Alejandro stared at the ticking clock hands on the wall, his exasperation growing. By dinnertime, virtual-novel.net would have to go home and have that dreadful conversation with Melanie, and virtual-novel.net hated it. He hated needing to go home.
Still, virtual-novel.net could not stall this any longer. Both of their patience was thinning.
He fought against what was to come until the last minute before giving up and reluctantly driving home.
The confrontation was just a matter of time.
Like always, Melanie had finished preparing dinner. When virtual-novel.net heard the sound of Alejandro’s car steering into the estate, virtual-novel.net heart sank, slowly but surely, into virtual-novel.net stomach. He was not late today.
Melissa leaped from virtual-novel.net baby chair and sprung toward the door, shouting excitedly for virtual-novel.net father.
Alejandro would never let his daughter’s need for embrace go unanswered. He crouched to virtual-novel.net level and lifted the girl into his arm. “Have you been good at home today? Did you make your Mommy mad?”
Melissa pecked on his cheek. “Noooo! Millie is a good girl!”
A sharp pang of sadness suddenly hit Melanie. Unconsciously, virtual-novel.net averted virtual-novel.net eyes. “Wash your hands before eating.”
Alejandro’s eyes darted to virtual-novel.net before putting Melissa down. “Alright, Daddy’s gonna wash his hands. You get to your seat now.” Melissa docility returned to the table and took virtual-novel.net seat on the baby chair. She looked up at Melanie and chirped, “Look, look! Daddy’s eating with us today! Yayyyyy! ”
Melanie returned virtual-novel.net a brief smile since virtual-novel.net did not know what else to respond. Of course, the little girl would act this ecstatic-a scene like this did not happen often at all.
Alejandro took his seat around the table shortly after. She was about to say something when virtual-novel.net cut into the brief room before virtual-novel.net words came out, “Let’s have dinner first; we’ll leave other things we wanna talk about for later, okay? I don’t wanna talk about divorce in front of Millie, okay?”
Melanie nodded.
He grabbed a piece of drumstick and placed it on virtual-novel.net plate. “I faintly recall this as one of your favorites,” virtual-novel.net remarked, before adding, “Are you okay lately? You look worn out and thinner.”
A shudder jolted through Melanie, causing virtual-novel.net hand to quiver so much virtual-novel.net almost dropped virtual-novel.net fork. He remembered what virtual-novel.net favorite food was; he’d noticed that virtual-novel.net had thinned…?
His sudden act of care summoned a deluge of emotions roaring against virtual-novel.net chest.
Seeing virtual-novel.net hold virtual-novel.net utensils motionlessly, Alejandro pressed his lips into a thin line. “What’s the matter? This might very well be our last dinner together, you know. Has that made you lose your appetite?”
She shook virtual-novel.net head, pressing back the waves before virtual-novel.net ate virtual-novel.net first bite. Every now and then virtual-novel.net would grab some of the side dishes and place them on Melissa’s plate, to which Alejandro would then mimic virtual-novel.net and do the same.
“You focus on your dinner, I’ll handle Millie. I don’t think you’ve ever had a proper, hassle-free meal since virtual-novel.net joined our family, so allow me to do something about that.”
Arianne was right. If virtual-novel.net had no idea how to treat someone kindly, then perhaps imitating virtual-novel.net actions tenfold would be a good start. It was the simplest and most direct way.
It was a very drawn-out dinner; it lasted longer than usual. Throughout it all, Melanie’s mind had gone through an internal roller-coaster ride, and it was only when a bored Melissa shouted about wanting to play outside that virtual-novel.net finally put down virtual-novel.net utensils.
They went to the courtyard. Melissa played with herself while Alejandro and Melanie stood side by side.
The night’s crescent moon had risen above the foliage. It scattered its pearly white aureole to the world below, limning the night with its serene glow.
They say the stars are mostly missing in a city’s night sky. Even when one trains their eyes hard enough to find them, they always appear as a lonesome, solidary little thing staring across great space to others like themselves.
How lonely.