The Little Girl and The Man

Chapter Three

The man's wife went to life with her sister in Los Angeles. Once a man of an alcoholic vice, cured by his ex when they were dating, had helped him. That's when he knew he wanted to be with her the rest of his life; she was there to help him in his time of need. He wanted to be there for her to, when she needed him.

He needed a drink, but decided to go for a walk, instead. From the group therapy sessions, he knew that one cannot become totally free from addiction. So he figured a walk would help him release his anger and tension instead of relying on the liquor to drink down until he passes out. Although, the warm drink would be better, in his opinion. As he always does every day on his walks.

On his walks, he tries to think of what to do in the upcoming months: try to get his wife back or learn to live without her, as hard as it would be.

Nothing.

He can't imagine life without her. However, he wants her to be happy. Also, he cannot think of any other way to get her back. He did everything he could think of. But nothing worked.

Maybe he should let her go...

"Daddy?"

"Ugh" he said under his breath as he took his cigarette out of his mouth. "What?" He says to her with a rather prickly tone. They were driving home from school the day of the principal's interrogation of the girl. The little girl was worried that the principal might do something to tear her away from her daddy so she wanted to let him know about the principle.

"Well...I-"

"Well... You WHAT? I don't got all day you know!"

"Yes Daddy... I was at the principal's again today and-"

"What you do now?" He asked exasperated. "You know what? You probably were too annoying to your teacher, Miss... What's-her-name? Whatever. You probably annoyed her like you do to me and got fed up and sent you to the principal. Too bad I can't get rid of you like that... When you annoy me. I only got the belt. I'll just get that out when we get home. Are you expelled? What did she say?"

"I wasn't in trouble. The principal questioned me about my eye again... Daddy, I don't believe she believes me."

"Well whose fault is that? You're a horrible little liar. But I guess that's not completely your fault... You're only 5.

Well if she has a problem with what you tell her, she has my number and we'll talk."

Quietly he says "and maybe take her out for dinner, heh!" And chuckles.

"Daddy?"

"What!"

"Where's Mommy?"

"Shut up!"

The little girl sniffles and chokes out an okay.

"We don't talk about her." He whispers.

Ugh... Where am I and why does my back hurt?

With blurred vision he sits up on a bright Saturday morning. He hears noises. What's going on... He looks around, gaining back his vision. His eyes follow a line of beer bottles to the television. "Damn! Left it on again." He gets up from the couch in his living room and goes across the room to turn it off. "Ugh." It's the news. He hates the news it's always so dreary.

"Last night a four year old boy was taken-" says the news reporter before the man turns the T.V. off. The he walks into the kitchen to get a glass of water, places it on the island, then goes to the bathroom. "Hmm..." He mutters. "Aspirins... aspirins... aspirins... Ha! Here you are you little bastards! You get rid of headache now." He walks back to the kitchen and takes a couple and falls into his chair and closes his eyes. And there he stayed for twenty minutes.