Blackbird

Your Daddy's Name Was Pain

I said I'd get to his story later well it's later now. Daniel Klein was once a god fearing man who loved his wife and child. He had warm eyes, a kind heart, and a cheerful smile for everyone. That's how he used to be until he noticed his wife start to drift, then he lost his way.It happened slowly at first then all at once. He noticed Teresa staying out late and he'd wait for her for hours. I'd get up in the middle of the night for water and he'd still be up waiting. I'd walk over to him to see if he was okay....he looked tired, oh so tired, but he'd just say

"I'm fine babygirl go on back to bed" he'd kiss my forehead, hand me my usual water then usher me back to my room.

Night after night it happened until he just snapped. It wasn't my need for a glass of water that brought me out of bed it was the loud commotion of him throwing things and flipping the furniture over. Like every night I walked over to him to see if he was okay. He turned to me with a almost empty bottle of alcohol in hand with a look of disgust in his eyes.

"Go to bed" he said.

"But the furniture-" I was cut off by the feeling of being slapped in the face. He hit me so hard I fell on the ground with tears in my eyes I backed away from him.

"Didn't I tell yo ass to go to bed, you don't listen...just like ya mama" he yelled. Sobbing I picked myself up off the floor and went back to bed. After that happened I never got out of bed at night anymore. No matter how much noise he made or how many times I'd hear him hit Teresa when she finally came home, I never got up. He died from heart failure while waiting for her to come home one night. I could've saved him if I had just came out of the room to call 911 but I was too afraid. I didn't want him to get angry and hit me again.

He was dead by the time an ambulance arrived and she blamed me. She blamed a scared child for the death of her alcoholic husband. Daniel was a good man at first but that's how it always starts out. She drove my father to that bottle but he should've been strong enough to fight it. It pains me to think about what I had and what I've lost. Tara was my light but in a world full of darkness there will be something that will snuff out the light.

"Rena" Ms. Eden called. I looked from the window and back to her. She's the psychiatrist they brought in for me to talk to. "What are you thinking about Rena" 

I stared at her silently before answering "Nothing" with a shrug.

"It seems to be something, you drifted off again" she stated. Don't get me wrong Ms. Eden isn't bad but I'd rather swallow glass shards than sit down and talk about my feelings with someone who couldn't even possibly relate to even a fraction of my life.

"I was thinking about how nothing will ever get better" I replied truthfully.

"Rena, we both know that's not true" she said her voice full of pity.

"Lady if you actually believe that then you haven't been listening to anything I've told you" I laughed humorlessly.