Jeopardy - Prologue

A Chapter by Alyssanobi

Prologue

I haven't seen Mommy all day. I always go in her room and talk to her, but today Daddy said she was too sick for visitors, and he told me and Charlotte to stay in the living room and watch cartoons. It should be my first day of kindergarten today, but Daddy let me and Charlotte stay home because Mommy is sick. I told him no, I wanted to go to school, but he said it was best to stay home, just for today.

Now I'm watching cartoons and Charlotte is sleeping on the couch beside me. I can hear the beeping from Mommy's machine in the next room, but it's going faster than usual. Really fast. It's never done that before. Wait - Why did it stop? Why is Daddy yelling? No, crying? What happened?

I run to see Daddy. He's on the floor in the hall, crying with his head in his hands. The nice man that has been giving Mommy her medicine is telling him everything will be alright. Of course everything will be alright. Why wouldn't it? Mommy is getting better. Isn't she?

"Daddy," I say. "What's wrong? Can I see Mommy now?" He raises his head to look at me, gets up, and takes me in his arms. "Everything is going to be okay," He sniffles as he carries me down the hall. There are big tears in his eyes. "Mommy's just gone to sleep for a while, that's all. You'll see her tomorrow." I'm too confused to talk, so I cry.

"You said I could see Mommy today," I muttered. "I want to see Mommy." He strokes my hair as I rest my head on his shoulder. "Shh, Jordyn, honey, it will be alright," Through the crack in the door of Mommy's room, I see her sleeping peacefully.