Ecstasy

Last Time

Dominic's POV🇯🇲;

"Can you please tell it again?" Stephanie asked me, hugging herself inside the sheets tightly. I looked at the storybook in hand of The Three Little Pigs, then later looking back down at my watch. It was already 9pm. Time was flying by so fast today and I felt so exhausted.

I rubbed my eyes, turning her bedside lamp back on. "Then you go sleep right?"

"Actually daddy", she said softly, looking around the room. "I miss Molly".

I faced her, her face innocent and confused as to where her Molly was. Today was Mollys burial, and because there was no one to babysit, Stephanie was there as well, but in the car. Even so, she knew why we were there and could see Molly being lowered down and out to rest. On our way back home she couldn't stop asking me questions on why we were putting Molly in the ground.

I just came up with the excuse that Molly was sleeping beauty and would wake up soon when Stephanie was old enough. After all, the lady did have blonde hair.

"I miss her too princess, everyone does", I held her hand for comfort. "But she's resting now. I'm sure she wouldn't want you to be all worried about her instead of sleeping too".

"And what about you daddy?"

"What about me?" I asked curiously.

"Will you go sleep too in the ground?"

Her question caught me off guard, wondering how I was supposed to respond. I scratched the back of my head, trying to think of a lie but not able to come up with any. Death, an inevitable truth. "Maybe. But not soon", I said honestly. Well not entirely true but close to it.

"Mommy too? I miss her", Stephanie looked up at me. For the past few days it had just been her and I home, not that I even went out much or had anyone to drive me. We did go for small strolls in the park, little father and daughter dates and more.

I was not there when Stephanie said her first word, or even when she took her first step but for the past week, I felt like I had made another best friend that was not Mike. Mike didn't even speak to me much these days either, too flabbergasted to process the fact that his cousin tried to kill my wife and killed her nanny.

I knew this phase he was in, one where he felt guilty and tried to hide from the world. It was a phase I was supposed to worry about yes, usually he became depressed. He gave his greatest apologies to Ashley and her family, even went as far as buying them three bottles of wine on his visit.

I called everyday to checkup on him though just to make sure he didn't blame himself much for it. He was a victim of David's cunning work too.

"I miss her too", I kissed her forehead. "Good night Princessa".

"Good night papa", she smiled back. I did not turn the lamp off, knowing that she preferred it that way when she slept.

I walked out of the bedroom, closing the door slowly as I watched her drift off. My bedroom was next to hers, in fact opposite. Her actual bedroom—that Ashley and I chose for our future child— was across the hall. Then her other bedroom for when she was a teenager was on the third floor, which was the highest.

But because of caution and everything going on, I needed her to be as close as possible and safe. Sometimes I even slept in her bedroom on the sofa if I felt like I needed to.

Remembering that I had a habit of waking up in the middle of the night for water, I decided to head downstairs to grab a bottle of water.

The house was dark, the only light coming from outside. After a few minutes, I found myself in the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing my bottle of water. As soon as the door closed, I saw a figure standing by the kitchen sink which I remembered not seeing earlier.