"Quack, Quack", said the little duck. "Are You My Mommy?"
Day 3 ---- Still no sign of her.
There is an air of melancholy and despair hanging above all of them. The children do not bring it up, they do not ask any of the questions. They are afraid of what the answers might be. The Father walks with a heaviness in him. Nothing's quite as heavy as being empty, ironically. He looks like an old man.
Day 2 --- Perhaps she'll come home today.
Everyone is trying to keep it light, trying their best to distract each other from the empty seat that faced them at dinner. The Younger One sat on it, to try and balance the emptiness. She was young and innocent enough to still think that talking about it might make sense of it. The Older One has chosen not to think about it just yet. She was the fragile one in the family, despite being older and seemingly stronger. Sadness was her sickness, and the slightest hint of it pushed her down into an almost comatose state. The Father tries to smile. he fails.
Day 1 --- She packs up her bags and leaves, "for a while".
Just another day. There are still tremors from last night's huge fight between the adults, after-quake shakes that cannot be distinguished but you're sure that they're still there. The Older One leaves for work during the wee hours, consumed by the work that has to be done. She wakes up slightly excited about the work and very excited about A Man. The Younger still sleeps a fitful sleep, her body trying to prepare itself for the last day of school. The Father is hidden in his room, surely snoring like most men do, except his snores are so loud you must be sure to sleep before he does if you are in the same room, because if not then you will stay awake until a God-forsaken hour.
No one is aware of what is to come. The Days begin.
There is an air of melancholy and despair hanging above all of them. The children do not bring it up, they do not ask any of the questions. They are afraid of what the answers might be. The Father walks with a heaviness in him. Nothing's quite as heavy as being empty, ironically. He looks like an old man.
Day 2 --- Perhaps she'll come home today.
Everyone is trying to keep it light, trying their best to distract each other from the empty seat that faced them at dinner. The Younger One sat on it, to try and balance the emptiness. She was young and innocent enough to still think that talking about it might make sense of it. The Older One has chosen not to think about it just yet. She was the fragile one in the family, despite being older and seemingly stronger. Sadness was her sickness, and the slightest hint of it pushed her down into an almost comatose state. The Father tries to smile. he fails.
Day 1 --- She packs up her bags and leaves, "for a while".
Just another day. There are still tremors from last night's huge fight between the adults, after-quake shakes that cannot be distinguished but you're sure that they're still there. The Older One leaves for work during the wee hours, consumed by the work that has to be done. She wakes up slightly excited about the work and very excited about A Man. The Younger still sleeps a fitful sleep, her body trying to prepare itself for the last day of school. The Father is hidden in his room, surely snoring like most men do, except his snores are so loud you must be sure to sleep before he does if you are in the same room, because if not then you will stay awake until a God-forsaken hour.
No one is aware of what is to come. The Days begin.