Valentine's Diner

Chapter 32 - November 29th, 2001

'Paul? Have you seen the mail?' Thomas asks carrying Ophelia on his arm, searching every corner of the apartment. 'I'm holding it,' Paul smiles. 'Oh, thank God, I thought I lost it,' Thomas says and kisses Paul on the cheek, taking the mail out of his hand. 'Well, I wish we could loose the bills,' Paul jokes and takes Ophelia over from Thomas.

'She hasn't written me back,' Thomas sighs. 'Maybe it takes a really long time for a letter to go and come back from Greece? Or it got lost?' Paul suggests and puts Ophelia on the couch with a toy. 'Or she just doesn't want to answer,' Thomas sighs and puts the mail on the kitchen counter. 'Also, still no word form Lucinda. Doesn't she understand that her daughter misses her?' Thomas says in frustration.

Then the phone rings. Thomas picks up taking Paul's hand. 'Thomas Hanlin.' When the other person on the phone starts to speak, Thomas's face turns white. All the life is sucked out of him. Paul quickly grabs a chair and gently helps Thomas to sit as he listens to the other person. 'Dada?' Ophelia asks confused.

Paul looks at the little girl. 'Hey, O, why don't you go play with in your room? You can have a tea party with your stuffed animals?' The little girls nods and climbs out of the couch. She runs to her room in excitement. Thomas hangs up the phone. 'Tom?' Paul gently asks. 'What's wrong? Is it Sookie?' 'No... no.' 'Tom, then what is it?' Paul asks and takes Thomas's hands in his.

'Lucinda and her husband were in a car crash in Switzerland,' Tom says. 'Oh no!' Paul gasps. 'Are they okay?' Thomas starts crying. 'No, Lucinda died. Ophelia's mom died. One of their friends confirmed,' Thomas cries. 'No...,' Paul sighs in pain and hugs Tom. 'What about her husband?' Paul asks after a while. 'In a critical state in the hospital,' Tom sighs.

Before Lucinda got married, she was the best mom to Ophelia. Thomas always hoped that she would be that mom again. 'I have full custody, Lucinda's parents don't want anything to do with O or me,' Thomas eventually says. It's silent for a moment. They hear Ophelia giggle in her room. 'How do I tell her? How do I tell her, Paul?' Thomas asks desperate. 'We'll tell her together,' Paul says and kisses Thomas hand.

Paul and Thomas get up and join Ophelia's tea party. 'Dada, do you want some tea?' Ophelia asks with an fancy accent. 'I would love some, Lady Ophelia,' Thomas says. 'Do you want some tea, Papa?' Ophelia asks Paul. 'Yes, I would love some tea,' Paul says and takes Thomas's hand. Ophelia serves the imaginable tea to them and takes a seat.

'Ophelia, do you remember when that bird flew into Granny's window?' Thomas asks his daughter. 'Yes, and they went to a special place for birds,' Ophelia smiles. 'Yes, yes, indeed. Did you know people can also go to a special place?' Paul says. 'Can turtles also go there?' Ophelia asks. She must know if her favourite animal can go to the special place. 'Yes,' Thomas says, holding back his tears. 'Then people can too,' Ophelia smiles.

Paul and Thomas share a look. 'Honey, mommy went to the special place,' Thomas gently says. 'No, Mommy is on a holiday, she told me she would come and get me when she is back,' Ophelia says and feeds her teddybear an imaginary scone. 'Ophelia, Mommy isn't coming back. She went to the special place where the bird went,' Paul says.

Ophelia looks at them confused. 'But we buried the bird? Did you bury Mommy too?' It's silent for a while. 'They probably will bury her soon,' Paul says while Thomas starts crying. 'Daddy, why are you crying?' Ophelia asks and hugs her father. 'Because Mommy is at the special place and not coming back, Ophelia,' Thomas says and holds his daughter close. 'I'm glad Mommy is at the special place. My friend Owen says the people at the special place are happy.'