WALK WITH YOU, CHAPTER 10

“Get a move on honey! We’re going to be late!” My dad shouts up the stairs after my Mom. They’re going to a function for my Dad’s work again, some sort of formal dinner where they dress up like dolls.

“Alright, alright. I’m done, what do you think?” Beautiful would be too casual of a word to describe my Mom, she is flawless. Tall, leggy, with dark hair, dark eyes and beautiful porcelain skin. My Dad on the other hand complete opposite, light hair, light eyes and medium skin but just as flawless. People say I’m the perfect mix of both, I personally don’t think I could ever compare to them though.

My Mom twirls in her long red dress as my dad claps his hand to his chest like he just saw the most breathtaking sunset. I’ve never met any parents quite like them. All my friends’ parents are always fighting, or not talking at all. I’m the lucky one, loving parents in a loving home. A concept you don’t see very often anymore.

“You look perfect Mom.”

She beams at me “Thanks honey!”

The doorbell rings and I know it’s my Aunty Nadine. A little older than my Mom she definitely has a completely different personality. Likes to keep to her own mostly, but always there if you need her. Not as outgoing at all but nice nonetheless.

“Hi Isabelle. How are you tonight?”

“Great, don’t Mom and dad look awesome?”

Aunty Nadine gives them a onceover and offers them a small smile, “Yes they do.

You look lovely the both of you, but you better get going or you’re going to be late. I’ll take it from here.”

My dad grabs his keys and wallet and turns to me to say goodbye. “Come here, give me a big hug!”

He wraps me in a big bear hug, he’s so good at them I make sure I get one daily just to remind myself how good they are.

“I love you Izzy! Have a good night with your Aunt and we’ll see you in the morning.”

I let him go only to get swept up in another huge hug from my Mom. “Oooh how I love you baby girl. Get to bed at a decent hour tonight and have fun.”

“I will, and I love you guys too. Have a lot of fun and dance a bunch together.” They give each other the most love filled gaze and grab each other’s hand as they exit the door. I leave the door open and watch them walk to the car hand and hand. They both pause to wave and blow kisses in my directions.

“Dream sweet dreams baby girl and know that we love you.”

If I could pause that moment in time and relive it over and over, I would. I would dream it and hold on to it and never wake up again. But I can‟t. I wished for a long time that I could‟ve stopped them. Made them stay at home that night with me. Made them tuck me into bed like they always do and have my dad read me a story. My mom telling us to stop because we were supposed to be done „one more chapter‟ three chapters ago. Instead I woke up to my Aunts trembling voice telling me to come downstairs and two police officers with a look of pity in their eyes. Same look I get every time someone asks me about my parents. I loathe it. I wish I could slap it off people‟s faces when I‟m having a bad day. I don‟t want to be pitied.

I had them for 10 wonderful years of my life and even though they were taken from me too soon, they were taken together and that gives me some semblance of peace.

But, I miss them.

Every day. Every breath.

I miss them.