ask Diane about that one.”
“You’re right. This isn’t something that will go away.”
Billie did some quick calculations in her head. I already knew I’d bombed this quiz. “It sounds, D-Man, like you’ve got some homework to do. Whether you want to do it before or after the wedding is up to you. With that ring, you’d better be sure.”
My intercom sounded and my assistant told me that I had a call from Mr. Barnes.
“Mr. Barnes? What a…”
Things can change in a blink of an eye. The path you choose doesn’t always go where it’s supposed to go. I hung up the phone, without saying another word to the caller.
“I have to go get Spring,” I said, glancing down at the picture on my desk. I couldn’t remember where I’d put my apartment keys. “Diane was in a taxi when it was hit by a stolen car. She was dead before the ambulance got there.”
“Oh my God, Dylan.”
I picked up the picture of Diane and Spring with Mr. Jimmy.
“They had to cut open the cab to get to her body.”
Billie stood up and touched my shoulder.
I started to cry.
“What do I do now?”
Chapter 7
Down Came the Rain
Diane had listed me as an emergency contact and Mr. Barnes had called down to the center’s front desk, so what might have been an awkward situation when I got Spring from daycare was merely another step in the process. I was methodically working through everything. It wouldn’t dawn on me until later that I’d dissociated from the news at least until I had the little girl in my arms.
“Can we go to see the ducks?” Spring said when we walked out onto the street. Apparently, my picking her up instead of Diane hadn’t set off any immediate alarm bells.
Nothing around me had changed. The streets, full of cars and cabs and people, carried on as usual. The sky held only a few clouds. For November, it was a perfect Friday afternoon. Soon, tourists would flock to the city to shop and view the holiday lights. Soon, there would
snow. Soon, Santa would be here. Soon, Spring would remember this Christmas for the rest of her life.
“D?”
I started to weave my way through foot traffic. The street was ridiculously busy, even though it was only a little past 3:00. I’d always assumed that everyone was in their offices at this time. I was moving quickly, even though I wasn’t in any rush. I bumped into one couple and then I pushed my way through a group of suits. As I pulled her through the masses, Spring’s grip tightened on my hand..
To my right stood a giant marble pillar. A bank? A financial institution? The pillar, overwhelming in its monstrosity and ugliness, jutted into the sky and blocked the sun. Suddenly, I felt as though I needed to stop. I leaned against the wall and tried to catch my breath. Nothing looked familiar. The sky, the buildings, the people even the girl by my side looked strange. I must have looked strange to her, as well, because now she was starting to get upset. Puddles formed in her eyes. I pulled her close, hugging her and pressing her face against mine.
“Where’s Mommy?” she said with a quiver in her voice.
At some point, I began to cry, but only noticed when I saw her little face, now wet with my tears. “Spring,” I said, sitting on the pavement and sliding her onto my lap. People continued to walk the sidewalks. Waiting at the red light, sometimes the crowd expanded close to where we sat on the concrete, almost tripping over my legs.
Spring’s eyes were red with tears. I looked away from her.
“Has your mommy ever gone on a vacation? A trip, alone? By herself?”
She shook her head.
“Have you ever stayed with someone other than Mommy?”
She nodded.
“Who?”
She pointed at me.
“Other than me. Anyone else?”
“No.”
I felt my stomach start to cramp. The light changed and the cars drove by.
“Spring, have you ever fallen down and hurt your knee?”
She nodded. Her body shivered.
“And Mommy puts a bandage on it to make it get
“You’re right. This isn’t something that will go away.”
Billie did some quick calculations in her head. I already knew I’d bombed this quiz. “It sounds, D-Man, like you’ve got some homework to do. Whether you want to do it before or after the wedding is up to you. With that ring, you’d better be sure.”
My intercom sounded and my assistant told me that I had a call from Mr. Barnes.
“Mr. Barnes? What a…”
Things can change in a blink of an eye. The path you choose doesn’t always go where it’s supposed to go. I hung up the phone, without saying another word to the caller.
“I have to go get Spring,” I said, glancing down at the picture on my desk. I couldn’t remember where I’d put my apartment keys. “Diane was in a taxi when it was hit by a stolen car. She was dead before the ambulance got there.”
“Oh my God, Dylan.”
I picked up the picture of Diane and Spring with Mr. Jimmy.
“They had to cut open the cab to get to her body.”
Billie stood up and touched my shoulder.
I started to cry.
“What do I do now?”
Chapter 7
Down Came the Rain
Diane had listed me as an emergency contact and Mr. Barnes had called down to the center’s front desk, so what might have been an awkward situation when I got Spring from daycare was merely another step in the process. I was methodically working through everything. It wouldn’t dawn on me until later that I’d dissociated from the news at least until I had the little girl in my arms.
“Can we go to see the ducks?” Spring said when we walked out onto the street. Apparently, my picking her up instead of Diane hadn’t set off any immediate alarm bells.
Nothing around me had changed. The streets, full of cars and cabs and people, carried on as usual. The sky held only a few clouds. For November, it was a perfect Friday afternoon. Soon, tourists would flock to the city to shop and view the holiday lights. Soon, there would
snow. Soon, Santa would be here. Soon, Spring would remember this Christmas for the rest of her life.
“D?”
I started to weave my way through foot traffic. The street was ridiculously busy, even though it was only a little past 3:00. I’d always assumed that everyone was in their offices at this time. I was moving quickly, even though I wasn’t in any rush. I bumped into one couple and then I pushed my way through a group of suits. As I pulled her through the masses, Spring’s grip tightened on my hand..
To my right stood a giant marble pillar. A bank? A financial institution? The pillar, overwhelming in its monstrosity and ugliness, jutted into the sky and blocked the sun. Suddenly, I felt as though I needed to stop. I leaned against the wall and tried to catch my breath. Nothing looked familiar. The sky, the buildings, the people even the girl by my side looked strange. I must have looked strange to her, as well, because now she was starting to get upset. Puddles formed in her eyes. I pulled her close, hugging her and pressing her face against mine.
“Where’s Mommy?” she said with a quiver in her voice.
At some point, I began to cry, but only noticed when I saw her little face, now wet with my tears. “Spring,” I said, sitting on the pavement and sliding her onto my lap. People continued to walk the sidewalks. Waiting at the red light, sometimes the crowd expanded close to where we sat on the concrete, almost tripping over my legs.
Spring’s eyes were red with tears. I looked away from her.
“Has your mommy ever gone on a vacation? A trip, alone? By herself?”
She shook her head.
“Have you ever stayed with someone other than Mommy?”
She nodded.
“Who?”
She pointed at me.
“Other than me. Anyone else?”
“No.”
I felt my stomach start to cramp. The light changed and the cars drove by.
“Spring, have you ever fallen down and hurt your knee?”
She nodded. Her body shivered.
“And Mommy puts a bandage on it to make it get
Similar Books
