The Wrong Marriage, I Gave Up

I looked at her coldly. If looks could kill, she would have been torn to pieces a thousand times over.

I said angrily, "How do you still have the nerve to mention Tania? She was so little and she needed her mom and dad. And you? You left her behind to be with this big brute. Without you, would he have starved to death?"

I continued, "Poor Tania, dying so tragically. Don't you fear that in the dead of night, she'll come back to haunt you and ask why her mother abandoned her?"

Sherry's pupils shrank and for a moment, panic flashed across her face. "Hector, what are you implying?" she asked. "Isn't this just a ploy to make me come back to you? Do you really need to make up such absurd lies? If Tania knew how you were made up such a story, she wouldn't want such a cruel father."

You can never wake someone who pretends to sleep. If she had even the slightest bit of maternal responsibility, she would have come back home after so many days to check on our daughter, who had been left alone. But she hadn't. All of her attention was focused on Colin.

I didn't want to argue with her anymore. I stepped past her, walked to the door and pulled out the divorce papers from my bag and said, "Sign it. Once you do, you can 'play' with him wherever you want."

Sherry glanced at the divorce papers and her expression changed slightly. She softened her tone, speaking to me patiently, "Alright, alright. I'll buy Tania a Barbie doll set later. She'll love it! Don't be so rude to me about this, okay?"

Sherry had always been so high and mighty, never speaking to me in such a softly manner. If Tania were still alive, maybe I would have considered giving her a chance. But Tania was gone, she was never to return.

She had been so sweet, always longing for Sherry's approval. Even the card from one of Sherry's discarded makeup sets was a treasure to Tania, something she cherished as a 'gift' from her mother.

I retorted, "No! Just sign the papers and be quick about it." This house was tainted. I needed to take Tania somewhere clean.

I turned and left the bathroom, heading to pack our things, mine and Tania's. But when I pushed open the door to Tania's bedroom, the sight stopped me dead in my tracks.

Tania had loved dolls, loved her toys, loved her beautiful Elsa princesses. When she passed, she was all alone. I was afraid she'd be lonely, so I didn't bury her in the cold, sterile cemetery.

Just like when she was alive, I moved all her dolls and toys into this room. In the middle of them, nestled together, was a crystal box that held her ashes. It made me feel like she was still alive, like I could still be with her every day.

But now the room was empty. All of her dolls and toys were gone, replaced by a black-and-gray punk style. And the crystal box with her ashes, nowhere to be seen.

I rushed forward like a madman, grabbing Sherry and screaming at her. My body trembled uncontrollably with anger and fear.

I screamed at her, "Who touched that room? Where are her dolls? Where's the crystal box that was on the bed? Where did you put it?"