Allen Paige never meant to lie when he said that he would only be away for ten minutes. He never meant to be dishonest when he hugged his two little beautiful girls at the door step, clutching at handfuls of their hair with his palms. It had felt soft, like silk in his hands. He could smell the conditioner in their hair. Their hair smelled like roses in spring time. Allen had felt the setting sun upon his back as he knelt down hugging his two young daughters. It comforted him, made him feel like the divorce was just a fragment of his wild imagination and him and Sally were still very much in love.
He let go, realizing that he held on for much too long, it wasn't like he was going away forever. Only for ten minutes he had said as his back popped like a toy pistol as he drew himself up to his full stature. His gaze settled back upon his daughters, his face softened. They were both clad in matching red uniforms with the button up buttons on the sides. Allen took note that one pocket was undone. Each had a little blue ribbon that imitated the color of the sky. They in turn looked up at him, their features were strikingly like their mothers. Big river pebble black eyes, cheeks that were supple and soft with a hint of rosy red and above all blond hair that shined brighter than any star could ever hope to achieve.
Allen looked away, ashamed that he couldn't see himself in his two little girls.
"Dad?" His daughters inquired in uncanny unison. Allen smiled and looked back at them, his V-Neck sweater was itchy and he scratched at his collar at the same time. The girls continued to look up at him with undying innocence, waiting for his reply. "Yes what is it honey?" Allen said smiling radiantly down at them.
His two daughters exchanged bashful glances at each other and giggled like only children can. One reached into her unbuttoned pocket and brought out a pink envelope beautifully embroiled with pink petals. His daughter shyly held it up for him to take it. He did, he felt the texture of the petals on his finger tips. They were real.
Allen began to tear off the envelope when a small hand grabbed his pant leg. "No daddy, read it when you get back."
"Okay darling, I shall." And with that he patted each of his girls heads and turned down the sidewalk down toward his car. He called after them, "I'll only be ten minutes."
His daughters waved as he drove past in his outrageously big shiny blue Ford that twinkled like a polished jewel. As he sped up he looked back in his rear view mirror. A half smile was upon his face, they were still waving on their tip toes. The time was 5.45 PM.
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Allen Paige parked his car and killed the engine. He could hear the tick of his eight cylinder engine as it begins to cool down. He walked up the foot path, minding the jagged edge of cement by sheer instinct. He rounded the corner to his front door. His eyes still adjusting to the dark. The time was 10.25 PM. Allen stopped abruptly as if their was an invisible barrier that he alone could see. The front door was open and the hinge creaked solemnly in the brisk wind that blew. His heart began to hammer in his chest like an actual hummingbird was trapped inside his chest.
He took a cautious step forward, then another. He was slacked jawed, his eyes were rolling around in his sockets. He felt dizzy, he didn't know if that was the alcohol or the sheer surprise on finding the door wide open. He closed the door behind him, he flinched as it made an haunting clink as it swung into it's rightful place. His throat was dry, like he had tried to consume dry sand. He tried to call out, but was unable. All that issued from his mouth was a dry rasp that was barely audible. He entered the kitchen, he felt like a robber in his own house as he fumbled around in the dark. He dared not flick the switch. He absorbed the darkness like it was a cloak, a veil of security.
His foot steps echoed down the hall way, everything was still. Like the world as a collective whole had paused to view this moment. Allen stopped, the only sound was his thumping heart. He had reached the room in which his two daughter shared when they stay over at his place. Something caught his eye in the moonlight, it twinkled eerily. Upon the door knob was a blue ribbon. Allen felt as if a bucket of icy water had been poured over him. At the back of his mind he wanted to be far away, far away from this place. He wanted to be back in the bed with the woman he had met at the bar. But even that thought was distant and insignificant.
He drew in a raspy breath, and clutched the brass door knob. It was cold, it felt similar to the icy glasses of the bar. He twisted the door knob and pushed. The room was dark and Allen had to squint to see, ironically, what he didn't want to see. His two little beautiful girls lay slumped together. He moved closer, hoping that they were only sleeping. He sat on the bed, it squeaked as he anticipated it would. Allen placed comforting hand upon his daughters. "Honey muffins," he whispered. There was no answer. He carefully rolled them over. Their eyes were open, his heart skipped a beat. He began to smile, but their once vibrant eyes rolled listlessly back in their sockets until their was only the whites visible in the cruel moonlight. Allen placed a hand around them and with the other began to caress their cheeks, whispering to them. Rocking them back and forth.
He bent his head down, he could still smell the faint aroma of their conditioner. He nuzzled his his nose into their hair, trying to take in their scent. Something wet and warm met his nose. He jerked up, the tears were like streams running down his cheeks. He felt the sticky substance upon his nose. It was slightly congealed blood. He turned back to his life-less daughters, truly taking in the scene. They wore their pajamas and their favorite book lay opened on the side of the bed. Their once dazzling blond hair was thickly matted with blood and a small stream of blood had trickled down one the girls eyelids and cheek. It looked like a tear. Choking back heavy sobs, Allen reached into his pocket for his handkerchiefs. He stopped, his hand wrapped around the pink envelope. With shaky hands he drew it out and ripped it open. His hear melted and another long moan erupted from his mouth. Their was a picture, a child's drawing of two stick figures holding hands. In child like scrawl were the names Mummy and Daddy.
Their was more like child like scrawl below:
"Dear Daddy, we hope that you get better soon and we wish that things could back to normal .With you and Mummy, we can live in a big pink house like Barbie does and we can own little ponies that we can ride too. But I wish their was no deevorce in the world. We love you Daddy forever and ever.
"I love you too, my two little beautiful girls." Allen whispered. The tears fell like rain upon the letter.
