The Little Girl and The Man

Chapter Four

Walking into another all-white room, she couldn't find her daddy. She looks up at Annie curiously, as if her eyes were asking "where is he?" She pulls back the curtain and there is her dad- wrapped up in more chords than she was.

"Thank you!" Says the little girl.

"Of course!" She replies and fives her a big, warm hug.

The girl was confused by this for a moment. Why are her arms around me? Then she realized that it was something called a hug. She does not remember ever getting one before. Then she puts her arms around Annie to try to make the joyous warmth last forever.

Her daddy never really gave her any hugs. That last hug she remembered getting from him was when she was a few years ago after she scrapped her knee so badly that blood was gushing out. Her dad mentioned something about stitches and she wondered what they were. After he bandaged her up, he asked her why she was running like a lunatic. She replied: "I wanted to give you a hug because I love you!" A look came into his eyes that she did not remember seeing before and never saw again and he gave her a hug that's she would never forget.

"Oh! Daddy!" She pulls from the hug and focuses her attention on her father. He was pale. His eyes opened slowly.

"Oh hi sweetie... What are you doing in here? Aren't you supposed to be in your room?"

"I'm better! I hope you get better, too."

"Yeah, thanks."

Then a doctor whispers into Annie's ear something inaudible.

"Let's go see the toys. We have stuffed animals, blocks, T.V...."

"But I want to stay here with my daddy!" She whimpered. The nurse gave a look at the doctor.

"Honey, your daddy needs some time alone. He's got very important things to deal with."

"Like what? More important than spending time with his daughter?"

"It's not that-"

"God damnit! I don't want you in here! Go play with those toys!" Exclaims her father, annoyed. 

She looks at the doctor, then to Annie, then to her father. She could tell that it was not anger in his eyes. It was something else. She did not understand. She was confused. Tears came streaming down her face. She did not want her father to see so she ran out of the room.

"Wait!" Cried Annie as she soon ran afterward.

Every once in a while, on his wall, he would divert from his usual path and head towards her house. He would try to peer through the windows. Nothing but darkness. He would sometimes go through into the back and try and look to see if she was there- she never was. But he would occasionally look through the glass door and see objects on the ground. He would not believe what he saw. He would look many times. But would not believe.

One day, he felt it was time. He looked through the regular windows then went into the back but went straight to the glass door. He made himself look at the ground. There they were, the things he dreaded most for that little girl, the things sins are made out of: rubber bands, needles, blood. His eyes grow wide from the realization of the hell she was living in. He stumbled back. Once he got his balance, a voice came through to him.

"Hey! Hey, you!"

He looks around and sees an elderly lady screaming at him from her garden.

"What are you doing there? Get out of there before I call the police, young man!"

He speeds off running back home; forgetting all about his daily path.

Annie leads the girl to the toy room. It was pretty empty. "Hey, hey... it is going to be okay. It really is! He didn't mean it, sweetheart. He is just stressed. He is going to get some bad news. They didn't want you to be there when he receives it. That's all. You can see your daddy then. I'm sure he will be glad to see you then. I'm sure of it. He is just under some pressure. Come here beautiful!" She opens her arms wide to give the sniffling, little girl a big hug. The girl hugs her back and she feels a lot better. She wants to talk to Annie.

"I know he wasn't mad. I saw it in his eyes. But 'under pressure' sounds right. I hope he is okay. What is wrong with him?"

"I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news, sweetie. But under the circumstances, I think it may be best to tell you myself." Just then her walky-talky creates static and a faint voice comes in. After the voice draws out, Annie answers softly that she is in the middle of something important and that she can't do it right now and to find a closer nurse. She then attaches the walky-talky back onto her side and continues.

"While analyzing your father's bloodwork to see what caused his- what we know now is called a heart attack- we found large amounts of illegal substances. We notified the police, they got a search warrant and just yesterday they searched your house. They are arresting your father, dear. I am so sorry. I know how much he means to you."

The girl just starred wide-eyed. A lot of big words in a sad voice. It didn't sound good. "Heart attack? Substances? Arrest..."

"Oh I'm sorry sweetie, you are just so mature I forgot how young you are. A heart attack is when someone's heart stops. But your daddy is lucky because he survived. Substances are, well, in this case: things he used to make him feel better. They are often times called 'drugs.' People will offer them to you but do NOT take them up on it. You will keep wanting more and more and bad things will happen. What happened to your father is just one of the many effects of drug use. And yes, your daddy is going to be arrested. As soon as they make sure he is well, they are going to take him away for a little while. Someone will come to watch you while he is away. But don't worry, they will take great care of you!"

"Oh okay." She did not want anyone else to take care of her. She wanted daddy. But she understood that he had to go away for a while to get better. So she nodded her head and waited anxiously to meet her new temporary guardian.