Mother was gone and Daddy and I were left behind. We had never really spent time together, alone. What would we do? Daddy was still in the chair where Mother left him...in shock. He slept there all night. I didn't sleep at all I sat in the big picture window starrting in the direction she disappeared in hoping to see her return a little while later. She never did return.

            My nine year old heart had sank. I never told Daddy what Mother’s secret was. It seemed the he knew by how she left. I guess what I thought was here secret wasn’t really. It was almost time for school to let out for summer vacation. Mother usually had things for us to do, but now she’s gone.

            She left on a Sunday afternoon. I missed school that Monday and Daddy missed work. We were both sick. He was quiet most of that day, silently he began to organize how we would live without Mother being there. I just watched, laying belly down on the couch that was positioned under the window where I looked for Mother to return.

            Neither of us had an appetite to eat any food. It was like we spent the day watching sand in an hour glass, pouring quickly to the bottom. I was confused and hurt. Loneliness showed up to taunt me. It seemed I had no one to tell about my hurt. And that hurt. Finally, Daddy sat on the chair across from where I lay and spelled out the plan for me. My aunt, his sister lived near by and could help him with me. She would get me off to school and each day after school sit with me til he got home.

            I was angry now. Wasn’t he gonna go after her? Didn’t he want to know the meaning of all this? What was really going on? Is he glad she’s gone? Did he even care? The telephone rang interrupting my questions and his well thought out plan. I stared in the direction of the phone which set atop a table to the right of the chair where Daddy was sitting. He scooted back in the chair and removed his glasses, before picking the phone up.

            “Hello,” he cleared his voice, “It’s for you.” He got up from his chair and left the room. He was telling me I had a phone call. I scrambled to a sitting position and then over to the phone.

            “He-hello.”

            “Bradley, it’s Mother. I’m sorry I didn’t say good bye, I had to go quickly. I do love you and be good for Daddy while I’m away.”

            “So-so you will be back, right?”

            “I don’t know, what did Daddy say?”

            “Nothing. Do you want to talk to him?”

            “No honey, it won’t change anything. Look I have to go. I will call again. Bye now.”

            Just like that she was gone. She didn’t tell me why she left with that doctor guy. She didn’t tell me why she didn’t take me with her. The dial tone buzzed in my ear as I slowly returned the phone to the cradle. She’s gone. And we’re here.