"Daddy's Home"

"Daddy's Home"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

8:00pm

"I'm home" I said to no one in particular.

As usual my wife has her headset on. She is talking to someone over the Internet about a product that does not exist but she sells them anyway. With the way she was talking I could tell that she was reeling in this particular person. Way to go honey.

As usual she doesn't even look in my direction to say Hi. Not even a small gesture to acknowledge that she knows that I am here.Sometimes I even wonder why I even bother to go home in the first place.

Then I see her. With her smile filling up the whole room. She looks at me. Waves at me and mouths "Hi Daddy" in her cute way. As quietly as she could.She had learned not to greet me so loud when her mom was on the phone. She has been scolded several times because she would often shout when I arrived.

I opened the closet on the left , put in my bag and my shoes. I head on up to the loft and my 6 year old daughter follows. Her wide smile showing that both her canines were now gone."You have baby teeth falling all over the place." I told her which made her almost laugh.

I lie back on our bed and stretch out a little.I feel so tired but I have to stay up a little bit longer. My little girl has tons of stories to tell me.She told me how her day at school went , how she had renamed a particular toy because she felt that the new name would be more fitting.

She probably notices how tired I am because she stops her stories after awhile.

"Go on" I always tell her.

"Tomorrow Daddy , I'll tell you more tomorrow when you get home." , was always her reply in that sweet voice of hers. 

And this is how my days would end. I would sleep angry with my wife. Happy with my daughter. Grateful for the rest."

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8:00pm

"Daddy's Home"

I always sit by the door at this time. I knew he would be opening it and I would see him again.I wonder what he was bringing me tonight.

Daddy knew I had a sweet tooth. He would always buy me cupcakes and Doughnuts.Mommy would always be mad at me because I didn't want to eat dinner and I'd just gobble up whatever daddy brought for me.

Lately he hasn't really brought me anything but I don't mind. Mommy is always talking with someone.Daddy is the only person who listens to me even though I know that he is really tired. He hasn't looked good since the accident. He looks more tired. I wonder what he does at work that makes him look like that.

When he comes home and goes up the loft I follow him. I ask him questions and tell him my stories. I can see he is tired but he listens and answers all of my questions even I had probably asked them a lot of times. I can feel how he misses me and loves me.I keep on telling my stories to him.

I know how tired he is so I try to limit the things I tell him. 

"I love you Daddy. Sleep well." I always tell him.

He nods and says, "I love you too baby"

I always leave him there. Tomorrow , I would talk to him some more.

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8:00pm

"I hate this hour"

My daughter sits by the door and at exactly 8:00pm it opens though I have locked it securely before I go on my calls. I pretend not to notice it but my daughter waves at the door and looks excited.

The closet doors open for no reason.The next thing I know my daughter is hurriedly going up the loft while chatting with someone. At first I thought she was just playing with her toys. She was fond of role-playing and more often than not I would get mad at her for being too noisy.

Lately , she has learned to control her voice. I hear her talking in hushed tones about things that I knew she would only talk to one person about and I shudder at the thought.

I noticed that after a few minutes she always comes down an reads her books beside me as I worked.

Curiosity got the better of me tonight so I asked,"Baby who were you talking to? One of your toys?"

"Shush mommy, Don't be too noisy."

"Why?"

"You might wake him. He is sleeping."

"Who?" I asked already knowing the answer."

"Daddy. He is home."

My husband died 3 months ago...