Poison Control Center

Friday, Fall Year 24

The divorce is final. I presented Lisa with a ring. She was stunned. She wasn’t sure what to say. I held my breath. She cried… said yes… why do women cry? Seriously I thought maybe I was wrong about us and … well really I don’t know what I thought… I guess I’m becoming numb to tears… lately there is always someone crying in this house.
We had a quiet ceremony. Justice of the Peace, us, two witnesses who were fixin’ to get hitched and then we returned the favor and were their witnesses.


Angel and I talk daily. Father/daughter time is important. She’s always been there for me and I will be damned if I’m not always there for her. She dropped a helluva bomb on me though and I was stunned… simply stunned.


She has been in contact with her mother. Okay that part I knew. I even encourage it. I don’t think she should lose contact with her mom just because we aren’t together any more. As far as I’m concerned though, she hasn’t changed. She hasn’t gotten over this break up and still blames me for everything. Fine. I’ll take the blame.
Then Angel told me Allyn would like to come by for a visit. *pause for affect* Exactly… now why does my ex-wife want to visit? The kids go to her place to visit her every other weekend, why does she need to come here?
Spanky. I was floored. I couldn’t say no. He was her son, too.


She arrived one evening with a single rose. She looked sad, but good. She sat down in the basement for quite some time. Angel would go down occasionally to check on her. Frank never goes in the basement mausoleum, cant say I blame him. He says it’s creepy. Perhaps… personally I find it cold and lonely.


She had gone upstairs to visit with Frank before leaving, only he had been out back working on his new garden. She found Angel’s music room. Angel gave up the violin for the piano and preferred the peace and quiet, the solitude, the warmth her small room provides her.


Angel invited her in to her sanctum. Allyn was a bit chilled from having spent all that time in the cold mausoleum. Angel is a good girl. She did what she could to provide warmth and comfort to her mother.


At supper time, Angel came down to cook, the girl loves to cook. Then we sat at the table to eat as a family. We invited Allyn, but she declined. Can’t say I blame her. Who wants to sit down to dinner with your ex?


We went about our evening in the usual fashion. Kids playing a quiet game of chess before bed time…


Lisa cleaning up after supper…


Roy and I bonding as I teach him to walk…


That’s when we heard it. The sudden silence from upstairs was followed by shrieks of pain and fear.


I put Roy down and ran upstairs, followed closely by Lisa. The door was locked! I banged on the door, calling out her name. We could hear Allyn inside. The heat that came from the other side of the door was intense. You could feel it from where we stood. I called down to Angel, told her to call the fire department.
I looked at Lisa and told her to go downstairs where it was safe. She wanted to argue, I could see it in her eyes. Yet apparently she saw the urgency in my own. I didn’t want her up here where she could be hurt too.
I began banging the door with my shoulder, causing myself 2nd degree burns trying to get to her. The screams stopped. I didn’t. I was determined to get in that room. By the time the fire department came, it was too late. They were able to save the house, the room, even the piano, albeit a bit charred… only it was too late to save Allyn.
Once the emergency crew was gone, I heard distant foot steps behind me. I stood staring at the door… numb… lost… this house is cursed… this land… this place… me… maybe its me… I’m poison to those who love me. I wanted to run… I didn’t want what is left of my family to suffer from the poison that I am.


A small hand on my good shoulder brought me back to reality and I turned to face my daughter. We hugged… we cried… I can’t leave them… they need me… poison and all.

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