model call || h.s

83.

"I'm not even done my breakfast."

"Well, how about—just for today—you're both allowed to eat breakfast in your room." Her face lights up and she looks to her brother, who's equally happy to hear this news. "But you have to be careful not to get crumbs on the floor, we don't want ants, okay?" She jumps down, excitedly.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Rosie runs over to me, hugs me, then she and Peter scamper off, with their breakfast in hand. When they're out of earshot, I turn back to him.

"I know you're upset—"

"Am I not permitted that much?" I sigh, "Jesus..."

"Don't do that—don't turn on me like that."

"M'not. Just...you can't expect me to be over it, it doesn't work that way. It's not that easy, Nora."

"I'm not saying that you have to be over it! But, I don't want you to treat me like I don't know how you feel! You've said it to me, I'm going to say it right back...when you hurt, I feel it. I hated seeing you that way last night. I hated it."

"I understand that—"

"But the guilt that you feel...for me, Harry, it's anger. I am angry at her. I'm angry that she made you feel like it was your fault. I'm angry that she took her life for the reasons that she did. This is my family that she's affected—you are my husband, and I will stand by you, even when you don't want me to. I will fight for you, and I will defend you, and I don't want you to push me away." The gate buzzed and Harry pushed himself out of his chair and walked over to the speaker.

"Yeah?"

"Is this Harry?" He's frustrated.

"Yes, it is."

"This is Kimberly Goodwin. Evelyn's mother."

"Mrs. Goodwin, hi."

"May I come in?"

"Erm...yeah, I'll open up the gate." He presses the button and I stand up. "I'll be right back, okay? M'gonna go get a shirt on." I understand that this woman just lost her daughter, but I was prepared to go into full defensive wife mode, depending on the reasoning behind her visit. Harry was back down, just in time for the doorbell to ring. I followed my husband into the foyer and stood a few feet away as he opened the door. Kimberly walked in without an invitation, her face cold and passionless. You certainly wouldn't think that she'd just lost her daughter.

"Harry." She greets, her tone frigid.

"Kimberly, I'm...I'm sorry for your loss."

"Yes, well..." She shakes her head, as though she doesn't want to think about it. And who could blame her, really? "Yes. Thank you." An uncomfortable silence settles over us, before she speaks again. "I was told that you were given Evelyn's...the note that she left behind."

"The officer gave it to me last night, yeah."

"I'd like to have it." Harry nods.

"Of course, yeah—erm...let me go grab it." He brushes past me and I'm left alone with the stoic woman.

"And you are?"

"His wife."

"Ah, yes. My daughter mentioned you...the one he left her for, yes?" Before I could respond, Harry was walking back into the room.

"With all due respect, Kimberly, my wife has nothing to do with this." He hands her the folded, worn paper and steps back to my side. She opens up the note and her eyes skim each side.