Cable Car

You came stumbling home one night, and I wasn’t sure what to do. You didn’t reek of alcohol nor had you been beaten up. I should have left you on the floor but Dulcey would have seen you. For some odd reason you were her hero.

So I sat you at the table and handed you coffee which you precisely spilt on the floor. I didn’t want to try that again.

I scurried in order to pick up the pieces of shard ceramic before you fell out off your chair for the second time. Many would have acknowledged this as a perfect time for payback but if I wanted to get even I wanted to make sure you were coherent.

“Goddamnit! Get your hands off of me!” you slurred. You never cursed…

“Jesus Christ, Eric quit squirming or you’re gonna fall,” you shoved me against the wall. Apparently you were coherent enough to realize I’d takin your Lord’s name in vain.

You swung at me. You missed the first time, you were dead on the second time. I tried to act as though you hadn’t hurt me, but my eyes watered nonetheless.

“Daddy,” Dulcey cried. The three year old stumbled out of her bedroom and watched you make and a*s of yourself.

“Go back to bed honey,” I tried to coax her. She was smarter than that. She knew what was going on, and she watched you.

“Mommy,” she looked at me helplessly.

I couldn’t help her. There wasn’t a damn thing I could do to help her. I should have let you hit the floor.

“Goddamn you Eric!” I hollered. Her picture perfect family I’d tried so hard to protect was falling apart in front of my precious angel’s eyes. My heart sank as the strings snapped like an aged cable car.

I decided to place you on the couch and go to Dulcey.

“Come on honey,” I took her hand and guided her back to her room. There was nothing I could say. There was nothing that I could do, and I couldn’t excuse you’re actions. She saw for herself. Now there was no need to check the closet for witches or under the bed for evil creatures. Because the only monster here was you…

I slept with her that night. For my own personal comfort.

You kept the kitchen busy. Pots and pans clattering, the pop and sizzle of bacon, it was Saturday and you felt guilty.

“I made breakfast,” you doted on yourself.

“I’m excited for you,” I sat down at the table.

“I’m sorry about last night,” it wasn’t like you to apologize.

“So am I,” I noticed my coffee pre-made on the table.

“At least I apologize for my mistakes.”

“About time,” I looked into my cup.

“I didn’t hurt anyone Hannah,” you became indignant.

“Dulcey saw you,” I placed the cup down on the table. You huffed and turned around.

“Why was I on the couch?”

“As oppose to what? The floor?” I raised a brow.

I decided to take Dulcey to the park. Even though you were the one who screwed up I was the one who felt the need to fix it.

Dulcey played in the sand box as I sat on a bench just close enough.

She liked the park, although you never took her. I loved my little girl. Sometimes I wondered why I stayed with you and then I remembered it had something to do with the picture perfect family image that you destroyed last night.

“Never seen you here before,” he broke my thoughts.

“Oh, um yeah… I work a lot.”

“A working mom I can respect that,” he smiled, “The names Leo.” He reached to shake my hand.

“Nice to meet you I’m Hannah,” I took his extended hand.

“So which one of these angels is yours?” his glance switched from me to the play ground.

“The one with the curly pigtails… Covered in sand,” we laughed… We…

“Mine is the little terror over there on the swings,” he pointed to an absolutely beautiful little boy.

“You’re wife must be proud,” I smiled.

“I wish,” he tried to chuckle, “She had him and left. Emily wasn’t exactly the maternal type if you get what I mean.”

“Ha,” I had an outburst, “I get what you mean.” I crossed my hands in my lap.

“Lesbian?”

“Ha ha. No, I wish,” I was beginning to realize just how in shambles my life was becoming, “Eric’s never been the paternal type.”

“Your husband?” he questioned without looking.

“No, Dulcey’s father and a royal pain in my a*s,” I realized what I’d just said, “Pardon my French.”

“Don’t worry about it. Besides Emily and I had gotten a divorce right after Tyler was born so don’t feel marked.”

“Oh, um Eric and I were never married. We were suppose to right after Dulcey was born but not only is he not the paternal type but he’s also not the committing type either.”

“Ouch,” he looked at me sympathetically, “You got one of those.”

We laughed again.

“I didn’t mean to offend you when I said husband it’s just that you’re wearing a set.”

“Yeah,” I looked pathetic now, “It’s Eric’s idea of meeting me half way on the marriage band wagon as he calls it.”

“Then you two are together?”

“If you count living in the same house for the sake of a beautiful little girl then yes. We are still together.”

“Sounds like quite a family life you’ve got yourself there,” he chuckled.

“My number one priority is Dulcey, and if I think that things are gonna be bad for her then no matter how much I may think I love Eric I’m gone.”

“Mommy,” Dulcey came running to me, “I ice cream, Mommy. I ice cream.”

“She knows what she wants,” he laughed.

“She gets that from her father,” I was hesitant to admit.

We cringed.

“Daddy I thirsty!” Tyler came running towards his father.

“Mind if Tyler and I join you?” He stood to take his son’s hand.

Reviews

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THAT. IS. SO. CUTE. ^^ I died in side. From happiness of course! You wrote that well; I love Leo already. He's awesome.

o.o but now im scared...what if Eric.. o.o... oh GAWD. shes in trouble, isnt she?!

ANYWAY, again i love the form and the voice is INCREDIBLE. and yeah. i love it. This just keeps getting better and better!!!!! (: