RED LINE [3]

11:00

Madeline Scott:

Chapter warning: MATURE TOPICS DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT. 

The headache that was forming was only worsening as I looked at the computer screen in front of me – Charlie was running around none stop, the TV replaying an old episode of Miss Rachel, one that I could recite word for word of, also not helping with the headache.

The afternoon light was floating through the open doors of the panel room, the spring sun casting shadows on Charlie's doll house.

Since she was born, we had transformed the panel room in my fathers house to be her play room, the wall paper and furniture still the same, the same oak smell lingered in the air throughout, but the coloured toys and books brought the house back to life, something I hadn't seen in a while.

She was giggling to herself, running past me once again now clutching onto another teddy.

"Charlie can you be careful please, I have a hot drink on the coffee table," I called out to her, looking at the hot cup of coffee that dangerously sat too close to the edge for my liking with a toddler having an energy serge around it.

"When is Gee coming over next?" she halted in front of me.

Gee, George.

I blink back at her, thinking for an excuse to not have to invite George over to my house, not after the weekend.

"Erm, he's at his home with Sarah and his girls, maybe we can go and see them another time?" I suggested to her – her little shoulders drop, the hair she had been growing out for the past few years now curling at the bottom of her shoulders, little rays of light reflected through the brassy ends that were starting to turn brown now she was getting slightly older.

A picture of myself when I was younger, stood beside my dad, was propped up against the mantle piece slightly past her head – she looked like a spitting image of me, with almost the same clothes.

I was smiling from ear to ear, ice cream smudged around my face was I waved to the camera; I didn't recall who was the one to take the picture, who I was waving at which only saddened me as I looked back at Charlie with softer, gentler eyes.

"Maybe we can go over tomorrow afternoon, let me finish my work and we'll call him?"

Her face lighting up was the sole reason I agreed to go, the excitement that shined in her eyes at the mere mention of George's name was enough to break the ice around my heart – no amount of tension would keep me from making her happy, even if it did mean I was to put myself in an awkward position.

Walking through the house my father used to spend his time in, I find myself lingering at the photo frames a little longer than usual – the pictures of my wedding day, Archie stood beside me, teary eyed as we exchanged vows.

For better or for worse, what a lie.

I hadn't removed them, not knowing how to explain to Charlie we were no longer together, keeping up the act that her dad was away on a business trips and too busy to come home on the weekends – how was I supposed to shatter my little girl's world like that?

The front door knocked, grabbing me from the memories of my wedding day.

I was on the other side of the house, but the sound of a bellowing knock was unmissable, four more came by the time I was shuffling down the kitchen hallway towards the front door, my feet kicking underneath me.