My Angel Flew Away (prompt 4)

A man's marriage falls apart over financial struggles, with heartbreaking consequences. Written for a contest.

    The day she was born had lit up my life like no other before it. She came into this world with as little fuss as you could imagine; and never caused another moment of it, at least not not for me. When her eyes opened they were as blue as the sky, as they peeked out at the world from under a surprising mop of dark hair.

    Amelia, or Amy as we called her, was an absolute angel and just as beautiful. Her first word was “Dada,” spoken to me when she was six months old. She loved to play peekaboo. About a year later hide-and-seek took its place as her favorite game. Everyday when I got home from work she would toddle up to meet me at the door. Tugging at my pant leg she would plead, “Daddy, play.” In the game that would always follow, if I found her it was straight to bed without fuss and if I had to give up I read her a story before bed. As a result of this arrangement, I read a lot of bedtime stories. To Amy the funniest word in the English language was ‘banana”. She would laugh uncontrollably every time she heard it.

    For the first few years we struggled to live from paycheck to modest paycheck. Then suddenly we ceased struggling, for there was no more we and that modest paycheck supported me alone.

    Karen had had enough and, behind my back, found herself a rich business man who would take her away with him, her and our daughter. When she did confront me with this matter she had already packed. I am very sure that she had no intention of telling me at all. I found out only because of Amy’s excited exclamation when I came home.

    “Daddy! Daddy! We’re going on a twip!”

    “Really? Where to?” I asked, thinking I was playing along, as I picked her up according to daily ritual.

    “Shittato!” She replied, mangling the city’s name almost past recognition.

    “To Chicago?” My concern grew faster than my curiosity, I didn’t know anything about it and Karen had been distant lately. “Where’s mommy?”

    “Upstairs. Hide n' seek?”

    “Not tonight.” She looked very disappointed by this deviation, her shoulders sagging and face turning pouty. “I’ll tell you two bedtime stories, how ‘bout that?” Her face lit up and she nodded vigorously. “Alright, off to bed with you and I’ll be there in a bit.” As soon as I set her down she went scampering off to her room.

    After a moment I made my way to mine and Karen’s bedroom. When I entered she had just closed a piece of luggage. “Nick.” She started once she noticed my presence.

    “I suppose I’m not going to Chicago.” She was silent, so I continued. “When were you going to tell me?” Her silence remained. “Were you even going to?”

    “I saw no reason to. How’d you find out anyway?”

    “Amy told me. You didn’t see a reason to tell me that you were leaving me and taking my daughter with you?”

    “She’s my daughter too. And I’m telling you now.” She removed her wedding ring, it came off her finger far too easily. How often had it been taken off recently? And for whom? “I’m leaving.” She held it out to me at arm’s length and let it fall into my hand.

    “Who is he?”

    “I don’t know what you mean.”

    “Don’t mess with me, Karen. Not about this.”

    “Ted Dannings.” She relented.

    “Okay. Go off with your new man. But there is no way on God’s green earth I’m letting you take Amy.”

    “What? You think you can support her? Ted’s a successful, very wealthy businessman, you’re a diner cook. He can give her a good life, one you could never. If you really love Amy you’ll let her go.” However deprecating this statement had been it was also true. I couldn’t offer Amy anything close to what this interloper could.

    My head hung and I knew that Karen knew she had won. “Will I- will she know who I am?”

    “You won’t be a part of her life.” Karen said, shaking her head and crushing my small hope.

    “Then let me have tonight.” She nodded, unable to meet my eye or even look at me. I left our room praying the conversation, held in low voices, had not reached past our door.  Entering Amy’s room I found her sitting up, waiting for her bedtime stories. Like most little girls she adored fairytales, on the top of her list were ‘the princess and the frog’ and ‘Cinderella’. I went to close the door behind me but stopped when I saw Karen watching from the hallway. “Hey, angel. Guess what?” She giggled as I lifted her up. “You’re getting three stories tonight.”

    “Wow! Thwee?!”

    “Well it’s not everyday you go on a trip. Where are you going, again?”

    “Shittato!”

    “That’s right, Amy.” I spared a glance back at Karen, who narrowed her eyes and returned to the room we had shared. “Now let’s get you tucked in and comfy.” After tucking the blankets snuggly around her I settled into the nearby chair. I recited the first two stories, her favorites; I had them memorized by this time. As I finished ‘Cinderella’ Amy yawned widely. “Maybe you’re too tired for a third story.” I teased lightly.

    “You promised!” She accused, her lower lip pouting sadly.

    “Then you’re gonna have to stay awake, aren’t you.” Amy nodded resolutely, her dark curls bouncing. “Once upon a time there was a king and queen who wanted a child very much. When their daughter came they had a party to celebrate. And all the fairies in the kingdom came to give the little princess gifts. But one fairy was very bad and put a curse on the princess. To protect her the king and queen had to let her go. They gave their little girl to three good fairies so that she could be safe and happy. … When the prince kissed her, the princess woke up from her hundred year sleep. And  they lived happily ever after.” By the end she was almost asleep, her eyes held open by pure force of will. “Good night, Amy.” I kissed her forehead, my last. “I love you.”

    “I love you, daddy.” She returned, rolling onto her side and closing her tired eyes.

    “Don’t forget me, my little angel.” I spent the night in that chair, knowing I would not be welcome in my own bed. Amy looked so angelic as she slept, all she lacked was a pair of feathery wings.

    I woke up early on the darkest day of my life, so I would be out of the way. Before Karen woke up I snuck a family photo into their luggage where I hoped Amy would find it before Karen did. This small task finished I sat down at the kitchen table, with my back facing the door.

    It was awhile before the small sounds of waking and dressing became those of Karen’s descending steps and the bags dragging behind her. She crossed from the stairs to the door and returned, having left the bags outside. “Nick,” I didn’t move from my position. “I’m sorry.” When I maintained my silence she went up the stairs to get Amy. More echoing of Karen’s heels on the hollow floor of the steps then their clicking on the tile.

    “Mommy, isn’t daddy coming too?” Amy’s voice came from outside the kitchen.

    “No, Amy. Daddy’s not coming.” Karen’s steps continued toward the front door. “Say bye-bye, honey.”

    “Bye-bye daddy.” I wanted so much to turn around and respond to her farewell, or better yet take her from Karen and never let go again, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t watch her leave my life forever. “Daddy?” My lack of response prompted her call. “Daddy!” Amy’s calls were heartbreaking. Perhaps she realized that she would not be coming back. the cries rose in volume and ability to tear the heart in two as Karen carried her out the door.

    The door shut and my resolved stillness dissolved into racking sobs into the table in the now empty house. My little angel had flown away.

Author's Note

This is probably the most depressing thing I've ever written. Would love to hear your thoughts, please review.

Reviews

[Declan Robison]

Awww :(

I really liked it but... awwwwwww.

You did a great job of characterizing Amy, and it was heartbreaking to see her go.

Maybe tighten up the flow of individual sentences more, but overall, I really liked it!

[C. Lee Battaglia]

Wow!
Very well written and it touched me,
Can I just say though, you have potential!
My favorite part was, " “Mommy, isn’t daddy coming too?” Amy’s voice came from outside the kitchen.
“No, Amy. Daddy’s not coming.” Karen’s steps continued toward the front door. “Say bye-bye, honey.”"
Please continue to write and read!
Can you by chance look at my story The Blonde Girl, It would really mean a lot to me.
Your new fan,

C. Lee Battaglia