Chapter Twelve:
"Ali, I want you to be a good girl. No fighting with Jake. Okay?" Luis implored his young daughter. Hank was taking Gwen and the kids to a movie. Hank denied it was a date, but Luis had his doubts. A smile of amusement came over his face. They were taking in the latest Disney flick. Not your typical date movie. "You promise?"
"I promise, Daddy," she solemnly vowed. And hugged him tightly about the neck. He closed his eyes. Breathing in the scent of her. Her soft hair. A knock sounded at the door, and he crossed the room to answer it. Ali still in his arms.
"Hank. Jake. Gwen," he said, nodding his head in greeting. "Are you sure you know what you're getting into, Gwen?" he questioned. "Trust me. Going to a movie with these three is quite an experience," he said with laughter in his voice. Gwen smiled at him. "It's just a movie, Luis. What can happen?" He looked at Hank with a grin. He opened his mouth to tell her that so much could happen. Disaster for one. But Hank stopped him. "Luis, buddy. We'd love to stick around and chat, but the movie starts in less than an hour."
He raised his eyebrows at Hank's quick diversion. He held his laughter until they were gone. Hank was right. It wasn't a good idea to tell Gwen just how much trouble a little movie could be. She'd run screaming in the other direction, he was sure. He watched Hank's car drive away and turned around. Left the window. And only then realized how alone he was.
The house was so lonely, so quiet, without Ali. Ali brought a light, an energy, to this place. She'd only been gone two minutes. And Luis was terribly lonely. He settled back against the sofa and turned the television on. Countless channels and nothing was on. He sighed heavily. What was he going to do when Ali grew up? Moved out on her own? He shook those thoughts from his mind. He couldn't deal with that right now.
He turned the television back off and got up. He had to do something to occupy his mind. He decided to go up to the attic. Clean out some of the junk. It was something he'd been meaning to do for the longest time. Might as well get started.
He thought otherwise when he turned the light on. Saw just how much work he had ahead of him. Sheridan was right. The attic was attrocious. He felt bad then that he'd never gotten around to helping her. He'd thought she wasn't going anywhere. Neither was he. The attic could wait.
He walked over to the small window that overlooked the backyard. Noticed the ancient desk he'd found her sitting at too often to count. A smile on her face. Always writing in that journal of hers. He always kidded her about that. Teased her, saying he thought they had no secrets. Why'd she have to come all the way up to the attic? She'd just laugh softly and put the journal away. He hadn't thought about that journal until today. He wondered if it were still here.
The thick dust covering the desktop and the worn books lying on it made his nose tickle. He sneezed as he shuffled through them. Opened all the drawers. Finally, he had success. He pulled out the leather-bound book. Ran his fingers over her name on the front cover. Even though she was gone, he felt like he was intruding on her privacy. Guilt crept up on him. But curiosity won out. The need to feel close to her again was too much. He took a deep breath. Said "I'm sorry, baby." And opened the journal.
"Ali, I want you to be a good girl. No fighting with Jake. Okay?" Luis implored his young daughter. Hank was taking Gwen and the kids to a movie. Hank denied it was a date, but Luis had his doubts. A smile of amusement came over his face. They were taking in the latest Disney flick. Not your typical date movie. "You promise?"
"I promise, Daddy," she solemnly vowed. And hugged him tightly about the neck. He closed his eyes. Breathing in the scent of her. Her soft hair. A knock sounded at the door, and he crossed the room to answer it. Ali still in his arms.
"Hank. Jake. Gwen," he said, nodding his head in greeting. "Are you sure you know what you're getting into, Gwen?" he questioned. "Trust me. Going to a movie with these three is quite an experience," he said with laughter in his voice. Gwen smiled at him. "It's just a movie, Luis. What can happen?" He looked at Hank with a grin. He opened his mouth to tell her that so much could happen. Disaster for one. But Hank stopped him. "Luis, buddy. We'd love to stick around and chat, but the movie starts in less than an hour."
He raised his eyebrows at Hank's quick diversion. He held his laughter until they were gone. Hank was right. It wasn't a good idea to tell Gwen just how much trouble a little movie could be. She'd run screaming in the other direction, he was sure. He watched Hank's car drive away and turned around. Left the window. And only then realized how alone he was.
The house was so lonely, so quiet, without Ali. Ali brought a light, an energy, to this place. She'd only been gone two minutes. And Luis was terribly lonely. He settled back against the sofa and turned the television on. Countless channels and nothing was on. He sighed heavily. What was he going to do when Ali grew up? Moved out on her own? He shook those thoughts from his mind. He couldn't deal with that right now.
He turned the television back off and got up. He had to do something to occupy his mind. He decided to go up to the attic. Clean out some of the junk. It was something he'd been meaning to do for the longest time. Might as well get started.
He thought otherwise when he turned the light on. Saw just how much work he had ahead of him. Sheridan was right. The attic was attrocious. He felt bad then that he'd never gotten around to helping her. He'd thought she wasn't going anywhere. Neither was he. The attic could wait.
He walked over to the small window that overlooked the backyard. Noticed the ancient desk he'd found her sitting at too often to count. A smile on her face. Always writing in that journal of hers. He always kidded her about that. Teased her, saying he thought they had no secrets. Why'd she have to come all the way up to the attic? She'd just laugh softly and put the journal away. He hadn't thought about that journal until today. He wondered if it were still here.
The thick dust covering the desktop and the worn books lying on it made his nose tickle. He sneezed as he shuffled through them. Opened all the drawers. Finally, he had success. He pulled out the leather-bound book. Ran his fingers over her name on the front cover. Even though she was gone, he felt like he was intruding on her privacy. Guilt crept up on him. But curiosity won out. The need to feel close to her again was too much. He took a deep breath. Said "I'm sorry, baby." And opened the journal.