You Have My Word

Chapter 27: Miss Daei

Matt came in silently.

"Hi, Babe," Catherine said softly.

"Hi, Honey," Matt sighed, kissing her cheek.

"How do you feel?" Cath frowned, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Same as yesterday."

"And how did you feel yesterday?"

"The same as the day we lost him," Matt mumbled, shoving his lunch in the fridge.

"I'm sorry, Hon," Catherine sighed. "I know this has been hard for you."

"Have you seen my laptop anywhere?"

"On the coffee table."

"Thank you," Matt said, briskly picking it up and heading toward their room.

"Love you too," Catherine mumbled sarcastically under her breath. "God, he drives me crazy sometimes."

"Lotte d-drives me craz-zy," Logan sighed from the doorway. "Is Daddy s-still s-s-sad?"

"I'm afraid so. Maybe send your sisters in. He's got a soft spot for them."

"I g-guess that makes us t-the o-outcasts."

"Something like that," Catherine chuckled.

—————

"Daddy!" Lizzy squealed, running into her parents' bedroom. "Daddy, come play."

"Not right now, Darling."

"But I want to cheer you up," Lizzy pouted.

"I know, baby. But I gotta do something important today."

"That's what you say every day," Lizzy frowned.

"Today's different," Matt said slowly. "I gotta say goodbye to something."

"Fine," Lizzy sighed, running off to play with her sister.

Matt grabbed a bouquet of roses from a nearby vase and wrapped them in some sackcloth. "I'll be back in about an hour, Cath."

"Mhm," Catherine hummed, not paying attention as she read a book.

Matt slipped out the door and made his way to the opera house. Slowly, he made his way down to the old apartment, only to find Amy reading Emma by Jane Austen on the couch.

"This crap is in a foreign language!" Amy mumbled, turning the book upside down.

"Amelia," Matt stammered, "what are you doing here?"

"I came here to wait for Daddy," Amy said casually, "like I do every day."

Matt leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Never lose that optimism, jelly bean."

Amy shut her book and set it beside her. "No one else thinks he's coming back...do they?"

Matt shook his head. "I'm afraid not, kid."

"That's alright," Amy said with a little sigh, taking Matt's hand. "I know he'll be back."

"I hope so, jelly bean," Matt sighed.

"Come in," Amy nodded, leading him to Josh's old apartment. "I'll show you."

"Show me what?"

"Me and Daddy's room we built."

Matt smiled sadly. "Alright."

Amy stood on her tippy toes and unlocked the door to the dark room before flipping a switch. A small city of cardboard revealed itself across the floor, a twinkling light in each window. An entire scale model of the city.