Chapter 81
…
Charles had let Charlie down that day, leaving her waiting in vain, so this was just Charlie’s imagination, which made it all the more painful for Evelyn. Every line and stroke felt like a dagger piercing her heart. The more Charlie anticipated, the more she cherished the thought and the more Evelyn’s heart ached for her. Evelyn couldn’t help but reflect on those long, chilling hours that Charlie had stood waiting, longing to see her dad, only to be met with disappointment. Before her passing, she realized she’d waited in vain for her father, who had instead spent the day at the amusement park with Sandy. That must have been gut-wrenching for Charlie. Tears blurred Evelyn’s vision as they streamed down her cheeks.
After preparing hangover soup, Charles headed upstairs, only to find Evelyn missing from their bedroom. Spotting a sliver of light from Charlie’s room, he headed there and gently pushed the door open. Inside, Evelyn was seated quietly at Charlie’s desk, so lost in thought that she didn’t notice him.
Charles walked over, ready to ask what had captured her attention so deeply. But before he could say a word, his eyes were drawn to the drawings on the desk. The first thing that caught his eye was the childlike handwriting. The writing was a bit messy, but each word was written with heartfelt care: ” Heehee… Mommy was right. Daddy really is going to spend my birthday with just me. My wish is finally coming true. I’m super happy.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll be the happiest kid in the world.”
Following these lines were several big smiley faces, radiating Charlie’s joy.
Charles read these words, and memories came flooding back. He recalled Evelyn discussing Charlie’s birthday plans, his promise to her, and how Charlie had secretly called him that night. On the call, she cautiously asked with her gentle, sweet voice, “Daddy, Mommy said you’ll take me to the amusement park for my birthday. It’ll be just us. Is it true?”
At first, Charles was a bit annoyed at the thought of it being just them, excluding Sandy. But when he heard his daughter’s tender voice, he pushed aside his irritation and replied, “Yes.”
Hearing his answer, Charlie couldn’t help but giggle with delight. She was so thrilled, and he found himself smiling as well.
“Daddy, promise me there’s no backing out tomorrow,” she said, trying to sound serious, but her voice couldn’t hide her excitement. She was just so adorable.
However, despite their promise, he
ended up letting Charlie down because of Sandy. Charles felt a swirl of emotions. His gaze then shifted to the drawing beneath the text. The drawing was simple but crafted with care. Simple stroke’s outlined two figures – Charlie and him. The scene was clearly an amusement park, showing him holding Charlie’s hand, lifting her up, and even Charlie riding on his shoulders, joyfully making a “yay” gesture.
Different scenes all had one thing in
–
st happy.
common – Charlie’s bright smile. This was the amusement park visit Charlie had dreamed of. Just thinking about it made her so happy. These images were her most cherished hopes for her birthday. Charles could feel, through every line and stroke Charlie drew, just how much she had looked forward to that day.