Tonight

The door opens and in he rolls. Weary, a little frazzled around the edges and a might frustrated. He calls out to her and there is no answer, he sighs, but only he can hear. Going into the kitchen, the materials for dinner are there, some cooked, some ready, but dinner is a while off yet. Heading to the fridge, he feels the light crunch under his wheels, macaroni...again. Then he sees it on the door of the fridge, she was colouring again. But this wasn't just colouring, she had filled in the parts she didn't like. In doing so she had made art. On the top in glitter and macaroni, it simply said "4 Daddy". She must have been working for days.

His eyes had teardrops at the corners, but he would never let her see this. He had to be her strength. Since that asshole ex hurt her, he has always been there. Hearing her stories, seeing her scars, the ones they gave her, the ones she did to herself, he knew he was her rock. Then it struck him, the house was quiet. No children underfoot, no screaming, yelling, climbing, hugs and tickles. Where was everyone?

He rolled into the bedroom, and laid out on the bed, carefully, lovingly and with great deliberation the toys they both loved. A little rope, the oak hair brush, the pink flogger and her vibrators. She never left this stuff out, the kids might find it. Now he was really perplexed. Heading to the bathroom he expected some noise, maybe her in a bubble bath, or just her using the throne. But nothing.

He turned his chair to the porch, and ready to go was the grill. Hot and ready to cook on. That explains a bit. Over by the tub, which was on, and heating up, was a bottle of chardonnay, their favorite, but she wasn't here either. Now he was starting to panic. He ex is not quite a psychopath, but who knows what he is really capable of. Little cold tendrils of fear climbed up his back so he headed for the living room and phone. Just then he saw it.

Now if he could stand he would have seen it walking in. Damned wheelchair. There it was. Every cushion and pillow she could get, covered with every spare blanket. It was a fort. She even made a place he could roll in and be beside her. On the TV Power Puff girls was playing, it was almost over, so she could not have been asleep long. She has such a hard time sleeping, so this is not a problem. He hated to wake her, but he knew she would be very sad if he didn't let her evening go the way she planned. So he reached over and started rubbing her back. She always slept in a ball. But instead of jumping awake, she slowly yawned, and stretched, then smiled.

"Daddy, have you looked around the house? I made something special for you". He sat there and looked in her beautiful sweet face, and said "no honey, I saw the fort and rolled right over here. Sorry I am running late, lots of stuffs at the doctor." Looking up at him, with her innocence and faith, she clapped her hands, and simply said "I've been planning this for days, the kids are at mom's tonight. Take a look on the refridgerator, I made something for you." He smiled and just said "really?"

She stood up, and he realized that some people might not find her beautiful, but she is everything to him. As she turned around she looked at him and thought the same thing.

<3