After seven years of marriage, Celia and Daniel were still together. Nevertheless, as Daniel’s business began to struggle, he became more and more reclusive. Eventually, he vanished one morning, leaving his wife and daughter to pick up the pieces of his life.
During the seven years that I spent with Daniel, my life was a dream. The arrival of our daughter, Abby, brought about a further strengthening of our connection, which was already strong before she was born.
In addition to being a dedicated husband, Daniel was also a devoted parent. Our family had the feeling of being complete and perfect.
After then, however, the tides shifted.
Daniel began to get more and more distant. The warmth and care that he had shown toward Abby and me eventually gave way to a chilly stillness. Concerned, I made every effort to get in touch with you.
“Honey, what’s going on?” When we were taking care of the dishes after supper one evening, I inquired about it. “You’ve been so distant lately.”
He took a swallow of his beer and said, “It’s just… work, Celia,” as he sipped his beverage. “These are challenging times for business. It will become clear to me.”
It was important to me to have faith in him and to be there for him through whatever was troubling him. However, before I could figure out a method to encourage Daniel to become more open with me, he had already left.
I was in the process of preparing breakfast for Abby before she went to school when I came across a note that was sitting on the kitchen counter.
I’m taking care of this for us. Please keep in mind that I adore you.
Yes, that was it. No explanations, and no farewells as well. My kid and I were left behind after Daniel made his disappearance.
The weeks progressed into months, and then, a year later, divorce papers appeared out of nowhere like a bolt of lightning. All of Daniel’s possessions were given to me without any resistance. In a statement, his attorney stated that he want for Abby and I to have everything.
At that moment, it seemed as though he desired to remove his presence from our lives.
It had been about a year since my divorce when Abby expressed her desire to attend a summer camp.
She pleaded with her mother, “Please, Mommy!” with her eyes widened in delight. “All my friends are going!”
I caved in and gave in. The child had been experiencing the same kind of anguish that I had been, which was the absence of her father. She was in need of some happiness.
I had two weeks off, so I made the decision to go see Emily, who is my closest friend. Two cities away, she was always willing to provide me with a place to stay whenever I required a break from my routine.
Emily said with a smile into the phone, “Just drive on down,” and she meant it. “We’ll eat our hearts away and drink every bottle of wine I have.”
Being able to flee was precisely what I required.
During the second day that I worked at Emily’s, I decided to leave her at work while I went for a walk to the shop. I was eager to satisfy my wants for a bagel.
Witnessing that was like witnessing a ghost.
Within the confines of a small grocery store, I was able to spot him, or at least I believed I did.
The child was a young boy who was younger than Abby, and Daniel was with another woman and a child. It appeared as though they were the ideal small family.
My grip on the bagels was firm, and I did not let go of it. Over the course of a few blinks, I questioned whether or not I was going insane.
However, he was already there. Holding the woman’s hand while standing directly in front of me (in front of me).
Greetings, Daniel! How dare you do that? I yelled out, and my voice reverberated across the entire store.
There was a look of bewilderment on the man’s face as he turned around and stared at me. A feature that I was formerly very familiar with.
The concerned woman inquired, “Honey, who is she?”
“Daniel, don’t you dare pretend not to know me,” I was hissing. “You abandoned your family, and now you’re here playing house with someone else?”
“I have no idea who you are,” he said. “I am completely clueless.”
“Daniel, please come on,” I urged him. “So, you won’t remember Abby either?”
Subsequently, he gazed at me with his eyes unchanged.
You are most likely Celia. “I am Mark, Daniel’s twin brother,” I introduce myself.
I was completely taken aback. I was completely unaware of the existence of a twin brother. When their parents divorced, however, it appears that they were isolated from one another. Daniel made the decision to proceed with his mother. He did not have a strong relationship with his father.
Mark remarked, “Come, walk with us,” as he led the way out of the place where they were shopping.
While Mark and I followed in their footsteps, Mark’s wife and son strolled ahead of us, munching on freshly baked donuts that they had purchased from the supermarket.
“Have you seen him?” I inquired of others.
Mark gave a slight nod. “Have you seen him?” I inquired about it.
“He is present. Consider the fact that he was in a precarious situation, his debt was mounting, and his business was failing. He believed that the best way to protect you and Abby was to vanish into thin air. And if everything was in your name after the divorce, then there would be no way for anything to be taken away from you.
“Why couldn’t he just tell me that?” I inquired, a new wave of discomfort and perplexity beginning to take hold.
What transpired was that Daniel felt embarrassed. At first glance, it appears that he did not wish to bring his family down with him. Nevertheless, he had accomplished this by disappearing. Both Abby and I had been burdened by the fact that he had abandoned us.
I was given Daniel’s address by Mark, and he suggested that I approach him in order to obtain the answers that I required.
Therefore, I did it.
Our get-together was nothing like I had envisioned it would be. Daniel was filled with regret, and tears were flowing down his face as he pleaded for those who would forgive him.
“I thought I was protecting you,” he cried out inconsolably. It never occurred to me that it would also be disastrous for you and Abby. Would you be able to forgive me, Celia?
I was able to recognize the man I had once loved when I looked into his eyes, but a great deal had changed. There was no confidence exchanged between the two of us.
I don’t believe I’ll be able to, Daniel. I also do not wish to cause Abby any harm.
At the time of our parting, there was a sense of both melancholy and resignation in the air.
On the following day, I went back to my house and waited for Abby to come back.
