To Make A Murderer

v . a lying father

一

F I V E

一

9-1-1 what's your emergency?

Ivory's father was a bad man.

Everyone knew it. No one ever said anything, but all of them had a certain look in their eyes whenever he was mentioned. 

Ivory knew it too. Perhaps he was the reason she turned out the way she is now.

Don't think I can take it.

He was already a bad man before she was born. He drank unfathomable amounts of liquor each night, always coming home drunk, or stoned, or worse. He was a conniving man, resorting to acts of thievery, bribery and other illicit activities to benefit himself. He was never home; he was an unfaithful husband and was always out with other women.

But perhaps worst of all, her father was the cause of her mother's death.

Her mother was the sweetest woman Ivory knew. She was faithful and honest, and worked hard to sustain her and her father.

Her father was a bastard who ruined it all.

With every drama a piece of me dies.

As kind as her mother was, she never had a strong mentality. She loved her husband, and seeing him with other women and coming back in varying degrees of intoxication broke her. Her mental health had never been good, but in a certain period during Ivory's childhood years, it took a deep dive and she ended her life.

Like some kind of sadist.

"I'm coming back early today," he had said early in the morning as Ivory poured her second mug of coffee.

"Oh?" Ivory had asked nonchalantly, stirring in powdery flakes of sugar that melted in the scalding heat of the murky brown liquid.

I think that he likes to see the pain in my eyes.

"My boss said I could take the evening off." A smile.

"Then I'll have to make something special for dinner."

"I can pick something up on my way home."

"There's no need." Ivory placed her cup on the table. "This is such a nice occasion. How can we eat takeout?"

He knows that I'm lovesick.

"You're right, you're right." He had rubbed the stubby hairs on his chin. "Then, I'll see you later."

"Mm."

He kissed me and promised I will be alright.

Ivory almost laughed. Coming home early? Who does he think he's pleasing? Her or himself? How presumptuous to think something like that would mend the years of estrangement between them.

We both know it's bullshit.

But sure. She'll play his little game for a while longer. How fun it would be to see how it all turns out.

Ivory stood up and dumped the contents of her cup into the sink.

The longer I'm with him the less I'm alive.

一

Doctors on the other line cause he's not coming home tonight.