect, people would say, and I agreed with that. I had the perfect wife, perfect daughter, good paying job, and great neighbors. They always helped us with Milani when we had to run errands or go on date nights. I could trust any of them to watch her while we were gone. It was the safest community I knew. There was no sex offenders, no criminal records from anyone, it was perfect.

When I first met DeLane, she was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. She was more mature than the other girls in her group, she seemed to have her life set and planned out. She was so outgoing, and funny, it was hard to miss her, if you were at a party, you knew she was there, just because, well, it was her. I fell head over heels for her once I saw her, I thought I wouldn't have a chance, but I was lucky enough, she gave me a chance.

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, months turned into years, while I was dating DeLane, until I got on one knee and proposed to her. We got married only five months after that, and just a year and a half later, Milani came along. It was like I was living in a fairytale, it was perfect, and I couldn't ask for any other life. But I'm not gonna spend my time saying how perfect my family was, cause that doesn't exist anymore. I'm here for a different reason. I'm here for the monster that lies beneath.

-5 months before incident-

I came home from work, taking my shoes off at the door. "Balony Milani!" I say as I hang up my coat on the coat rack. DeLane comes into the living room and puts her finger on her lips. "I put her down for a late nap, she hasn't been sleeping long, quiet." She whispers. I slip my tie off and set my briefcase by the recliner and go into the kitchen. I go to open the refrigerator but DeLane stops me. "What? I just want a drink Day." I say. "Peter, I know your going to get a beer, and you said you were going to stop." She replies, giving me a look. "Milani is asleep, so it doesn't matter." I say as I'm moving her hand out of the way.

"No it does, you told me you were going to quit, and that's what your going to do." She says as she puts her body in front of the fridge. "I don't care what I said. I'm getting a drink!" I say as I move her out of the way. She looks at me, like she can't believe what just happened, then turns around and continues to cook dinner. I look at her and grab two beers and go into the living room and watch tv.