20 THE ODDS

“See you tomorrow.” Doris said waving at me. I was still waiting for Julia at the gate to get to home. After few more moments she appeared with a lean girl. They were talking about something and then the lean girl looked at me and smiled at me while standing there. I smiled back and waved a little. Julia looked at me and gave me a flat expression. Then the lean girl moved away and Julia walked toward me.

“What was that..?” she asked with a hard voice moving past to me.

“What? I was just trying to get friendly with her.” I said matching her pace.

“So far.” She replied.

“What?” I questioned.

“Nothing. Leave it.” She said holding my hand and walking fast.

With a thud, a cat landed next to my chair snapping me out of nostalgia. I looked at the cat. She was standing near a small pot and as I try to stand up she climbed the wall jumped to the other side.

I closed the diary and move inside. I put the diary on the dining table and help myself with a glass of water. Then I put the glass on the counter and took my diary and moved directly to the BEDROOM. Rick was still sleeping. I put the diary at its original place and get in the bed. I was looking at the moon until I fell asleep.

“beep-beep.” And with this it was five in the morning.

I get up from the bed and started with my daily living activities and sending my girl to school. By eight I was free from my work while Rick was still asleep. I went to see him. But he was not in bed. I heard sound of shower. He was in the bathroom.

“Breakfast is ready.” I told him from the door of the bathroom but didn’t get any response from the other side. I left him and came to the lawn. I watered my plants and when I came back he was sitting on the table. Something was odd. He was not wearing formals like usual.

“You took off today?” I asked him setting the table.

“Yap. Going to visit a friend.” He answered filling his glass with juice.

“Who friend...?” I asked out of curiosity.

“You don’t know him. He used to study in same college.” He said taking bite of his breakfast.

“Oh! okay.” I said starting with my breakfast. There was an unusual silence at the table today. We both finished our morning meals and Rick took car keys and went outside without saying a word to me. It was quite strange for me. He has never done this before. With all these thoughts I cleaned the kitchen and dishes. After ensuring that I’m done with work I head to take shower. After feeling relaxed in warm shower I sat in the bed and grab the newspaper. It was a very blank day. Suddenly I felt a throbbing headache and decided to sleep for a while.

“Mommy. Wake up!” MY girl was off her school and I was sleeping the whole afternoon.

“I’m up. I’m up.” I said sitting on the bed. I looked at her as she holds me an envelope.

“I found this in the mail box outside.” And with this she gets out of my room and ran to her room. I looked at the envelope. The writing was familiar. It was from Julia. I swiftly jump out of the bed and ran toward the door.

“Hey sweetie? Was there anyone outside when you get this envelope..?” I yelled from downstairs.

“No mommy.” She yelled back from her room. Then she opened her door and peeked at me getting her head out of the door. “But I was expecting you.”

“Oh. I’m sorry honey.” I said making smiling ear to ear.

“It’s okay mommy. I know you need to rest and I’m grown up now. With this she shut the door.

I again looked at the envelope and put it into my diary to read later. I looked at the clock. It was about four in evening.

“Oh god! It’s so late.” I washed my face and gulped few sips of water and came to kitchen. I started to prepare for dinner.

“mommy.” She said from behind.

“Yes dear.” I looked at her.

“Here it is a form that you have to fill.” She put a paper on the dining table with a pen.

“What kind of form is this...?” I asked her giving her a glass of juice and a sandwich.

“It’s form for my school trip.” She said without looking at me.

“School trip...? What kind of school trip..?” I sat beside her on the chair taking the paper in my hand and looking at it.

“It’s a field trip actually.” She replied munching on her sandwich.

I looked at her and raised my eyebrow for more explanation. She looked at me.

“Okay. Fine. It’s a school trip to the science museum. We all will be going with our teacher of science and she said that after the trip we have to submit our opinion about the trip. So....” and she stopped to take a few sips of juice.

“So?” I inquired.

“So you need to fill this form so that I can share my views about my trip with my class.” She said with naughty smile on her face.

“You are a drama queen.” I said starting to fill the form.

After filling the form I handed it to her and she examined it for the corrections.

“Okay. It’s done.” She said taking pen from my hands. She stood up and took her dishes to sink. Again I looked at the clock and asked her about her dad.

“Honey..? Did you hear from your dad..?”

“No. Is he late from office mom..?” she asked looking at the clock.

“Oh no. He’s out to meet one of his friends who came back from abroad.” I told her standing up from the chair and moving to the counter.

“You mean party..?” her eyes got lit with those words.

“I don’t know.” I replied working my hands on dinner. “Home work...?” I asked her.

“Done mom. I was off earlier today. I didn’t wake you up because I know you need rest.” She said sitting on the couch in living room with her form and pen.

“Oh. Okay.” I said.

“Should I call dad...?” she asked me.

“Yes please.” I replied.

She put the form on the couch and dialled her dad’s number. I was not able to hear anything what she was talking but I could say that she seemed surprised. After few minutes she came to kitchen and gulped a few sips of water.

“Dad is not coming tonight mom. He said he’s going to stay with his friend tonight.” She said sitting again on her favourite dinning seat.

“That’s unusual.” I said in disbelief. After few moments, I turned back to see her sitting still looking at me putting her hand on table and cupping her face in her palms.

“What..?” I asked her.

“Nothing. It’s just that I love you mom.” And with this she got up and took her paper and pen and moved upstairs.

“What was that..? I thought to myself and continuing with preparation for supper. After finishing my job I called her downstairs and we both water the plants and talked about her school life. It’s always a surprise how she is good at explaining her school stories. I always love to spend time with her like this.

“Mom?” she called me tapping my shoulder.

“Yes honey...?” I waited for her question.

“I guess you should call me by my name now. I’m grown up.” She said breaking eye contact.

“Oh. Okay.” I said sitting on the chair in lawn. “Is there any problem with you about name or anything...? I asked her.

“No. But I almost forgot my name today in class when my teacher ask Me.” she said finally making eye contact.

“What..?” I asked her with a confused a look.

“My class teacher asked me for my name in class and I got blank. And then she called me in front on the whole class and ask again.” And she paused.

“And...? what did you say..?” I asked her.

“All I remember was honey, princess and sweetie. And with that whole class started to laugh at Me.” she replied.

“Oh. Poor girl.” I said patting her back.

“Yeah. Very poor.” She said making a funny face. And we both started laughing. Then we talk about more of her drawings and her sports events. After an hour...

“I’m hungry mom...?” she said patting her belly.

“Oh. Let’s get dinner then. It’s almost seven n half.” I said looking at the darkening sky where moonlight was starting to take place of sunlight.

We both came inside and had dinner. We both were happy but somewhere I was very worried. I don’t know what was it that was making me to think so hard. But I was busy with my head.

After getting done with dinner and cleaning I call who was busy in watching TV.

“Venice...?” she was totally in that show.

“Venice...? It’s time for bed.” I said putting TV off. She shrugged and moved toward stairs.

“Hey? Can you sleep with me toning...? I asked her and she nodded.

“I will be back after brushing my teeth.” And she ran upstairs.

It was ten in night. I called Rick but there was no response. I tried again but still there was no response. It was odd. Venice came downstairs and went to my room straight to sleep. I followed her and took a quick shower. After coming out of bathroom I sat on front of dressing table and looked at her face through the mirror. How peacefully she was sleeping.

Again I moved out of the bedroom and tried to call him this time I got him.

“Hello?” his voice seems disappointed.

“Rick. Where are you...? I was worried about you. And you didn’t pick the call.” I put a pile of questions.

“I’m with that friend that I told you.” It was very silent on the other side.

“Hmm. and...?” I inquired.

“I will be back tomorrow and please don’t disturb me again.” And without any other word he hangs up the call. I put back the phone in disbelief and went to bed to sleep.

Sun was already down and sky was filled with stars and moonlight. And it was time to drift off to sleep. I could feel the heaviness of my eyelids. But my thoughts were way much heavier.

It’s going to be a long night.

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