Running to Willow

Chapter 4: When It All Went Down Hill

Robert wasn't home at once, but within a month everything had settled down. Nicole had promised herself she would only leave if it wasn't fixed within two months, so Robert fixed it in time. Truth be told Nicole didn't want to go without the cozy house, plus it was helpful that Faith's preschool was paid for. But if it happens one more time Faith's mom thought I will leave, no matter what. Just as Nicole thought this the home phone rang.
    "Yes?" she asked.
    "Your daughter has been accepted into Taught Toddlers, but only under one rule..." the operator on the phone said.
    "Yes?" Faith's mom squealed.
    "The crying situation will need to stop."
    "Deal."
    "You can send a check to our address on 36 Partum Road. Our first day starts a week from now."
    "Perfect!" Faith's mom said as she hung up the phone, wishing heartedly that another hurricane wouldn't come to make her husband be at work 24/7. Nicole turned on the news then wrote the check, licking the envelope to close it. She quickly ran outside in the early autumn air then emptied the envelope into their mailbox. As she ran inside the house with a feeling of giddiness the newscaster eagerly informed her of the news she dreaded most.
    "President of Melior was found drunk at his office. Many question his reliability between this and the hurricane situation."
    Nicole slapped herself in the face questioning whether her husband had missed her and Faith that time they went away from home a couple of days. Had he just passed the time then by picking up a new hobby? She asked herself. She turned off the TV and slammed the remote on the floor. Sulky and depressed Nicole tried to think of the good news and ran upstairs to Faith's room where she was playing.
    "You made it into Taught Toddlers!" Faith's mom yelled loudly almost as if she thought her loudness could cover up the bad news she couldn't tell Faith.
    "Really?" Faith asked, her hands on a couple of dolls with a pink decorated room surrounding her.
    "Really." Faith's mom replied.
    "Yay!" Faith cheered.
    "Do you need a partner to play dolls with?" Nicole asked, trying to get her mind off the bad news.
    "Mm-hmm," Faith replied, "you get this one," she said as she handed over a doll that looked similar to Faith's mom and herself. Beautiful dark hair and dark eyes.
    "Well, thank you," Nicole said. They played with the dolls until the sun went down and it was past Faith's bedtime. Tucking Faith in under the covers, Nicole looked at her daughter's innocent face. She couldn't let her husband hurt Faith with his mistakes. She couldn't leave yet, though. Faith was too young.
    Faith stared at her mom's stressed face, "Where's Daddy?"
    Faith's mom sighed knowing this was another fault in her plan, "Daddy had a long day, I'm sure Faith."
    "Will he be there in the morning?"
    Nicole heaved another deep breath. She couldn't lie to her, and that was why leaving was so important too. The truth is too hard for a little girl like Faith. "No promises."
    Waking up early to get Faith ready for Taught Toddlers Faith's mom prepared her cereal and made sure she had brushed her teeth and got dressed.
As they both stepped off the doorstep and went into Nicole's Lexus Faith said to her mom, "Is he going to be at work a lot again?"
    "No promises." Faith's mom sighed once again. Little did she know that her no promises response was one that would make Faith have hope. The Mom didn't promise anything, but it still wasn't a definite no. This answer pulled Faith through a year at Taught Toddlers with no crying. Her dad that year rarely came home, and when he did, he fell asleep. Her mom assured her everything was okay, but he was sleeping a lot more than normal, and if anyone woke him up, he became violent. Through the eyes of Faith, she had lost her dad, and she had no idea why. Faith's mom, however, knew that year that her husband had become an alcoholic. The little love she had for him was replaced by frustration and protection over Faith. A year is too long Faith's mom told herself. I would have wanted to wait until Faith was older to, but it has gone too far. She is starting kindergarten next year anyway, and I don't have to send her to a private school like Taught Toddlers cause public schools in Melior are good she reassured herself. I'll just need some money... and the frenzy to leave the always drunk President of Melior began.