MONACHOPSIS

Chapter 5: The Patio Chronicles

"This is wrong," Bacchus mutters, his voice carrying both astonishment and consternation.

He looks around, feeling the earth beneath his feet, the mortal air in his lungs. It's a sensation wholly unfamiliar to a god of his stature.

"I shouldn't be here."Bacchus' presence here is a deviation from the cosmic order, an anomaly that has never before graced the gods' existence.

He mutters his disbelief again, his words dissolving into the atmosphere of the mortal realm.

The home is filled with 90's chic decor and ancestral pieces passed down from the proud lineage of the family.  There is old Asian decor mixed in with island or Caribbean coconut shells with hand-carved drawings. And wine. Lots of it. Bacchus wonders how this family from different backgrounds found each other. The living room bears the marks of two active children. Chargers spill out from the TV stand and there are trinkets and toys that found hiding spots in the corners.

Then Bacchus notices the little girl. A mushroom round bob shields her face and she's looking at her toys. Where's her mother? The mother must be the one who sent in this prayer.

The girl tries to stand with her chubby legs barely holding her up, she starts to run a little run into the kitchen, and that's when Bacchus sees the messenger. Her mother has darker features, with a slim figure and dark long hair, he wonders if she will pray for another.

But the little girl starts to whisper to herself.

""God? Is my daddy coming home today?" I think out loud sometimes, I can't help it.

I'm six, I count my fingers just to check. My mommy says I cry a lot. I can't help it,  I don't like to get hurt. And I don't like to be scared. Or when people are mean. Do you cry when people are mean to you, God?  I can see my mommy is in the kitchen, she's so tall. I like to wrap my legs around her sometimes, so she can stay and play. Do you like to play? Does your daddy take a long time to get home too?

He's coming home today, that's what mommy said. Sometimes I think he's coming home, but it's just my grandpa. He's tall too and he has no hair and big ears. His name is Abu, it's short for Abuelo!

I can hear the car door slam from outside the house. He's here, it has to be him, I get up from my spot in the kitchen and wait by the front door. Yoko is here too, God! She is big and fluffy, she even lets me pull on her tail. I miss my daddy, I like when he picks me up in the air. I go so high up that I feel like I'm flying. Or when I stand on his shoulders in the pool and then he throws me in.

I hear the door start to open and I can't help but move my feet. I do a little dance. I'm so excited to see him, I can't believe he's here. I see his hands first, and then his smile, and then his eyes. He's happy and he's home.

"Pick me up! Pick me up!" I yelled.

" Ahh ciao mikibean!" Daddy says to me and then he picks me up and I'm up so high. I play with his face, his chin is itchy but not itchy itchy. He kisses my cheek and I can't help but giggle. He makes me so happy. And he smells good. He smells like home.

Daddy gives Mommy a kiss on the cheek too.

I want to go where he goes, I take my polly pocket with me and go to the patio. I see him sitting in his chair, and that smelly stick in his mouth. This cloud comes out of his mouth like he's a dragon! I love the smell because it smells like him. Daddy is talking on his phone, but I'm six and I don't really understand him when he doesn't speak English. Daddy calls it Italian, it's where Nonna and Nonna are from.

I bring my polly pocket over to him to see if he wants to play. Polly has a little purse and her best friend is Shani. Daddy is my best friend. I put Polly on his shoulder so she can be high up too.

"Miki, basta, sit down please, the smoke is no good for you," Daddy says.

I can feel the sadness coming, I don't like his voice when he talks like he sounds serious. And mean. But I sit, I want to play with Polly, maybe I should get Shani for him.

When he is done talking he puts his phone down on the table and I try to reach for it, but I remember daddy doesn't like it when I press all the buttons. I want my own one day, so I can press all the buttons I want. 
       Daddy  moves in his chair, the clouds making odd shapes when they leave his mouth and I think he asks me something but, I can only think of the clouds. 

Daddy asks again " Picolinna, how was your day?" I twist in my seat to look at his eyes, they look like mine, but his brown is lighter than my brown. My eyes are dark brown but my hair is light like daddy's.

"Gooood, I had a good day with Lela, and Yoko!" I said while I brought my knees to my chest and picked a bit at my toes. Lela is my mommy's mommy, her name is short for Abuela.

Yoko lets out a bark in the distance as she runs along the fence in hopes of chasing a car down one day.

"Sit up properly Miki, please" Daddy shook his head. I stick my tongue out and stomp my feet on the floor. He sticks his tongue out too. He takes his glass and sips from it, it looks like water but sorta of yellow. And there's ice in it, I want to ask him to try but I'm scared.

I'm six and my face is filled with words I don't know yet. I try anyway and daddy lets me talk about playing outside with Yoko, we dug up dirt today and watched caterpillars! I told Yoko not to eat any but I think she snuck one in her mouth.

She's a good dog, she didn't mean it, God, I promise."