I was reading over some of my old, old shorts, and decided that I could, and should, start merging some into longer pieces...here is an example of what I've done.
Xavier Pendragon and Pandora's Box
He sat on the floor and watched her sleep. The bluish-gray moonlight that seeped in from her window draped across her face, giving her angelic visage an ethereal look. Her tiny mouth curled at the ends as she slept. “No doubt she was dreaming of puppies and kittens,” he thought.
Xavier Pendragon wondered why he was so lucky to have such a lovely and beautiful daughter as Emily. And to have her so respectful and loving, even with the loss of her mother Nicole, only made Xavier wonder what the Fates had in store for him. But now was not the time to ponder that question. Now was the time to revel in Emily’s love and grace.
He stood for a moment before walking to the window. He looked out onto the backyard, the moon’s glow casting an eerie shadow on the freshly fallen snow. He smiled, thinking how Nicole would have loved the scene.
“She loved snow, plain and simple.”
Coldness filled Emily’s room as he closed the cream and eggshell colored lace curtains. The faint smell of vanilla and the light hint of musk wafted under his nose. He closed his eyes and subconsciously smiled he remembered those were her scents. Someone or something touched his shoulder gently. He felt the pressing of invisible lips on his right cheek. Xavier’s smile widened: He knew Nicole was with him.
“I do love snow.”
He remembered her voice; he remembered what she said each time there was even the smallest of snowflake falling. He turned towards his little daughter, a tear gathered at the corner of his left eye. Xavier’s hands lingered on the curtains for a moment as he looked at Emily. She was beginning to smile.
“I love you, too, mommy.” She mumbled a few more words before the smile faded. The smell of Nicole’s perfume and her favorite spice left his senses. He knew she had been with him once more, but knew she had to leave them alone. He sighed heavily before releasing the lace and turning to leave the room. He stopped short and turned to their daughter. A few short steps and he was at her bed. Emily turned to him as he leaned over. Her big beautiful blue eyes twinkled as she opened them.
“Hi daddy,“ she whispered. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, just wanting to kiss my princess goodnight.”
“Aw dad.” She smiled and, with sleep still in her eyes, pushed herself up. She offered him a cheek, which he gently kissed. She fell back onto the bed and searched for her favorite stuffed animal. He bent over and picked up a gray animal off the floor.
“Here is Gray Bear. He fell on the floor.” Xavier placed the stuffed animal under her arm and kissed her cheek again. Emily quickly drifted back to sleep as he brushed a stray hair from her face.
He sat in his easy chair, his omnipresent glass of Pepsi on the end table. The glass sat on a coaster that she had always insisted he use each and every time he drank his soda. He smiled as he thought of her yelling at him whenever he forgot. He shook and lowered his head as her words reverberated in his head. He returned to reading his book. He stopped when he heard tiny footsteps.
“Daddy, I can’t sleep.” Emily’s words echoed down through the stairway and reached him just as he closed the book, one of the many books he received as gifts that last Christmas.
“What’s the matter, Princess?”
“I had a nightmare.” She was standing at the top of the stairs, waiting for him to give her the okay to come down and sit on his lap.
“Come on down and tell daddy what’s wrong.” He placed the book back on the table. He waited for her to climb onto the chair with him. Emily slowly came down the stairs, her favorite teddy bear clutched tightly under her right arm.
“I was dreaming of mommy. I miss her.” She was teary-eyed as she leaped onto his lap.
“So do I,” he sighed. It was one of the first times he admitted to it to her. It was not that life without Nicole was difficult, it was hard for him to show Emily how much he missed her mother, his wife. He needed her to be with him when Emily scraped her knees, when Emily talked of classmates and their mothers. He needed Nicole, wanted her, to be with him when Emily was sleeping, when their daughter’s face was that of an angel.
“What was mommy like?” It was a question she never asked before. And frankly, Xavier was not sure why she never asked. Though he had prepared several answers to the question, he was not sure what to answer. She did remember Nicole’s face. She remembered her smell. She remembered her touch. What did she want to know?
“What mommy was like, when?” His smile belied the fact that he was uneasy, not wanting to bring up bad memories for her.
“What was mommy like when you first met her?” She snuggled closer into his chest, her head resting on his left arm.
“She was funny. I thought she was some stuck up girl that wanted nothing to do with me. You know we met in college, right?”
“Yes, daddy.” She looked at him, her eyes showing both the wanting to learn more about her mother and the need for sleep.
“Well, I was so wrong about that. She really liked me; she just didn’t want me to know right away.” Emily giggled in his lap, but it sounded weak. She was fading fast. Xavier knew all she needed to get back to sleep was a few minutes in his arms. He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Good night, Emily.”
“Night night daddy.“ She turned into her body and borrowed. He smiled again, knowing that this was why he became a parent, and why he had to go on, to live without Nicole.
He sat at the edge of the bed with tears falling down his cheeks. Although it was just a dream, he could still feel her skin, smooth and warm. He could still hear her tiny little laugh, the one that made him feel so loved. He could still smell her perfume, the same one she loved so, and the one he bought the night before the accident. He sighed heavily and put his face into his hands. He began to weep more heavily.
“Daddy, what’s wrong?” Her voice was so innocent. He looked up and tried to control the tears.
“Nothing honey, I am just so happy to see you.” He smiled as he looked into his ten-year-old daughter’s eyes.
She put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot as she looked at him. “Oh daddy, I know that’s not why.” She sighed slightly and shook her head before she threw out her arms. “Give me a hug.”
He saw her mother in her actions: it was Nicole that gave him hugs even though she knew he was lying. “I can’t tell you why, not just yet.”
“Then when daddy.”
“When I feel good and ready to. Now off to the shower with you.’ He gave Emily a playful tap on her bottom as he stood to leave, to go down to the kitchen. He stopped a moment to put his glasses on. And when he did, he noticed a hair clip on the nightstand. It was hers; It was his late wife‘s. He sighed heavily and tried to hold back the tears as he remembered the dream: her smell, her touch, and her laugh.
He missed her so.
Xavier sat at the dining room table, his cup of cocoa now cool enough for him to drink. He had the sports section of the newspaper open and was patiently waiting for his daughter to come to breakfast. And when she finally appeared, he glared at her as he stood and walked to the kitchen.
She answered him quickly and to the point. “I like the feeling of the hot water.” He had to stop and try not to laugh: it was the same response her mother gave every morning when she was running late. He shook his head and finished his walk.
“Do you want sausage or bacon?”
“Neither, all I want is toast and chocolate milk.” He smiled, he knew she would only have toast, but he still made a big breakfast.
“Okay, precious.” He grabbed two slices of toast and quickly put them in the toaster. He stopped for a moment, stood holding the kitchen table when he again felt someone‘s touch on his shoulder and arm. He knew it was hers, Nicole's.
“Daddy, you okay? You look awful white.” Xavier turned and saw his daughter behind him, her face showing concern.
“I’m fine. I just lost my balance for a moment.” He was lying again, but he could not tell her that he felt a hand run on his arm.
“Okay daddy. I can finish my own toast and make my own milk. You go take your shower. You need one.”
“I hope you saved me some hot water.” He laughed, knowing that there more than likely was very little of it left.
She looked at him, crunched her little nose, and “Oh daddy” him once more. He chuckled as he walked from the kitchen.
“What’s for lunch?” It was the same question she asked him every morning as they walked to the car. It was their ritual.
“Peanut butter and strawberry preserves, an orange, two juices, some potato chips, and a chocolate chip cookie your grandmother made. You saw me pack it.”
“Oh yeah, I did I did.” They both laughed as he unlocked the car.
“I’ll be picking you up today. We need to get you some new shoes, or so your grandmother thinks.”
“Goodie! I need a new pair.” Xavier knew she didn’t need them, it was just an excuse to get them out of the house and into the public.
“I’ll be ready this time. I‘ll have the car waiting, and my wallet will have money.” He laughed as he remembered the last attempt at shopping - the arriving late at school, the left behind wallet, the lounging pants.
“Dad, could we please not listen to your music this morning?” He could feel the sarcasm drip from her tongue as she mouthed the words. It was the same sarcasm Nicole gave him, and on the very same topic.
“My car, my music. You can listen to whatever you want when you have your own.” He laughed to himself as she glared at him, making her even more upset. “Sorry, precious, but that’s the rule.”
“Whatever, daddy.” The air in the car was cold as he started. He pulled out of the driveway and headed toward the school. She sat in silence; her arms folded in front.
The ride was short, only ten minutes. Xavier smiled as he pulled into the parking lot. Emily just sulked some more until she saw a couple of her friends. He pulled into an empty space, but before he stopped, she had the door open.
“Bye, daddy. See you later.” She was out the door before he could speak. A little down, Xavier watched as his little girl danced off to be with her friends. He smiled as she stopped and looked back at him. She waved and blew him a kiss. She mouthed the words “I love you” before she turned back and walked off into the school.
Xavier felt the air around him cool even more as he turned on the radio. He felt someone or something brush against his ear.
“She’s turning into a lovely woman,” an ethereal-like female voice whispered. “Just like you promised.”
“Just like I promised, Nicole.” Xavier Pendragon changed the radio station from his 1980’s rock to a soft rock channel: the one his Nicole loved. He sat and stared at Emily before she disappeared into the school.
“Just like I promised.”
[ Now get to the reluctant ghost hunting and treasure finding ]
