He was going to have a nervous breakdown. No, he was going to have an emotional breakdown. His day started off like any other. calm and organized. He was writing at his favorite place, well in Los Angles at least. He was sitting at the patio table at Big Dean's Oceanfront Cafe in Santa Monica. Dean's has been here for years and he found that his fingers flowed over the keys of his Apple Power book easily when he is sitting at his table looking out at the Pacific. This place inspires him, gives him inspiration. Sure his laptop is used, but he is able to write for about two hours before he needs to recharge his battery. He pauses and looks out at the Pacific again. The vast power that it has. He watches as children played with their parents. They built sandcastles, played volleyball, and just relaxed.
He thinks that his daughter will love the beach when she gets a little older. His daughter. She has his heart wrapped around her smallest finger. And she's only six months old today. There should be some kind of half birthday celebration for her he thinks to himself. When she came into his life on October 8th, 1993 it had changed him, for the better. He was in awe as he held her for the first time. To know that he created this tiny life, made his heart explode with all the love he had to give her. He knew the second he held her that she would always be his little girl. He gently brushed her fiery red hair wondering how she came to have a color so bold. He would do anything for her he realized at that moment, even give his life for her if need be.
He has always despised his wife's decision to actually entertain the idea of dismissing his daughter. She was so set on aborting her life before it even began just because she would lose her girlish figure and in turn lose her opportunity to be able to find any acting roles. Many arguments and fights had risen because of her determined view. He had laid out the feelings and thoughts that in his mind were valid in keeping his daughter. After deciding that she would keep the baby, only due to him agreeing that he would have no part in the pregnancy she agreed. This was a mistake of enormous oversights on his part. He wanted to be a part of this. He would sometimes drop her off at her doctor's office promising to stay in the car, but sneak in after she left and try to get any information on his daughter's progress. He was caught once and it ended up with Meredith making her appointments without his knowledge. This is why he was here at Dean's. He looked quickly at his watch and noticed it was time to get going. He did well today. He finished three chapters for his new novel A Rose for Ever After.
He saved his chapters to the removable plastic disk and packed up his laptop. He settled his tab at Dean's leaving a decent tip for the time alone. He glances one last time at the Pacific and turns to the parking lot to head home. On the drive home, he thinks that this new book will be the one that gets him published as a serious writer. He has been hoping that when sends out the manuscript that it will be well received. He does have his doubts, though. It is hard to find a publisher that will give a nobody a chance. As he makes the left on Olympic Drive he heads east almost running parallel to I-10. He reaches the on-ramp to Santa Monica Freeway and concentrates on the drive that is before him. It's not anywhere near rush hour, but there is still heavy traffic to deal with. He's grateful that he only needs to travel to exit two and get onto Pico Boulevard. He makes his right onto South Barrington Avenue, drives the 1.3 miles to Indianapolis Avenue and then a quick left onto Stoner Avenue, then home to 3390 Federal Avenue. It's a comfortable house, one they decided on after seeing the other houses that the realtor had shown them in the area. They were all smaller and with no property and no way to expand. To him, this was the one. It felt like home.
As he pulls up to his house, he frowns because he needs to park on the street. There is a very expensive jet black Mercedes Benz S 500 L parked where he usually parks. It's odd because he knows no one who'd drive a car this expensive. He racks his mind for who could own a car like this but comes up empty. He gets out, retrieves his laptop from the rear seat slings the bag over his shoulder, and locks his older '88 Chevy Celebrity and heads towards the front door. He loves this car, but he had to trade in his even older Oldsmobile Cutlass. He had a family now and he needs a car that could be more dependable. Even at five years old it was a steal. Low miles and room for everything they needed to haul around with them.
He gets his key ready for the front door and inserts it into the lock. He goes to push the door open but it's stuck. He tries again and finds the same result. He reinserts his key and locks and unlocks the lock once more. Again he pushes on the door only to be met with resistance. Looking down at the second lock he thinks that that might be locked as well. He places his key in the second lock (a deadbolt) and twists it open. Odd he thinks because they never use this lock during the day. Maybe Meredith had a scare and decided to keep them both safe until he returned home. This time, the door opens with ease. He steps in and his ears are instantly assaulted with the sounds of a sobbing little girl. He sets his laptop down on the floor near the doorway. He rushes up the stairs fearing the worst. As he gets to the top of the stairs he walks into her room. She is lying on her back crying. Her face is beet red and she is drenched in sweat. He wonders why she was left in a room that is over 100 degrees. Her eyes widen as he steps in closer.
"There's my baby girl," Rick says.
Her arms raise to him at the sound of his voice
He reaches in to pick her up and comforts her. As he does he can tell that she needs to be changed. He quickly retreats to the changing table and places her on it. Removing her onesie, he throws it into the hamper to wash later. Keeping the palm of his hand on her tummy at all times he takes off her soiled diaper. When he does he notices that she must have been this way for a while. She is covered with a red rash. He curses her. How can she be so ignorant to their daughter's needs and wellbeing? He finds the Desitin and smears some where the rash is hoping that it will work quickly. He puts a new fresh and clean diaper on her. Finds a clean onesie and buttons her up. There lying in front of him is a semi-happy baby. He knows that if he found her in this condition she has not been fed at all yet. He picks her up and wraps his large arm around her resting her head on his shoulder.
As he returns back downstairs he is wondering where his wife is. Maybe she is searching the Variety trade paper for a job. Who knows, but he will be talking with her later about Alexis' care or lack of. He makes it to the kitchen and as warms up a bottle for her that's when he hears it. Something hitting the floor in his bedroom. He is fearing that someone else is in the house, someone merciless. Maybe this is why the front door was double locked. He searches for something to defend himself and his daughter with. The only thing he finds readily available is a cake knife. The timer dings on the stove and he removes the warming bottle from the pot of water. Replacing the nipple on the top of the bottle, he sits Alexis in the high chair and gives her the bottle. She has not yet mastered holding her bottle yet, but she will be able to feed herself until he returns.
He quietly leaves his daughter and walks to his bedroom. He hears nothing that could indicate trouble but he's cautious just the same. Thoughts of her being hurt enter his mind. Why else would she leave their daughter in that condition? He stops as he gets to the door, listening. He hears nothing. He tries the doorknob to see if it's open. It is, so he gives it a twist. The catch clears the striker and the door gently opens making no noise at all. He looks through the tiny crack it provides and when he sees her he pushes the door open with such force that the doorknob buries itself in the sheetrock wall behind it.
Surprised by the sudden noise, Meredith looks to the now opened door. All Rick can say is "WHY"