John awoke the next morning to find Elizabeth gone. Probably out with Mandie, He thought. He got up, bathed, dressed, and went downstairs to breakfast. To his surprise, Mandie was sitting there, barely about to commence her own breakfast. She noticed her uncle, forced a smile, and said, "Good morning Uncle John." John offered a small smile. "Good morning my little blue eyes." After he had piled food onto his plate, John took up his usual seat at the table; at the end near the kichen with Mandie on his right. Breakfast started off as a quiet affair, but it was John who broke the silence. "Mandie, I'm sorry I wasn't here for your birthday yesterday. I know I said the same thing last year, but this time I mean it; It won't happen again. I want to make it up to you." He said to his niece. Mandie looked at her uncle with somewhat of a pained expression in her eyes. "It's okay, Uncle John, really." John got up and held his arms open. Mandie quickly ran to him. "Uncle John, it's just that lately I hardly see you anymore. I know you're busy and everything, but most of the time I come home, I don't even get to see you." She whispered and she nuzzeled into him. John felt a pang of regret cut through his heart. "Oh, Mandie, I'm sorry. I want to spend time with you too. But all of these meetings, buisness trips, and people I have to see to make it nearly impossible."
He would've continued, when he saw Elizabeth staing in the doorway of the dining room.