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Chapter 3“He’s not coming back!” She screamed, the liquor fumes enveloping the little girl’s head. “And it’s all because of you.” She jabbed a finger into her chest, laughing as her daughter winced and pulled away. “Go on; go write a letter to your daddy. He won’t write back you know.”
Abby hurried off down the hall, holding back tears. Entering Eric’s room, she scooped up the half asleep toddler and carried him into her room. She knew he was safe if he was in here, Maggie wouldn’t attempt to mother him if they were together. Last time she’d been this drunk, she’d dropped him down the stairs and they’d ended up in the ER at 3am. Somehow both kids were allowed home, even though Maggie stuck of whiskey. Maybe it was because she’d promised to take the meds this time.
Safe in the semi-dark, Eric fell asleep quickly, curled into the corner with his thumb in his mouth as Abby sat down to write another letter.
Dear Daddy
Please come back. Mom is taking her meds again, and I promise I’ll be really good. I’m sorry for making you leave. Please daddy, we all miss you.
Love Abby xxxShe carefully fitted the paper into a blue envelope and wrote his address across the front. In the morning she’d post it. But for the time being, she’d sleep.
Curling around Eric, she slipped into a dreamless sleep until Maggie woke her at 6am to get up.
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Abby jolted awake from a dream where she was alone in a house and someone was trying to kill her. Bella’s cries echoed down the hall and she hurried to fetch her.
“Hey Belly, What’s up?” Bella smiled through her tears at her mother’s nickname.
“Nightmare mommy.” She reached up and clung to Abby’s neck.
“Come on then sweetie, let’s try and sleep.” Abby carried her back to her bed and settled them both down. “Don’t be afraid Bells, I’m here.”
Bella nuzzled into Abby’s flannel shirt, a cast off of Luka’s from the last big wardrobe clearout. It made her feel safe, knowing it was his.
The doorbell woke them up, 4 hours later.
“I’ll be right there!” Abby yelled, hurrying to the door.
“Post.” The man handed her a bunch of letters.
“I have a box!” she said loudly.
“Couldn’t fit them all through.” He mumbled, wandering off.
“If you’d…ahh, forget it!” she slammed the door and jumped at Bella standing behind her.
“Don’t swear now mommy.” She said in the tone she’d so obviously picked up from Luka. Abby laughed and rolled her eyes.
Leafing through the junk she picked out the few important ones and hurled the rest in the bin.
“Bill…bill…bill…”
“Who’s Bill mommy?”
“No one sweetie…oh, look. A letter. Two letters!” Abby tore open the first and read through it quickly. “Daddy says Hello and he hopes you’re being good Belly.” Bella giggled and climbed onto her mother’s lap. “He’s having fun.” She smiled and kissed Bella’s cheek. “I wonder if this one is from daddy too.”
Dear Abby
Forgive me for writing so out of the blue but I have only just found your address. I have been thinking of you and Eric for a while now, wondering how you both are and what you are doing. I recently became a grandfather, as my daughter, your half sister had a baby boy. Her name is Dawna and he is named Charlie. It made me wonder if this wasn’t my first grandchild. I know this may be a shock, maybe one you don’t appreciate but if you do want to get in contact, please do. I have missed seeing you grow up, and I long to see what a good job you did yourself.
My love, always.
Donald Wysinski Abby gulped and looked back at the paper.
Her father. After 30 years, he was writing back!
“Mommy, what’s wrong. You look funny.” Bella held her hand to Abby’s head, like she’d seen be done when she felt unwell.
“Sweetie, my daddy has written to me.”
“Daddy?”
“No, my daddy.” Bella nodded and slid off.
“Can I watch Barney?” Abby nodded, looking back at the paper again.
She had a sister…and a nephew. How many other family members did she have without knowing?
She scanned the letter and found a return address and a phone number.
Could she handle phoning him? Or would it be easier to start off by writing? Looking up she immediately saw her pad of paper and pen, like a sign.
She laughed but walked over and picked them up. Start by writing, get to know him again, she thought.
Making sure Bella was happy in front of the telly, Abby sat at the table and began writing.
Dear Donald.
I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about you since you left. I’d also be lying if I told you I wasn’t angry, or upset. But my family deserve to know about their grandfather and father-in-law.
I’m a doctor in a hospital in Chicago. I have a three year old daughter, named Isabella, but we call her Bella. By ‘we’ I mean my husband and I. His name is Luka Kovac and he’s also a doctor in the same hospital. We got married on the 6th July 2007. It would have been nice if you had given me away, but that’s the way life goes.
I’m glad to hear you moved on after you left. Is Dawna your only child? Maybe some day I’ll get to meet you, and all your family.
Eric has bi-polar disorder. He was a air traffic controller, but he’s left the air force and he lives with mom in Minnesota. We don’t speak often, but he came to the wedding as did Maggie.
It was a shock getting your letter, but maybe at last I can get the answers to some questions I always wanted to ask you.
Take care,
Abby x