Chapter 2
Fall of 1999
Sycamore leaves fell like giant snowflakes around us.
“You’re late!” Lonia screamed.
“I’m sorry honey,” I held onto my daughter tightly.
Perhaps I can beat this. Maybe I can walk her down the aisle one day. We still have time.
“Let’s go inside!”
Lonia led me to the kitchen with her usual jovial excitement, and I momentarily forgot about the death sentence I had received mere hours ago.
“Look here, daddy,” Lonia proudly presented the unbaked cake on the kitchen countertop. “Wait a minute,” she ran into her room to change the flour-covered shirt.
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“Hello Mr. Apollyon,” Hannah greeted me from the kitchen corner. “I just turned on the oven.”
Thank God for Hannah. She was a reliable babysitter and more importantly, she adored Lonia.
“Hi Hannah, sorry for being late.”
“It’s okay. We haven’t cleaned up yet.”
“It’s okay. I will clean it up after we bake the cake.”
“Do you need anything else, Mr. Apollyon?”
Instead of answering, I wiped off the countertop mindlessly.
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“Mr. Apollyon, are you okay?” Hannah asked in a concerned tone.
I stared at the countertop for a few seconds before responding. “Have you lost someone special to you?”
Hannah thought for a moment. “I can’t say that I have. Both sets of my grandparents are still alive. Why do you ask?”
“I just feel like someone special was taken away from me.”
“Did someone die?” Hannah asked.
I began daydreaming.
“Mr. Apollyon?”
“Hmm?”
“Why do you feel like you lost someone special?”
I smiled. “I wish I knew.”
“Strange. You look anxious but peaceful at the same time.”
“You’re very perceptive.”
“Daddy! Let’s bake the cake!” Lonia returned with her favorite shirt. I had seen that shirt many times before but never noticed the print of a bear holding balloons.
Silly bear.
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