Darkness: The Life Beyond

Chapter. 9

"Hey, dad," one of the kids said who had their mother's phone.

"How are you doing?" Philip responded.

"Good, what are you doing?" His son asked.

"Oh, nothing I'm just out eating with a young sport I met," Philip said.

"Where's your mother? Put her on the phone for me," Philip asked then his son went to get his mom.

"Hello?" The mom asked.

"Hey, baby it's me, Philip."

"What are you doing and how are you?" The mother asked.

"I'm doing great, I'm just here eating out with this knucklehead I met the other week."

"That's nice," the mother added on.

"Hey! Are you coming down for Christmas this year?" The mom asked.

"Of course, I'll make it," Philip responded in joy since he thought he wasn't invited.

"May I speak to my daughter?" Philip asked the mother and that's what she went to do.

"Hey daddy's little girl, how are you?"

Since Philip was taking a minute I plugged in my headphones and began listening to music whilst I'm sinking inside of my hoodie.

Whenever I sit alone my brain starts to go out on a limb and think about everything I could've done differently in life, and the nostalgia about the old times, you never miss the good things about the past until it's just that, the past; all good things come to an end, and at the end of the day all we have is ourselves.

Ruminating about all my life choices began to make a tear fall down my face.

"Hey, daddy!" The little girl said in utter enjoyment.

"I missed you!" She said,

"You holding up okay? I'll be over there on the upcoming holiday," Philip responded.

"Yes I'm doing well," his daughter replied, "How about you? Are you doing fine?" Ophelia asked him.

"Well of course I am sweetheart."

"I missed you, did you know I'm valedictorian? And I'm doing volleyball now," Ophelia Nelly Ozanne said.

"Are you now? I'm so proud of you," Philip said.

"Thanks, dad, when are you visiting us again?" Ophelia asked.

"I'll be down during Christmas, can't wait to hear about your volleyball games, are any of your other siblings in sports?" Philip asked.

"Isla plays soccer and is about to sign up for the school play, she does acting, Amine is salutatorian and is on the basketball team, he also plays football," Ophelia said.

"Wow man, y'all are growing up on me, tell your siblings that they're doing a great job and I'm proud of them," Philip said.

"I will, how about you? Are you doing better these days?" she questioned.

"Yes, I'm in a much better place than I was, I'm even helping a boy who's in a dark place right now similar to how I was," Philip said.

"What's his name?"

"Jordan Storm Montana," Philip said.

After about ten more minutes of talking, Philip said his goodbyes and came back and sat down to finish our talk.

I took out my headphones and put them in my pocket, turning off my music.

"Jordan," Philip said while taking another sip of water.

"What's your favorite song right now?" Philip asked me.

"Either love yours by J Cole or the lazy song by Bruno Mars or one man can save the world by Big Sean and or Lil Wayne let it all work out and London roads," I said in response.

"Interesting," Philip said.

"Why are those your favorite songs?" He asked me.

"I like those songs because that's what I listen to when I need uplifting, I relate to those songs, and when feeling down I listen to them as comfort songs," I said.

"That's good you chose music for those reasons," Philip said.

"Jordan, I get it you're feeling isolated, sad, confused, mixed emotions, and all the bad stuff."

"You're on the bad side of the coin and you're looking for a way out, a chance to get away from it all." Philip said as I nodded in agreement.

"You're going to be here for the rest of your life with these conditions and you should at least live the best you can, not for me, your siblings, or anyone else except for yourself, alright?" Philip said.

"Alright, but not everyone has a happy ending," I said.

"You know you kind of remind me of myself when I was a kid," Philip said; to that I let out a small laugh.

"Why's that?" I asked.

"Well I had the same living experience as you kind of, I was a good kid but wronged by my parents."

"Just like you, underneath all those thick layers of nonchalant, blasé, stuck up, impertinent attitude."

I let out another miniature laugh.

"It's good to see you smiling. You should do it more often."

I looked at Philip with a smiley face.

"Alright pack it up airhead I'm taking you home," Philip said.

We left the store and got into the car listening to soft music riding in the snow on our way to drop me off at my house.