The Little Girl and The Man

Chapter Two

Months went by since the incident and as time went on, the worse the incident got. Through word of mouth, it went from him grabbing the poor little girl and threatening her to beating her in front of everyone to shoving her on the ground and nearly driving over her. The girl was quite embarrassed.

The school year did not get any better. The other little children realized that she was different from everyone. They started to ostracize her and eventually call her names like "poor girl" and "piggy". Even though these words do not seem harmful to you or me, these are nasty and horrid words to a poor, little kindergartner. These little children were bred by the society and consequently the names got worse.

School was no longer a place of wonder. It wasn't dazzling and bright like the first day of school. It was dirty and mean and reminded her of home.

After the first day of school, class and its teacher was her sanctuary. She loved to learn with the other children. She loved the praises she received from the teachers after she answered the question correctly. She felt equal and appreciated. 

From a distance a man stood in the shadows, watching the little girl. He saw what happened the first day of school and the next day and the day after that. He watched the little children start to exclude her from the little kiddy games. He felt something for that little girl. And not until later did he find out what it was.

Her daddy was supposed to pick her up from school. She waited and waited and minutes eventually turned to hours. It was getting cold and dark and she was afraid that something was wrong with her dad.

The little girl walked on the sidewalk. She knew her way home from the numerous times her dad had driven her to and from school. She was thinking about what could have happened to him and began to walk a bit faster.

Her thoughts became too much for the poor girl and she looked up towards the sky. It was the time of day where there was more moon than sun. She felt a little burn on the back of her neck and she touched that part and looked around. She sees a tall man. He has dark hair and dark hands which seemed darker because of the darkness that was slowly covering the world that she knew. He was looking down and softly kicking something with his foot. He was whistling a merry little song that made her want to dance.

The girl took a step or two toward the man, she felt a smile form on her lips. She realized that this was the first time she truly smiled in a long time. She also realized that the man stopped whistling and was looking at her, too. The girl remembered how her father would not even let her take the bus and how very displeased he would be if he knew she had talked to a stranger. If he is there when she gets home. Therefore, she spun around quickly and started walking home at the same pace she was walking before she had stopped.

After a while, she looked back to see if the man was still following her. He was. He didn't seem to be kicking something around anymore, he was just looking at her. She felt nervous but she did not feel that harm was in her way. It would only be if she did not get home soon. So she looked forward and ran the rest of the way home.

When the girl reached home, she didn't stop until she touched the door knob. She turned around, expecting the man to be there. Except he wasn't. She looked around but could not find him anywhere. She wondered where he could be for a while but then decided to deal with her missing dad situation.

She checked the doorknob to see if it was locked. But it wasn't. She turned the knob and opened the door. The curtains were covering the windows, the lights were off, and she could not see anyone.

She noticed that there were noises coming from the living room. Two of them, in fact. She turned the corner and she saw a man staring at the TV. Next to him on the table was a microwavable meal, a couple of stubs that were once fresh cigarettes, a dented beer can, a needle, and a strap of rubber. It was her father. She felt so relieved that he was safe and sound. Then she remembered her traveling in the dark with the man waking behind her for how long. Something rose inside of her until she couldn't hold back. "Why didn't you pick me up?" He said nothing. He just remained staring at the television. "Why didn't you pick me up?" The little girl repeated.

She immediately regretted her asking that question. She realized that her father had heard her but was just choosing not to answer. He slowly lifted his gaze from the TV and eventually his eyes locked with hers. He stared at her for a minute, opening and closing his mouth a couple of times before responding. He looked like a fish out of water, breathing hard and looking tired. "You are late." He finally said.

"You didn't pick me up. I waited for you. You didn't pick me up and it was getting dark out so I had to walk home but this --"

"You are late. Now you're gonna get it." He said and stood up.

    

The man stood behind the trees. He wonder if he seemed suspicious to the little girl. He thought back to his wife...

"You are always gone." She had said

"I know." He said.

"I know something is up."

"Nothing is up, sweetheart. I have just been going for walks. You know my health. Don't you worry. Everything is fine."

"No. Everything is not fine. You leave before I come home and you don't come back until it is well dark and dinner is long cold. I can't handle living life with a man who isn't even there."

"Take it easy, Hun."

"What is it now? A girl? A man? I have heard of teachers having affairs with their students. Is it a student?"

"Do you know what? It is a student. When I first saw her, something clicked. That's when I knew."

"Knew what?!" She said standing up, face reddening.

"Knew that I needed tiny little feet patting down the hallway and giggles of pure joy. I need a kid, Marcy. I want your kid."

She stood there, still. Her red face was melting to white. Her eyes were not looking at him or anywhere, it seemed. Maybe an invisible force that she could just get a glimpse of. "Marcy?"

"What? Oh, yes. "

"Yes, you'll have a baby with me?"

"No."

"What? Why? I thought that's what we wanted."

"That was what we wanted. But do you know what I want now?"

"No, I do not. What do you what? Just name it."

"I want a divorce."

He knew he blew it. He prayed for another chance but he knows it won't happen. It never happens. He's prayed and prayed before but it never worked.

He crouched down, hand over his closed eyes. He felt the tears come to his eyes but he forbid them to leave. They were the same tears that appeared as he saw her walk out that door, the same tears that come to him every time he thought of her.

All he wanted was to become a daddy. She was his only hope of becoming a father and he lost her.

     

"So what happen this time?" Asked the principle to the little girl.

"I fell." She replied.

"We'll tell me this: how does falling get you a black eye?" Said the principle not believing the girl's story for the billionth time this year. But the girl just shrugged her shoulders. "Well, if there is anything you want to tell me or if you need anything, you can talk to me, ok?" She said exasperated.

"Ok." She said meekly and mechanically got up and left the office just like she had done time and time again.

She had done it. Did what her father told her to do. He told her to say that she fell if anyone asked. He made it especially clear not to say any more than that. He didn't know that every time he left a mark, she went to the principal's office. Daddy wouldn't have been happy. So she kept quiet. And hoped he wouldn't find out.