The Daughter In the Corner

Christmas Eve

Dustin’s POV:

I had meant to come home early for dinner but I got a call from Jenny when I was on the road. She’s a young teenager now and was feeling depressed; she practically begged me to visit her. I had a little time to spare so I made a small detour to visit her. I only meant to see her and Peter and give them a quick hug but one thing led to another and I stayed for dinner. I wouldn’t be able to spend Christmas Day with them so a part of me was glad to have had this little moment with them. They seemed really happy to have me there and I was glad to do it. Before I left, Jenny ran up and gave me a few presents saying it was for Amara. I told her she could wait until Saturday to give it to Amara herself but she insisted it would be more fun for Amara to open them on Christmas Day. I thought that was sweet of her so I took them back to my car.

I had to press the pedal to the metal to race home so I could catch Amara before she went to bed. I felt really bad to have missed dinner so maybe I could at least read her a bedtime story before she went to sleep but there was bumper-to-bumper traffic and it took over an hour to get home.

When I finally pulled up, I was mentally exhausted and just wanted to rest. Looking down at the presents, I noticed the tags were from various people, Peter and even Amelia got something for Amara. I couldn’t help but smile softly.

When I got out of my car and carefully carried the presents up the steps to the front door, it suddenly swung open and I was face to face with Amara. She looked out of breath and asked if I was hungry. I immediately felt guilty and told her I had eaten. When she noticed the presents, I was glad to switch topics but the moment I mentioned who they were from, I noticed her freeze but it could have been the dim lighting because she smiled brightly again and thanked me.

After she took the presents, Amara turned and walked quickly back into the house. It was past her bedtime. I had wanted to apologize for missing dinner but I didn’t want to keep her up longer than necessary; I could always apologize tomorrow.

***

Third Person POV:

When Dustin cleaned up and got ready for bed, he found Amanda sitting on their bed fuming.

“What is wrong with you Dustin?”

“What do you mean?”

“You promised to be home for dinner tonight! Amara had been sitting in front of the window for hours hoping to be the first to greet you when you got home! She insisted on waiting for you to eat together so I had to lie that you got caught up with work. You could have sent a text telling us you were going to be late. Where were you anyway?”

Dustin sighed as he sat down next to her. “I got a call from Jenny…”

Amanda flared at the name. “What!? You got one call from Jenny so you stand up Amara?!”

“Jenny’s my child too! She’s going through a lot as a teenager!”

“Dustin, listen to yourself! Jenny has Amelia and Chris! We are your family right now! US! Me and Amara! ”

“Stop it, Amanda! Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.”

“YOU stop it! It’s not a molehill, Dustin! I have put up with this nonsense for years because I know how much you regret what you did to Amelia back then. You were a jackass then to her and you’re a jackass now to me and Amara!”

Dustin squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Honey, please…”

“Don’t you ‘honey’ me! You never got over your ex! She’s a wonderful woman, I know, but damn it, Dustin! I am your wife! We’ve been married for over five years and you still… you still can’t let go of Amelia!? If you can’t get your head out of your ass you’re going to be a divorcee twice over.”

“Don’t you dare threaten me!” Dustin thundered, standing to full height, towering over Amanda. “You are just imagining things!”

Amanda burst into tears, “No I am not! You never look at me the same way you look at Amelia! I’ve tried so hard to make this work! It was you who pursued me but once we got married it felt like our roles reversed and I spent the last few years chasing you. When I found out you still loved her, I did my best to emulate her. I talked to her every weekend to understand her psyche, and to copy her gestures and way of talking. I tried to be her so you would look at me but you never do, your eyes always end up landing on her. I really can’t do this anymore…”

“Mommy?”

Amanda and Dustin both turned sharply towards the little voice by the doorway.

“Is everything okay?”

Amanda rushed over to cup her daughter’s head to her chest, “I’m sorry sweetie, did we wake you?”

Amara hugged her mother and snuggled into her embrace. “I just woke up for some water and heard you shouting. Are you fighting with Father?”

Dustin grimaced, he didn’t know when it started but his daughter had been calling him “father” while continuing to call Amanda “mommy”, he felt so distant. Amara was unlike Jenny who always called him daddy. He felt unloved and unappreciated, it was the last straw to break the camel’s back. He huffed and stormed out of the room.

Amanda looked at Dustin’s retreating figure with watery eyes. She unconsciously squeezed Amara harder in her embrace, and a couple of tears dropped and fell on Amara’s shoulder.

“Mommy, are you crying?”

“Hm? Oh, no baby. Mommy is just a bit tired, that’s all.”

Amara pulled out of Amanda’s embrace and cupped her mother’s face in her own little hands. Planting a kiss on Amanda’s face, Amara whispered, “Don’t worry, mommy, I will always love you.”

Amanda smiled softly, she wished Dustin would reassure her the same way her daughter did. “I will always love you too, sweetie.”