Unawareness of a Child
A pink clad girl of six came crashing into the open arms of the same front door of she'd walked out of 24 hours ago. Her mother embraced, tighter than she ever had before. Of course there'd been other days and nights when they're been apart. But never Christmas Eve to Christmas day. This was the first. Joey held her daughter, as through she was never letting her go again. Her husband, Pacey, and her had got a divorce a little over four months ago. Things weren't working out. They both work long hours, and eventually Joey was forced to give up her job as a writer to work part time as a secretary at her daughter's, Jenni, school, due to lack of time to write and to care for her child. Pacey continued to run his small chain of restaurants, The Ice House. It left them very little time for each other and gradually they grew apart, with Joey resenting him for still having a career. Despite no longer having her dream job, she loved her daughter more then life it's self. The divorce had been short and quick, but both were left bitter towards each other. Her daughter smiled warmly at her, unaware of the hurt that ran deep with both her parents. Joey smiled back at her, knowing one day she'll have to explain exactly what happened between her and Pacey. She brushed the flyaway brown curls of her daughter's hair off of her face, revealing a small scratch running along across her forehead. "What have you done there, Sweetie?" Pacey cleared his throat; "She fell into the tree. Excitement got the better of her. Didn't it?" He ruffled his daughter's her. "Pacey! You've got to be careful, keep a better eye on her!" "Don't you think I know that Jo! I do. It was an accident." As Joey planted a final welcome home kiss on her daughter's nose, she rose from her knees to look Jenni's father in his eyes. He hadn't aged at all, still looking as youthful as the day they got married eight years ago. Joey couldn't deny that. But instead of the love she once saw in his sparkling eyes, she now saw nothing. And he saw the same. Her eyes quickly left his cold stare and turned on her heel. He followed her into her small out of town house, carrying a couple of large bags. His bags were placed in the doorway of her tiny leaving room. A small brightly decorated tree stood in the corner by a small blazing fire. Jenni ran for the bags, pulling out all the wonderful presents her father had brought. Her biggest was her favorite, a karaoke machine. Joey tried to look happy for her daughter, but her heart was breaking. She couldn't offer her any such presents. Not any more. "I better go... I'll see you soon Shortie." The little girl grabbed her dad's leg tightly before he lifted her up. She placed a soft kiss on his cheeky before running back to her toys. Pacey gave a slight nod to Joey to signal goodbye. She did the same.
A pink clad girl of six came crashing into the open arms of the same front door of she'd walked out of 24 hours ago. Her mother embraced, tighter than she ever had before. Of course there'd been other days and nights when they're been apart. But never Christmas Eve to Christmas day. This was the first. Joey held her daughter, as through she was never letting her go again. Her husband, Pacey, and her had got a divorce a little over four months ago. Things weren't working out. They both work long hours, and eventually Joey was forced to give up her job as a writer to work part time as a secretary at her daughter's, Jenni, school, due to lack of time to write and to care for her child. Pacey continued to run his small chain of restaurants, The Ice House. It left them very little time for each other and gradually they grew apart, with Joey resenting him for still having a career. Despite no longer having her dream job, she loved her daughter more then life it's self. The divorce had been short and quick, but both were left bitter towards each other. Her daughter smiled warmly at her, unaware of the hurt that ran deep with both her parents. Joey smiled back at her, knowing one day she'll have to explain exactly what happened between her and Pacey. She brushed the flyaway brown curls of her daughter's hair off of her face, revealing a small scratch running along across her forehead. "What have you done there, Sweetie?" Pacey cleared his throat; "She fell into the tree. Excitement got the better of her. Didn't it?" He ruffled his daughter's her. "Pacey! You've got to be careful, keep a better eye on her!" "Don't you think I know that Jo! I do. It was an accident." As Joey planted a final welcome home kiss on her daughter's nose, she rose from her knees to look Jenni's father in his eyes. He hadn't aged at all, still looking as youthful as the day they got married eight years ago. Joey couldn't deny that. But instead of the love she once saw in his sparkling eyes, she now saw nothing. And he saw the same. Her eyes quickly left his cold stare and turned on her heel. He followed her into her small out of town house, carrying a couple of large bags. His bags were placed in the doorway of her tiny leaving room. A small brightly decorated tree stood in the corner by a small blazing fire. Jenni ran for the bags, pulling out all the wonderful presents her father had brought. Her biggest was her favorite, a karaoke machine. Joey tried to look happy for her daughter, but her heart was breaking. She couldn't offer her any such presents. Not any more. "I better go... I'll see you soon Shortie." The little girl grabbed her dad's leg tightly before he lifted her up. She placed a soft kiss on his cheeky before running back to her toys. Pacey gave a slight nod to Joey to signal goodbye. She did the same.