Beginning Anew

Bonus Chapter: A Normal day

Barbara Lake had no reason not to consider herself lucky. Her life, even with its ups and downs and long stretches of rough waters, was happy, and all that joy overshadowed even the hardest of times.

She was mother to three. Her oldest son arrived when she was much younger, barely able to raise him. It didn't help when his father left to be with another woman. Her other two children came much later – perhaps a bit too late, depending on who you asked – but the man she was with now loved her and all three children more than anything, and he did his best to help support their family.
As Barbara rinsed another plate, she looked out the back kitchen window. Her two younger children chased each other around the yard. Emil was already ten, and Valerie eight. They shared her and her husband's slight frame, but the siblings had more energy than both their parents combined.
She glanced at the clock above the refrigerator. Five twenty-two. Barbara set the plate in the drying rack and strained to see the back gate, hidden by the corner of the house. She turned off the faucet.

There he was. At exactly five twenty-seven, the gate clicked open and a gray-haired gentleman appeared. He dropped his briefcase in the grass as both children raced to him and threw glad arms around his neck as he knelt to receive them.

"Dad!" they cried in unison.

The almost-daily occurrence always made Barbara smile.

To look at him, most people wouldn't guess Walter Strickler had such a carefree side, but Barbara knew how much her husband enjoyed his time with their children, and they loved it too. Emil's – and Valerie's – favorite game was trying to win against their father in a play fight, and he always indulged them – though they seldom won. Even with all their tricks and clever plans, they couldn't beat him. Walter always applauded their efforts and offered encouragement.

How Walter kept such a pace was a mystery to her. Even with a full-time job, tutoring sessions with high school students, house work and cooking and cleaning, he still made it a priority to spend time with his son and daughter.

Outside, Emil and Valerie tried to flank Walter – a strategy she watched them practice several times today.

Walter looked from one child to the other and stepped out of the way just as the pair lunged for him. Instead of catching their father, the brother and sister bumped straight into each other. Walter chuckled.

Undeterred, Valerie launched at Walter's leg and caught him just as he tried to take another step. He toppled over into the grass and both children swarmed him with triumphant shouts and uproarious laughter, which Walter gladly joined.

Emil shot a glance over at the window and saw Barbara watching them. He waved to her, and she chuckled at the scene.

Once the game was over, Walter came through the back door and dropped his retrieved briefcase in the corner as Emil and Valerie followed him inside, still laughing.

"All right," Walter said. "Do either of you have homework you need to finish?"

"No, Dad. I already did mine," Emil boasted.

Valerie hesitated. "I... erh..."

"You haven't finished your math? Bring it to the living room, and we'll look at it," Walter instructed.

"Okay," Valerie replied.

Walter headed to the living room, and Barbara followed him. She came in just in time to see her husband sprawl across the couch, exhausted.

"Hello, sweetheart." Barbara went over to him and offered her most loving smile. "Welcome home."

"Hello, Barbara." Walter smiled back as his eyes drooped.