"Mrs.Winston," a guard said, and I turned towards him.
"Yes?"
"A phone call for you."
I grab it from his hand, "Hello?"
A grunting sound made its appearance. "Mio cuore," Anthony sounds like he's in pain.
My chest squeezes tightly, and I tremble, hearing gunshots ringing in the background. "Anthony, what's wrong?"
"My wife, I don't think I am coming home today."
I squeeze on Clark's hand, causing him to whimper lightly. "W-What do you mean-"
"I'm sorry."
Blank.
A blanket of emotional darkness motioned around me, a black sea. A sea that stops moving and producing sounds; intact senses that somehow feel useless.
That's how I feel.
Anthony had been missing for fifteen days, three hours, twenty-eight minutes, and thirty...one...two...three...four.
When my parents passed the pain coursed in the back of my mind like a pulse, everlasting, no relief. Now, it pushes itself forward, demanding undivided attention. Each time I try to ignore it, a squeeze inside my heart appears. Every breath I take; gets more laborious than the last.
"Ann," I look up to see Lily. Steadily, she stalks towards me with the blanket wrapped over her shoulders. She places a hand on top of mine, "Let's go to sleep."
I look back at the scenery, dawn slowly approaching us. "He-" my hands wrapped tightly around one another, feeling the tension inside my chest. "He didn't come back last night, either."
Lily curl her arms around my head, bringing it towards her chest. I continue staring at the sunrise, a breathtaking scene. One I had witnessed for the past fifteen days. It never changes.
Settling myself at the dining table, the day continues motioning. Everyone pretends everything is okay. In reality, anything can collapse any second like a needle pinching against a balloon.
"When is Big Bwother coming home?" Clark asks as he drowns his pancakes in syrup.
"Yeah! I want to show him my awesome new sword skills! I'm like a knight!" Bruce stabs his fork in the air, pretending it is a sword.
"Oh! At school, we are doing a running competition and guess what? The teacher said I'm the fastest runner!" Berry puffs out his scrawny chest. "Ann-" he starts calling me by my nickname, attempting to be more of an adult. I would be lying if I said, I didn't miss it when Berry used to call me Big Sister. "When is Anthony coming home? I want him to watch me run!" he grins proudly.
"And I got a B on my math test!" Kevin yells, giving himself a high five. "I can't wait for Anthony to see it!" He squeals, wiggling in his seat "I hope he would buy me that gameb-" he slapped his hands over his mouth. "I-I mean, I hope he will be proud of me. Yes, that's it."
Lily smiles grimly, while her eyes waver towards me, "Good job, boys!" she cheers them on.
I force out a smile, "Good job...Anthony would be proud," I said, attempting to fight the tears.
"That's enough, everyone." I turn around to see Anthony's mother. She arrived two weeks ago when she heard of Anthony's absence, "Don't you boys have school?"
All of them gulps, before sparring towards their rooms to get ready for the day. She settles herself across from me and looks at Lily. She took that as her cue to leave. One by one, all of the maids and butlers left through the double doors. "How long are you going to continue sulking?"
